N.J. saltwater fishing registry cheaper than feared

    New Jersey officials say a free registry for saltwater anglers is costing the state only a fraction of what was expected.

    But fewer fishermen than expected are signing up.
    The state set up the registry in 2011 to collect data mandated by the federal government. If the system had not been put in place, the state’s saltwater fishermen would have been required to pay a $15 fee for a federal registry.

    The free registry was anticipated to cost $2 million a year. But the state is telling The Press of Atlantic City that in 2011, it cost less than $74,000.

    About 240,000 anglers signed up last year — and similar number did so this year.

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    Estimates have suggested the state has a half-million or more saltwater anglers.

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