State House News Service  

July 28, 1999--State lawmakers representing fishing ports like Gloucester, Westport and Plymouth are casting a skeptical eye on administration plans to raise commercial fishing permit fees by a total of $200,000. 

A proposal heard by the Natural Resources Committee today calls for 
consolidating nine types of commercial fishing permits - from lobster 
licenses to boat certificates - into five by eliminating two categories and 
merging two others.  But lawmakers seemed determined today to talk fees. 

Under questioning from members of the Democrat-controlled committee, a 
Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) official reluctantly acknowledged the 
consolidation plan also raises fees that were last adjusted in 1988 by 
$200,000. 

The bill (H 4229) doesn't specifically include increases, but DMF officials 
are seeking $20 fee hikes for approximately 11,000 small boat licenses. 
Fees for another 20,000 commercial rod, shellfish and lobster permits may 
also rise by a similar amount.   The 25 owners of commercial fishing boats 
from 60-99 feet long would see a cut of about $100. 

"For a full-time commercial fisherman, a $20 fee increase is irrelevant," 
DMF director Philip Coates said.  "For a guy who's trying to sell his fish 
to buy a new rod, $20 is significant.  It's all a matter of scale." 

The fee hike proposal didn't sit well with legislators like Rep. Thomas 
O'Brien (D-Kingston), Rep. Anthony Verga (D-Gloucester) or Rep. Michael 
Rodrigues (D-Westport).  All three said they would be on the hook with 
those of their constituents who fish commercially. 

"I want to know when changes are made so I can go and talk to my fishermen," said Rodrigues, who represents 40 commercial anglers.  "I 
support the idea of trying to simplify the permitting process.  It's something that's long overdue.  My concern is that whenever fees are raised on any of my constituents, I like to be informed." 

Rodrigues said he would likely support the bill after getting more information about the fees.  "As legislators, as soon any anyone gets an increase in fees, we get calls," he said. 

House committee chairman Douglas Petersen (D-Marblehead) said he would also support the bill if he got answers to his questions about why smaller boats might see increases and bigger boats would see decreases.  "I think this bill is about fees, rather than permitting.  Somebody's getting hit," Petersen said.  "We want to see who's getting hit for this." 

In the 1980s, the Legislature ceded control over fees to the administration, preferring to let the governor take the blame for fee increases.  Previously, lawmakers had to approve all fee hikes. 

After the hearing, the DMF's Coates said his agency needs the money. 
DMF gets the lion's share of its budget - about $4.5 million - from permits and other licensing fees.  But last year, the agency needed about $1 million from state taxpayers to supplement operations.  DMF regulates commercial ocean fishing and shellfish gathering, and oversees the protection of fish like salmon that live in the ocean but breed in freshwater rivers. 

"We're going to send over the analysis (to the committee), recognizing that any fee adjustment is an administrative process, not a legislative process," Coates said.  "We can submit a package for a fee increase at any time.  The Legislature wouldn't see that.  They would get the complaints." 

No one opposed the bill at today's hearing. 
 

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