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by Frank Richetti
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association December 2002 Newsletter)
For a number of years now the Marine Fisheries Administration of New Jersey has been working on a tight budget. They are the arm of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife that is responsible for managing the marine resources, both commercial and recreational, within our state. They are responsible for data collection, data interpretation, monitoring fishery activities and advising the NJ Marine Fisheries Council. Although the burden of implementing and monitoring numerous fishery management plans has increased over the past ten years, the budget they have to work with has not.
The combined value of commercial and recreational industries to the economy of New Jersey is between $1.5 and $2.1 billion. It is ranked 5th in value along the eastern seaboard but the money NJ spends to fund supporting programs ranks 12th out of 14 coAstal states. The State of New Jersey allocates only $1.3 million a year for the Marine Fisheries budget. That is down from $1.5 million in 1990. The rest of the $3.5 million budget is made up of Federal funds. It is a shame that this industry, which generates over $45 million in sales tax revenues and provides over 20,000 jobs, is taken for granted and milked by the state as a cash cow.
The reality of our times however, is fiscal crises. The state of New Jersey, like so many other state and local governments, is facing severe budget shortfalls. It is not likely that any additional funds will flow to the Bureau of Marine Fisheries any time soon.
The NJ Marine Fisheries Council is responsible for setting regulations for marine species in New Jersey. They rely heavily on the know-how and advice from the folks at the Bureau of Marine Fisheries. Recognizing the burden placed on the Bureau, the Marine Fisheries Council requested a report of all current and proposed programs and the budget required to support them.
This report titled “Securing the Future of New Jersey’s Marine Resource” outlines 25 current programs along with proposed upgrades and additional programs. It calls for increased funding of $6 million and adding 64 new scientists and technicians to the staff.
Since JCAA is involved in fisheries management and marine habitat we are keenly aware of the need for up-to-date and reliable data to better address the many management plans. The question is not whether or not we should support the various programs; the question is how do we find a way to reliably fund the needed programs? That question was the subject of a forum sponsored by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife; see their press release below for details.