[McGillicuddy]

I've been buying a fishing licenses (resident and non-resident) every year since I was 16. It's the best bargain I get every year. I'm kind of surprised that some states don't require a fishing license, especially densely populated states like MA, RI and NJ.

The purpose is to asses the impact recreational anglers have on the coastal fisheries. Is there a dark side? Yeah, probably. And the anglers who believe that may misrepresent their catch thinking it will affect data analysis. Lie high, NMFS thinks your take is jeopardizing the future stocks. Lie low, they'll interpret the data as the stocks being perilously low...

Funding goes to enforcement, education, watershed management, and species restoration, etc. And a lot of angler money ends up elsewhere (probably even greenie grants, God forbid).

All in all, if done without a secret agenda to wipe out fishing, it is a good thing - especially as population continues to grow.