National Saltwater Angler Registry (Poho or Not?)
January 8th, 2010 | 
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Okay, if you’re like me wondering what’s going on and confused heading into the New Year about the National Saltwater Angler Registry (NSAR), don’t fret, other fishermen in the U.S. are having the same problem. Hawai’i is currently one of several states (Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands) that is required to have their fishermen register to fish because we do not have a comprehensive recreational saltwater license or registration program. NOAA has a site specifically to register and answer questions about the NSAR called the NOAA Marine Recreational Information Program.
There are pros and cons to having a national saltwater angler registry but I’ll defer on this while I wait and see what the Feds have in store for the data. Intrusive information that reminds me a little bit of the film, “Red Dawn,” where the Cuban leader ordered his men to gather information about the Boy Scouts (Remember? Said to be a paramilitary organization). I know, it might be a stretch and may never be used for dubious purposes, but too much identity theft and government security breaches going on that it makes me wary.
I always thought Hawai’i would be immune to this kind of licensing because of our long fishing tradition but it looks like the State of Hawai’i never implemented a program to keep or gather hard data for NOAA’s use. Read what other states in the same boat as Hawai’i are reporting:
Here’s an article from North Carolina that states that anglers don’t have to register because they have a program that NOAA can use to mine data:
Check out Hawai’i Fishing News and DLNR for other information.
Anyway, it’s free to register in 2010 but may have a fee attached later. So make your assessment and leave a comment. Maybe our government leaders in Hawai’i will make the right decisions regarding our recreational fishing interests. Do I hear, vote Abercrombie For Governor? You decide!
Posted in Uncategorized, ahi, aweau, fishing, fishing hawaii, hawaii, hawaii fishing, hawaii fishing fanatic, hawaii fishing news, ulua fishing | 
Tags: dlnr, fishing, fishing license, fishing requirements, fly fishing hawaii, hawaii, hawaii fisheries, hawaii recreational fishing, marine recreational information program, Maryland, Massachusetts, national saltwater angler registry, New Jersey, noaa, North Carolina, recreational fishing, Rhode Island, saltwater fishing license, ulua fishing, Virginia
2 Responses to “National Saltwater Angler Registry (Poho or Not?)”
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January 10th, 2010 7:32 am
Fishermen in my state have to comply with this too. I think the intentions are good, but the government will surely find a way to screw it up.
February 5th, 2010 2:08 pm
[...] * How about that National Saltwater Registry? A recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser has Hawai’i fishermen talking. Not too sure you know all the details about it, you can check my previous post on the subject here. [...]