A California bill to make sportfishing free for all youth, under the age of 18, did not pass out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is effectively dead. The bill (AB 478), which would raise the age for license-free fishing from 16 to 18 years-old, was written by the California Sportfishing League and supported by numerous affiliated organizations to encourage a new generation of sportsfishing enthusiasts.
The state raises about $1.55 million from the more than 22,000 fishing licenses purchased by 16 and 17 year-olds each year, money that opponents argued California could not afford to lose. The 2017 base fee for a California sportfishing license is $47.01 for residents, the highest in the U.S.
For more information contact David Dickerson at ddickerson@nmma.org.
