Tax-Paying Fish?

[El Gordo]

This a C&P from this site
"Sports fishing to pay taxes
As of January, owners of sports fishing boats will pay taxes in the DR. Decree 111-01 requires all sports fishing boats to be taxed according to size from RD$1,500 to RD$7,000. Speed boats will be taxed RD$200 to RD$2,000, also depending on size. Each fish brought on board will have to pay the state RD$250.
The new tax also applies to fish caught by scuba divers. Hoy newspaper reports that the decree was
issued at the request of the Ministry of Environment. The decree aims to control the conservation and use of coastal, maritime and wetlands areas and to provide research funds."

On the surface a great idea-IF the taxes are collected in a fair and transparent manner & then don't 'leak away'.

What I don't understand is how every dead Tuna, Dorado and Marlin is going to 'pony up' the dough-RD$250.00 per as it says.

Now seriously I realise that the grammar/syntax has been turned around in translation but the numbers for each Pescado are far too high.
RD$250 is $25 Canadian dollars for each fish!!
Surely they don't expect any Sportfisherman to pay that much?Those kind of charges can do 2 things-kill a business/open the way up to (yet more) corruption.

I suspect that this new tax is aimed at Sportfishing Boats from Puerto Rico who have been crossing the Mona Passage to use the Marina at Punta Cana at times-a certain amount of jealousy is to be expected when sharp, smart operators open up in a small backward market like the DR.

[Henry]

And the better, did you see any scuba diver bringin in a Tuna, Sailfish or better???

I guess this law is a shot into the wrong direction! If they realy want ot protect the overfishing just forbid nets and thats it!

To me it sounds like a new money machine and there will be more!

Henry

[Hlywud]

Another method to collect money, all it will do is kill some of the tourist industry. The number of fish caught by sportfishermen is minimal in comparison to the numbers caught by net or gang hook lines by commercial fishermen. I caught a 40 pound dorado and after landing I released it, this made the boat captain very angry. This is his business as well as his supper, so he wanted both sides of the scale. Fees to fish and a family meal. I have no problems with catch and release, but in some instances a fish is in such bad shape after being caught, it should not be put back in the sea, and to pay $250RD to keep a fish is utterly ridiculous

[Andy B]

...on the other foot.
For years the Bahamas has been saddled with Dominican and other foreign (mostly Florida based) fishermen illegally fishing their waters. The Bahamas solution has been simple for illegal fishermen, both commercial and sport: confiscate the boat and not return it until a heavy fine was paid.
If the DR is having problems with sport fishermen from Puerto Rico taking fish in the DR waters, just institute a fishing permit EXACTLY as the Bahamas do: a commercial or sport permit for the boat, a permit for lobster and a permit for conch for example. The next step is then enforcement: just have inspectors wait at the docks and check the boats when they come in.
The same holds true for DR registered boats: a simple boat permit (already proposed and law), but do away with the per fish tax. If they need the extra money for proposed research, it could be a SPECIES tax, such as one fee for marlin, one for sails, etc. Skindivers, both commercial and sport, should also pay a permit fee, but only for taking fish or other sealife.
As to what they will do with the money collected: in view of current practices here regarding monetary collections, we KNOW what is going to happen with it,...but that's not our concern as fishermen; just fair tax laws so we can continue to enjoy our sport.