THE HERALD

PAGE 5

FISHING LINES BY LOU RODIA If I were a party boat captain, a tackle shop operator, fishing tackle manufacturer, operator of a boat livery, a bait supplier, a boat industry representative at any level, a manufacturer, supplier or repairer of outboard motors or marine supplies or if I were attached to any one of the countless businesses which directly or indirectly feed on a continuing and a hopefully expanding use of salt water for fishing and its allied recreations for my economic wellbeing, I would literally be quaking in my boots after I read the results of the Eagleton Survey conducted and prepared for the State of New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Shellfisheries. This 30 page document (with a page and a half of conclusions) is available by writing the Division of Fish, Game and Shellfisheries, Box 1809, Trenton, NJ., 08625. I am not going to reprint it here nor am I going to even attempt to summarize. I am going to be shamefully fiagrent in my use of journalistic license to quote one small part of this report and admit I do it out of context since I cannot outline the whole report. This one statement, which I will repeat below, is a glaring indictment of any effort to put forth a salt water license, and is enough, even taken out of context, to indict the license proponents as selfish, and self-centered - seeking only to get their hands on the massive funds they believe a license will generate. This is one of tire conclusions of the Eagleton Poll; “Eight out of 10 fishermen said they would CONTINUE to salt water fish even if a license were imposed.” The report fails to mention that this simple statement means that two out of every 10 fishermen would STOP fishing in salt water. Think for a minute about that statistic. In its simplest form that means that 20% of resident fishermen

presently fishing in New Jersey would no longer be doing so in salt water. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Being oriented toward the tourist business, I would have to believe that when one poses the same questions to the tourists who fish in New Jersey, substantially higher numbers will not fish than the 20 per cent of state residents. There are some ‘benefits’ for the selfish and self-centered in these alarming statistics. We have been told many times in our years of fighting the license in answer to our predictions that such a threat to the salt water fishing sports fishing industry was a real one. That the loss of fishermen would be of little consequence since it would make more room for the rest of us who did stick around and buy the license. Think how ‘nice’ it would be to get rid of about 20 percent of those people who now line the rails on weekend fishing boats. And don’t forget that added 20 per cent of space which will suddenly open up on the jetties, on the piers, on the boat ramps and in the marinas. You might not even have to wait too long to get your motor repaired, or to get your rod or reel fixed, or you might even cut down the lead time you need to order a new boat. Assuming, that is, that the industry overall can stand the 20 per cent loss of potential business which would follow the license and be around to serve anyone. And do you know who would be one of the biggest losers?The State of New Jersey itself, which is financed partially by a 5 per cent sales tax. And which also collects an additional tax on marine motor fuels, boat registration Tees, and income tax on the earnings of the many people who make some part or all of their living from sports fishing or its allied businesses. The loss of direct and indirect revenues to the state offers

itself could well equal or surpass the amount generated by the imposition of a salt water

license.

Tte amount of potential loss gets even more staggering when you put in the tourist dollar loss potential to this state’s economy. By the state’s own admission, tourism is New Jersey’s second largest industry. That it contributes substantially to the economy of this state is already being touted by Trenton, from the Governor on

down.

The state-sponsored brochure which purports to tell us about the need for a marine management program tells us about the 1.5 million New Jersey residents who utilize salt water. I also guesses at a $300 to $400 million contribution these fishermen and an estimated 1.2 million tourist fishermen make to the state’s economic We have been around the tourism industry a little while, and have to question the validity of both of these figures. We know of no state study which can substantiate the number of tourist fishermen, nor have we ever seen any survey which would tell anyone how much the New Jersey fishermen - visitor or resident - really spends for his fishing. For the benefit of the proponents of the license, we’ll reproduce any results of any survey they can show us which can document either the $300 to $400 million figure or the 1.2 million tourist fisherman figure with any authenticity. We think they are low Valid or not, the fact that the state used figures favorable to its purposes in seeking to sell the license makes it fair, I suppose, for me to use the ones which would strengthen my case to oppose it. In their own brochure, the bureaucrats who push for the license for funding their research programs indict themselves once again. The back of the brochure calls for programs beneficial to the fishermen in salt water which will cost an estimated $3

million.

Assuming their figures are correct- that there are really 2.7 million salt water users and again, assuming that ,20 per cent of these quit fishing because of the license, this leaves a total of [continued on page 8]

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THE HERALD

[photo] Joseph Davies of Avalon (l«ft), Mary Beth Mullen and John Larkin, both of Sea Isle City, are seen reading at the rostrum for a special assembly program at St. Joseph School in Sea Isle City. The eighth graders are provided with opportunities to assume leadership roles in the school. .

ARTHRITIS TELETHON The American Legion,

Department of New Jersey will cooperate with the New Jersey Arthritis Foundation during their annual Stop Arthritis Telethon which is scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 10 and 11th. Beginning at 10:00 P.M. Saturday, until 5 PM. Sunday, an appeal will be made on WOR-TV, Channel 9, with a star-studded cast of entertainers,

During the Telethon, they will

be announcing American Legion contributions from our Cape May County Posts. Representatives will be seen throughout the Telethon making check presentations from their respective Posts and Counties. Many of our Legionnaires will be

manning the telephones. "In time and place a harmless lie is a great deal better

than a hurtful truth."

Roger Ascham

STONE HARBOR Duplicate bridge Results of the Stone Harbor Duplicate Bridge, Club,on Jan. 10th were: North-South: First, Bill and Betty Coan; second, Mary Frances Englebert and Esther Stobbart. East-West: First, Margaret and Linn Petrick; second, Louise Krause and Vemice Caprio. On Wed. Jan. 31st, the Bridge Club will hold a unit tournament. For further information call Eugene Fisher, manager, 368-1421 or Esther Stobbart, director, 368-3631. JAMES ELLISON LECTURE A James Ellison Lecture “Life Beyond Death” will be given Sat., Jan. 27th at 8 P.M. in Walter E. Edge Hall at Atlantic Community College.

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