It probably won't see the light of day and won't meet the Federal requirements in the end.
Under the Federal Registry the person listed as the owner on a HMS permit issued to a boat is allowed to fish without having to register. The other anglers on that boat would still have to register.
The Federal exceptions include anglers who are under the age of 16; only fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats; hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit; or hold and are fishing under a valid commercial or subsistence fishing license or permit.
This whole disaster would have been avoided if it was handled at a regional level by an organization that has authority over the species we fish for. An agency like ASMFC that has members from the states could have been charged with the task of registering/permitting/licensing anglers. It turned into a big rush. Instead we all can plainly see what some states have done because they smelled the money.
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