State leaders move to repeal fishing fee

State Sen. Lee Zeldin announced at a news conference yesterday that he would introduce legislation tomorrow to repeal the state's controversial saltwater fishing license fee.

Zeldin (R-Shirley), speaking to some 50 supporters and fishermen at the Suffolk County Boat & Sport Fishing Show at Suffolk Community College, said he wanted to replace the tax with a free online registration compliant with federal regulations.

"We shouldn't have to pay for an activity that generations have always enjoyed for free," said Zeldin, who spent summers as a youth fishing on his father's boat in the Great South Bay.

The law, which took effect in October 2009, was designed in part to help collect statistical data for the federal government. Anglers are charged $10 per year.

Steve Witthuhn, captain of Top Hook Charters in Montauk, attended the news conference to show his support for the repeal.

Witthuhn said he had paid about $1,300 in saltwater fishing fees so far; charters pay $400 annually to cover their passengers. He said he wouldn't mind paying if the money was used to protect the water and the fish living in it. Instead fees are used to pay marine-related Department of Environmental Conservation salaries and expenses that previously were covered by the state's general fund.

"If you take money from my industry, I'd like to see it put back into my industry," Witthuhn said.

Seven Long Island towns won a lawsuit last year against the state DEC, preventing the agency from requiring recreational anglers to obtain the license to fish in town waters.

Assemb. Fred Thiele Jr. (I-Sag Harbor) said at the news conference that he would sponsor the bill in the State Assembly. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy called the tax "an insult."

"You feel like you're getting hit all of the time" by fees, said Fred Bothe, 39, of Babylon, who attended the boat show in Brentwood with his two young sons.

Tom McCaffrey, 49, also of Babylon, bought a lifetime license for $150 because he fishes every week during the summer, mostly in the Great South Bay.

"I don't like the fee, but I'm a law-abiding citizen," he said.