Days of Free Fishing Drawing to an End
On January 1st some significant changes in the laws for anglers in the state of North Carolina will take place. North Carolina will require a salt water fishing license for recreational fisherman
Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, any person 16 and older who wants to fish recreationally in any water designated as coastal and joint waters of North Carolina must purchase a Coastal Recreational Fishing License (CRFL). The N.C. General Assembly passed legislation in 2004 to create a saltwater license, and Governor Mike Easley signed it into law in 2005.
and not to leave the fresh water anglers out those using live baits in their home county will now be required to have a freshwater fishing license.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, any person 16 and older fishing in North Carolina’s public waters (excluding private ponds) must have a fishing license. Additionally, anglers fishing with natural bait (i.e., worms, crickets, etc.) will no longer be able to fish in public, inland waters in their county of residence without a license. In 2005, the General Assembly passed new legislation that repealed the “natural bait exemption,” which allowed people to fish in the public, inland fishing waters in their county of residence without a fishing license as long as they were fishing with natural bait.
Now if you are like me and got a North Carolina Lifetime Sportsman or the Fishing License prior to Jan 1st 2006 then you are grandfathered in on the saltwater license. If you bought your lifetime after that date you either need to add the lifetime saltwater fishing or you’ll have to get a license every year. If you go out on charter boats or fish from private piers in most of those cases the owners have the license to cover you so you will not need to obtain a license for those instances but if in doubt better to ask prior to booking the trip.
Links
NC Wildlife Info Page on Saltwater License
NC Division of Marine Fisheries Info Page on Saltwater License
NC Wildlife PDF about Natural Bait Exemption
[...] Changes in North Carolina fishing laws take effect on Monday as we earlier reported on however as part of the new law the poor will now be able to get free fishing licenses. People who receive Medicaid, Food Stamps, or Work First will qualify for the license provided their right to fish has not been revoked. State Sen. Charles Albertson, D-Duplin, a sponsor of the bill, said Thursday that lawmakers did the right thing by enacting legislation that allow those eligible for the three social assistance programs to fish free. “We don’t need to be charging license fees to people on food stamps who are fishing for their dinner” he said. “North Carolina is better than that.” [...]
Pingback by Moose Droppings » Free Fishing Licenses for the Poor — December 29, 2006 @ 6:23 pm
[...] As we reported on earlier beginning in 2007 anglers fishing the coast of North Carolina are required to obtain a costal fishing license. So far it seems to be going off without a hitch; Within 24 hours of becoming available, more than 1,700 of the state’s new Coastal Recreational Fishing License were purchased by anglers. The next day, another 1,800 such licenses were issued. It’s a good start, officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said this week. [...]
Pingback by Moose Droppings » Smooth Transition to Costal Fishing Licenses — January 9, 2007 @ 12:01 am