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2009 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 397
Requesting the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to examine the creation of a comprehensive registry of saltwater anglers in the Commonwealth. Report.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, February 10, 2009
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 20, 2009
 

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) adopted regulations to establish a national registry of saltwater recreational anglers fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone and in state waters for anadromous species; and

WHEREAS, the registry requirement is intended to improve the efficiency of existing angler surveys, to reduce possible sources of bias, and to improve confidence in survey results among anglers and fishery managers; and

WHEREAS, the United States Secretary of Commerce may charge a fee currently estimated to be in the range of $15 to $25 per saltwater angler per year to register with the NMFS after January 1, 2011; and

WHEREAS, saltwater anglers will not be required to register annually with the NMFS if they are licensed by a state that provides data determined to be sufficient to meet the agency’s survey needs; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Virginia Marine Resources Commission be requested to examine the creation of a comprehensive registry of saltwater anglers in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission (Commission) shall determine if changes must be made to the Commonwealth’s saltwater recreational fishing license program to conform to the National Angler Registry requirements.

In conducting its study, the Commission shall consider: (i) the types of licenses and license exemptions that should be eliminated; (ii) the economic impacts to the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Development Fund from such licensing changes; and (iii) other means to achieve an exemption from the requirement that anglers in the Commonwealth register with the NMFS. The Commission shall complete its work prior to November 1, 2009.

The Commission shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and report of its progress in meeting the requests of this resolution no later than the first day of the 2010 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary and report shall be submitted for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly’s website.