One western New York lawmaker is concerned that a piece of legislation that has passed the state Assembly and is currently in front of the state Senate could have a negative impact on fishing tourism in the region he represents.
According to an article published in the May 25 edition of the Dunkirk (N.Y.) Observer, assemblyman Andrew Goodell (R-Chautauqua) said, if signed into law, the bill would require all boaters to pass a boater safety course in New York before being allowed on state waters. Courses from other states would not be grandfathered in under the new legislation, according to the report.
"It would basically shut down all of our fishing tournaments and other boating activities that involve experienced boaters from outside New York state," Goodell told the Observer. "If that bill were to ever become law and we would have a fishing tournament, people who are very capable and experienced boaters from Ohio and Pennsylvania would come here. Unless they took the written safety course, we would arrest them when they went out on the lake."
To read the full report, click here.
