Saltwater Fishing Fans Will Soon Pay the Price

Gov. Rell is expected to sign into law requring saltwater anglers to have a license. The only question that remains at this point is where the money will go.

Revenues from the licenses projected at about $1 million per year - will go to a DEP environmental conservation fund. That could change, however, depending on what's in the state budget once it's adopted. Rell's proposed budget calls for all DEP revenues to go into the general fund, which would include the license fees.

State Rep. Edward Moukawsher, D-Groton, who opposes the new fee wrote a letter to U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, asking for an investigation of new federal laws that prompted the state to impose the new license. State officials and others who supported the bill said the state license made sense as a way to keep revenues in the state rather than let them go to the federal government. Without a state license, anglers would be required to sign on to a national registry and pay federal fees to catch certain types of fish.

If the money goes into a general fund - they might as well rename it - Saltwater Fishing Tax To Help Pay For Things Connecticut Can't Afford.