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Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Division of Marine Fisheries

251 Causeway Street, Suite 400

Boston, Massachusetts 02114

(617)626-1520

fax (617)626-1509



The Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries) is collaborating with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to collect information on the Commonwealth�s recreational saltwater fishery to measure its economic value. In addition to providing important information about the socio-economic value of saltwater fishing in Massachusetts, this federally funded study will help to validate frequently used economic evaluation methods by applying an innovative direct approach in which some saltwater permit holders are presented with a cash offer in exchange for giving up their permit and thus the right to fish in marine waters for the remainder of 2012. Other permit holders will receive a survey asking for either their willingness to sell their 2012 permit for a particular price or their willingness to have paid a different amount for their 2012 permit.

MarineFisheries is issuing this Advisory to attest to the legitimacy of this angler permit survey, including the cash offers that some individuals will receive, and to assure its permit holders that in no way will the information from the survey be used to modify fees for Massachusetts� recreational saltwater fishing permits.

Participation in the survey is voluntary; however, MarineFisheries highly encourages your response based on the important information that will be gathered. Past studies on the contribution of recreational fishing to the Commonwealth�s economy have considered the number of jobs and the amount of sales and incomes that are supported by the expenditures of saltwater recreational fishermen, but have not included the value that anglers place on being able to go saltwater fishing. This type of information holds great worth; for example, it would be necessary for a comprehensive estimate of economic losses to the recreational fishery if for some reason Massachusetts� waters had to be closed to fishing.



MarineFisheries is maintaining a list of Commonly Asked Questions about the 2012 Massachusetts Saltwater Angler Permit Survey under the recreational permit page of its website: www.mass.gov/marinefisheries. General questions about MarineFisheries involvement can be directed to Nichola Meserve (nichola.meservestate.ma.us). Technical questions regarding the study should be directed to Quantech, Inc., the statistical analysis and survey research firm contracted by NMFS to conduct the survey. Please contact Daemian Schreiber at 800-229-5220 ext 7831, or mavsquantech.com.

Don't try to understand any gummit agency by applying or assuming intelligence, logic, legality, fairness, or responsibility.

Sounds like to me Friend , If ya want to fish your going to have to pay!

I believe the offers have already been sent out. $500 to give up your permit for the rest of the season. I have to admit, if I was picked I would probably take the cash. Being from away, I don't get but a few hours here and there to fish anyway. As I have yet to buy my 2012 permit, I was not in the running.

But, yeah, the whole thing is ridiculous. .gov at its finest.

Sure does.

How much are the permits when you apply for them ?

Our govt is getting to the point of...

"We're gonna start beating you hard & fast with this big stick, then we're gonna slow down some, so you appreciate that we're not beating you so hard"..

That does not sound promising?

"This type of information holds great worth; for example, it would be necessary for a comprehensive estimate of economic losses to the recreational fishery if for some reason Massachusetts� waters had to be closed to fishing."

This sounds down right scary.

Tell 'em to go eff themselves.

Permits are $10.

So, you buy them for $10 and sell them back for $500. Can you buy one for each family member?

No child left behind comes to wildlife management.

".... if for some reason Massachusetts� waters had to be closed to fishing."


There is the stick and the money is the carrot.

About the same deal Texas had some years back with bay shrimpers. Either buy out the licenses or close the bays.

My son and his buddy had a commercial salmon fishing license. They each received about $30,000.00 a year for two or three years NOT to fish. I believe that the money came from the Feds.