TRENTON — Leg­islation Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matt Milam are sponsoring to ensure free recreational saltwater fishing continues in New Jersey was re­leased Monday by an Assembly committee.

Their 2nd District legislative colleague, Sen. Jeff Van Drew, who is spearheading such legisaltion and who testified before the Assembly committee, lauded the committee’s action. Van Drew sees the Assembly legislation as a way of preventing what he sees as an un­necessary fee for saltwater angling, and calls for the N.J. Senate, where Van Drew’s legislation is stalled, to swiftly follow suit.

The Albano-Millam bill (A-823) responds to a federal law that authorized the National Oceanic and Atmos­pheric Administration to collect a fee beginning in 2011 to cover costs associated with a new saltwater angler registry.

“The idea that fisherman should have to pay to use the open ocean is absurd,” according to Milam. “This has always been free in New Jersey and should remain that way forever.”

Albano concurs. “New Jersey is expensive enough without charging people looking for fun and relaxation to fish the open sea,” he opines.

“Fish conservation and management is a smart thing, but we don’t need to be charging saltwater anglers to make it reality.”

In 2007, Congress reauthorized a fish conservation and management act that directed a National Saltwater Angler Registry be established. The registry is meant to identify all saltwater anglers to obtain more accurate information for the purpose of improving fisheries management.

Anglers will be exempt from the federal registry if a state has its own registration or system, but New Jersey has neither, so state anglers would be required to register with the federal government if there’s no program in place by year’s end.

The bill sponsored by Albano and Milam, D-Cape May-Cumberland-Atlantic, would direct the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection to establish a registry program for saltwater recreational anglers to comply with federal law, but specify the state cannot charge a registration fee.

The bill was released by the Assembly Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee.

Van Drew testified before the Assembly committee in support of legislation, which he introduced in the Senate, to create a free registry for saltwater recreational fishing and prevent residents from getting slammed with a fee.

“New Jersey residents are up to their eyeballs in taxes and fees. They’ve had enough,” said Van Drew, D-Cape May-Cumberland-Atlantic, following the committee hearing. “We need to make sure New Jersey remains a place where a father can take his son out for a day at the beach and, once the two get there, they can throw a line in the water for free.”

The legislation, A-823/S-1122, was crafted in response to the federal Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act, reauthorized in 2007, that directs the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration to establish a National Saltwater Angler Registry Program. The purpose of the new registry was to create a national database to identify saltwater anglers that could be surveyed by NOAA for research purposes. Congress, however, authorized the NOAA to begin charging a fee to cover administration costs associated with the registry beginning in January of 2011.

The DEP has estimated the federal program fee would range from $15 to $25 per person. New Jersey, however, has the ability to prevent the fee assessment by creating its own registry and applying for exemption from the federal program.

While the DEP and other lawmakers have suggested creating a state registry and charging a nominal fee, Van Drew remains adamant that registration should be free. The state, he maintains, could create an internet registry for saltwater recreational anglers, which would require minimal cost and be hassle-free.

“The people of New Jersey have suffered enough. This is one thing we should give them a breather on,” says Van Drew.

“I commend the committee for taking up and approving this important piece of legislation and believe we should take swift action on the bill in the Senate. The clock is ticking.”

Van Drew added that a free registration program would benefit New Jersey’s tourism industry since several nearby states, including New York, have implemented fees.

The Assembly bill, A-823, sponsored by Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam, D-Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland, cleared the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Monday by a vote of 5-0. The Senate version of the bill, S-1122, was introduced in January by Van Drew and referred to the Senate Environment & Energy Committee where it stalled because committee chairman Bob Smith, D-Piscataway, believes there must be a registration fee to pay for implementing the process.