Harlan wrote: >"but I believe sales tax on fishing equipment is already segregated from general revenues under the Walthrop/Burton (?)
act. This is used for access, conservation and similar functions. Perhaps someone can provide a more complete answer but the short story is there are
any number of data sources available now which quantify the number and economic effect of fishing. To date the Government and the population at
large have proven remarkably indifferent to broad appeals based on this approach."
Harlan: you missed the boat on this one. While Massachusetts does receive some Wallopp-Breux tax revenues, it's only a fraction of what anglers pay into it. We'd get a much larger perecentage if we instituted a licensing requirement. As far as your other
arguments go, I personally feel we have an obligation to regulate individuals who fail to regulate themselves. Fishing should be respected as a privilege, not a right.