NY's
Sportfishing Guide
Maintaining Long Island's Sportfishing Traditions
Long
Island is a stronghold for sportfishing in the northeast and anglers
enjoy its numerous options for sportfishing. Here are things that
you can do to enjoy our rich and diverse marine life.
Release
Fish Successfully
Releasing
live fish is an important activity in recreational fishing. The
changes in fish population and the number of anglers make it necessary
for people to use techniques that help to make these natural resources
more sustainable. Today's laws allow anglers to keep fish, usually
through size and bag limits, or seasonal closures. Many anglers
practice voluntary catch-and-release of legally caught fish. Anglers
use catch-and-release to extend the fishing trip, especially when
the fishing is good for legal sized fish, or if the angler has
already attained the daily bag limit. It is important to ensure
that released fish have a good chance of surviving, in order for
catch-and-release to be effective. Click
here (PDF) for easy techniques to reduce the mortality
in released fish.
Ethical Angling
More people
will care for local waterways and wildlife if they frequent the
outdoors. Anglers and boaters that were introduced to the outdoors
as youngsters continue to use fishing and boating to spend quality
time. Fishing and boating are enjoyable pastimes for the entire
family and help people to forge strong bonds. There are responsibilities
that are associated with an outdoor lifestyle that requires strong
ethics that have been embraced by users.
Ethics cannot
be forced upon others. It is passed on by example and word of
mouth. So who is the ideal ethical angler? There are many things
that you can do, and this short list is provided to assist you
to practice ethical angling. In general, ethical anglers:
- Educate
themselves about fishing rules and boating regulations
- Take only
fish that are needed, and properly release other fish
- Haul their
garbage back to containers on the shore or take it home
- Inhibit
the spread of invasive species and do not release bait.
- Courteous
to other anglers and respect property owner's rights
- Share their
knowledge and take a friend to fish
Ethical angling
is contagious, and you can influence your fishing mate's behavior
and attitude by setting a good example. Make the pledge to become
an ethical angler!
Practice Safe Boating
Here's a list
of things you can do for safe and enjoyable boating around Long
Island
- Bring one
life jacket for each person on board, and wear it in cold weather;
children 12 andunder are required to wear life jackets at all
times
- Never exceed
your vessel's carrying or powering capacity (see vessel's capacity
plate), and do not overload
- Tell someone
where you are going and when you expect to be back. Ask them
to call the authorities if you fail to return on time
- Keep an
eye on the sky for foul weather and seek safe harbor
- Bring a
portable phone or VHF radio to summon assistance if necessary
- Avoid consuming
excessive amounts of alcohol and bring water and sunscreen
- Bring approved
visual distress equipment such as flares or smoke signals in
case you need assistance
- Familiarize
yourself with local waters and obtain a chart of the area in
which you plan to operate
- Remember
the 'one three' rule for gas consumption - use 1/3 on the way
out, 1/3 for fishing, and keep 1/3 for the trip home. Keep more
gas for the return trip if you expect strong head winds
- Learn basic
first aid and keep a first aid emergency kit on the boat at
all times
- Engine
exhaust causes carbon monoxide poisoning; be familiar with these
symptoms (headache, nausea, weakness, and dizziness)
- Take a
course to learn about safe boating
Catch
Your Marine & Coastal License Plate
More than
$1 billion worth of economic activity to coastal communities comes
from marine sportfishing. Senator Owen H. Johnson and Assemblyman
Robert K. Sweeny sponsored legislation in 2002 that created a
new motor vehicle license plate to benefit the marine and coastal
districts. Residents and visitors of the Empire State enjoy exceptional
sportfishing, and a portion of these license plate sales will
be used to increase awareness, promote conservation, and fund
research on marine resources.
"New Yorkers can show their support for maintaining, preserving,
and improving the marine environment"
-
Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney,
11th Assembly District
Residents can purchase these special license plates at the DMV
issuing offices, or online at www.nysdmv.com, or contact (800)
364-PLATES.
"New Yorkers can take pride in the marine resources, and
help to protect the environment for many generations"
-
NYS Senator Owen H. Johnson,
4th NYS Senate District
More information may be obtained from:
Assemblyman
Robert K. Sweeney
270-B North Wellwood Avenue
Lindenhurst, NY 11757
(631) 957-2087
Senator Owen
H. Johnson
23-24 Argyle Square
Babylon, NY 11702
(631) 669-9200
Adapted with
permission from Assemblyman Robert Sweeney's Office.
