Recreational fishing licenses...

[JohnnyD]

For fishing licenses, they charge a fee for purchasing them online.

For driver's licenses, they charge a fee for going to the RMV.

[Mike P]

Private vendors and town clerks already charge a service fee for FW licenses. They have for years. In fact, I think the town clerk is authorized to charge more than a private vendor.

Most of the local B&Ts got out of the license-selling end because of the bond that they have to post with F&W to sell them.

[mikecc]

Originally Posted by Mike P

.Most of the local B&Ts got out of the license-selling end because of the bond that they have to post with F&W to sell them.

I was selling FW licenses for about 6 years. He stopped when the state printed all the fees wrong on the back of the licenses. The fees printed on the back of the licenses were the same as the previous years. It seems that the state upped the fees with out letting us know. We charged what it said on the back of the license. At the end of the month April our busiest we had a shortfall in our account. The state said that it was not their fault they printed the fees wrong and we should have charged the updated fees. We had to pay the short fall otherwise they were going to keep our $6,000 bond that we put up for the licenses. We paid the shortfall and told them to FO we were done doing their job for free. We dropped all the licenses off at the Fish & Game made them sign for everything, which they did not want to do. Well you guessed it they lost the Boxes of licenses and refused to relese our bond even thou we had them sign for them. They found the licenses 4 months lated in the attic of ther building and released the bond.

At this point no one from the state has contacted us about selling the SW licenses. Last year we were one of only 3 shops in the state providing them . The state still has not worked out the details for 3rd party vendors.

[stcroixman]

Guys it is the same problem here in RI with FW licenses. I assume it will be the same with SW. I always get my FW at quaker lane and spend the difference there too.

The cities charge a convenience fee if you pay your RE taxes online too.

[FishermanTim]

So, using this fee structure logic, if I don't buy a license and get caught and fined, can I charge THEM a convenience fee for fining me?
It makes just as much sense as the current asinine fee system thy have in place now!

[fishsmith]

Originally Posted by mikecc

At this point no one from the state has contacted us about selling the SW licenses. Last year we were one of only 3 shops in the state providing them . The state still has not worked out the details for 3rd party vendors.

Typical state run program. They say DO THIS, but have no idea what to do I wonder what they'll end up paying in overtime to ready this program.

[FishermanTim]

I broke down and purchased my licenses for next year online.
I did it because I also fish in NH, so I had to get that one as well.

Here's the breakdown:

NH freshwater Non-resident license - $53.00 + $3.00 processing fee
MA freshwater Resident License - $27.50 + $2.42 processing fee
MA saltwater Permit (does not say license) - $10.00 + $1.80 fee

Total is $97.72

I do feel bad for NH saltwater anglers, because their "Permit" cost $16.00 + a processing fee, and they have almost no shoreline compared to the rest of New England.
So I guess the reciprocity aspect of the saltwater permit never got addressed?

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

I broke down and purchased my licenses for next year online.
I did it because I also fish in NH, so I had to get that one as well.

Here's the breakdown:

NH freshwater Non-resident license - $53.00 + $3.00 processing fee
MA freshwater Resident License - $27.50 + $2.42 processing fee
MA saltwater Permit (does not say license) - $10.00 + $1.80 fee

Total is $97.72

I do feel bad for NH saltwater anglers, because their "Permit" cost $16.00 + a processing fee, and they have almost no shoreline compared to the rest of New England.
So I guess the reciprocity aspect of the saltwater permit never got addressed?

Anglers with a NH SW license can fish all of Mass, as well as a certain distance up the Maine coast from the border.

Every coastal New England state has at least limited reciprocity with neighboring states, and NY does as well (RI is even a "neigboring" state with NY because the extreme east end of LI has border waters with RI). The only state in the northeast with no reciprocity is NJ. They seem to be opting for a free "registry" of state anglers rather than a license. Which is good for their fishermen if they want to only fish NJ. Not so good if they want to travel to NY or to RI/Mass.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Mike P

The only state in the northeast with no reciprocity is NJ. They seem to be opting for a free "registry" of state anglers rather than a license. Which is good for their fishermen if they want to only fish NJ. Not so good if they want to travel to NY or to RI/Mass.

Too bad this doesn't go for New Yorkers too... Least the Jersey Barriers have to pay to fish up here.