Greenwood Lake Public Launch Update: Major Organizations Support

[muskynut]

Please see the following letter we just received:

Thank you for your ongoing help/support and inputs. Please continue to reach out to legislators as expressed in previous threads. Will continue to keep you all posted.....

UFANJ

Dear Senator Scutari, Senator Oroho, Assemblyman Coughlin, and Assemblyman DiMaio:

We, the undersigned organizations representing tens of thousands of anglers and boaters both in New Jersey and nationwide, are writing to express our strong support for New Jersey Senate Bill 987 (S 987) and Assembly Bill 1047 (AB 1047), which direct the Department of Environmental Protection to construct new boating access facilities or contract with existing private marinas to facilitate public access to state-owned lakes.

Angling and boating provide enormous cultural, conservation, and economic benefits to the Garden State. In 2021, there were 158,834 licensed anglers and 146,362 registered boats in New Jersey, which through fishing license sales and excise taxes on fishing equipment and motorboat fuels, generated $8.8 million for the fisheries and aquatic conservation efforts of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife through the ]American System of Conservation Funding]. In addition, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account for the same year, fishing and boating generated $648 million in value added to the state, further highlighting the importance of these activities to the New Jersey economy. In fact, New Jersey ranked 14th in the nation relative to the value added to the state's economy by recreational fishing and boating activities.

Lack of access to healthy fisheries has long been cited as one of the leading causes for people to stop fishing as a recreational pastime. Unfortunately, some state-owned lakes in New Jersey do not have public access facilities, including the state's second largest state owned lake, which, in effect, creates private lakes for surrounding property owners. While all of New Jersey's anglers and boaters fund fisheries conservation and management on these lakes, the lack of public access facilities creates an inequity for people to enjoy the state's public trust fisheries and aquatic resources.

SB 987 and AB 1047 seek to address the access inequity by ensuring there are opportunities for the public to launch their boat on state-owned lakes by constructing public boat launches or securing boating access through contracts with private marinas. Furthermore, these bills provide for a general fund appropriation of $1 million to achieve the commitment of providing access to public waters for all New Jersians.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, recreational fishing and boating participation soared across the nation as more people sought outdoor activities that allowed them to reconnect with nature and improve personal health. That increased participation also provided the added benefit of additional conservation funding for fish and aquatic resources, which is largely dependent upon fishing and boating participation. SB 987 and AB 1047 will ensure equitable public access to New Jersey's state-owned lakes while also safeguarding the foundation of conservation funding necessary for healthy fisheries and aquatic resources in the Garden State.

For these reasons, we urge you to expedite the passage of these bills. Our community is ready and willing to assist the Department of Environmental Protection in achieving the laudable goals of this legislation.

Sincerely:

American Catfishing Association
American Sportfishing Association
B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society)
Boat U.S.
Congressional Sportsen's Foundation
International Game Fish Association
Major League Fishing
Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
National Marine Manufacturers Association
National Professional Anglers Association

[Chrisper4694]

kind of sad that it takes so much effort and takes this long to get something that makes complete and total common sense done. That being said, this is great news and i'm glad you and others took the reins on this. As i've said, i don't fish this particular lake much, but it doesn't matter, everyone should be vested in this situation. great job, and thanks.

[muskynut]

The time it takes is DISGUSTING....I agree.....really a shame.....thank you for your support. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.....

[Chrisper4694]

Originally Posted by muskynut

The time it takes is DISGUSTING....I agree.....really a shame.....thank you for your support. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.....

same to you