2015 boat registration just arrived

StogieMan · Post by **StogieMan** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:33 pm

I have stopped reading / concerning myself with all the ways our great state of Ca finds to take money out of my pocket. You can't fight city hall as they say.

So I did not read the registration form for my boat, I simply sent them the money.
Well my new tags arrived and they include a new sticker that says "Muscle fees paid" and it goes on my hull next to the 2015 reg sticker. Does anyone know what this means ?

Do I no longer have to pay at Clear Lake for example or what ?

Rich hamilton · Post by **Rich hamilton** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 5:14 pm

It means you have to pay double at clear lake!!!!! Was wondering the same thing, I did exactly what you did! There is no way that we are ever going to get out of that stupid quagga thing even if clear lake dries up they will charge for a dust bowl mouse poop fee or something

CoralSteve · Post by **CoralSteve** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:31 pm

The second sticker is annoying... I barely squeezed it between my REG numbers and boat cleat. I damn near had to replace my REG decals to make this stupid sticker fit. Now on for the meaning, from DMV.

Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Program

DMV's Role

Assembly Bill 2443 (Chapter 485, Statutes of 2012) authorized the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways to require the DMV to collect an additional Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Fee effective December 31, 2013, on all vessels subject to registration in the state. The fee is due upon initial vessel registration and biennially upon vessel registration renewal. Vessels used exclusively in marine waters are exempt from the additional fee. Fee-exempt vessels and CF Numbers issued to vessel dealers and manufacturers are exempt from the program.

Funds from this additional fee will be used to, among other things, implement and administer non-native dreissenid mussel monitoring, inspection, and infestation prevention programs.
Unless exempt from the program, a unique identifying sticker will be issued for the vessel as evidence of payment of this fee and must be attached to the vessel. The sticker allows the vessel to be operated in all waters of the state unless expressly prohibited. If your vessel is used exclusively in marine waters, you may claim an exemption from this fee by notifying the department.

Additional information regarding Quagga and Zebra Mussels is available from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways at www.dbw.ca.gov or by calling 1-888-326-2822.

Brian D. · Post by **Brian D.** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:21 am

And so it begins... A few similar comments on Kramer's blog.

http://kramergonefishing.com/2013/12/03 ... ker-shock/

clearlakeoutdoors · Post by **clearlakeoutdoors** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:24 am

The state did this without talking to lake Co. first. Then they made the stickers look just like the lake co. ones . It will confuse a lot of boaters. But yes Lake co. still wants you to get boat screened before launching . Most of you guys think this system doesn't work but we have a lot of boats thru out the year that come from infested waters. The only boats that have to be inspected are boats from a infested county.
Dave

bassrippin365 · Post by **bassrippin365** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 6:24 pm

So why penalize the rest of us not coming from infested waters. Revenue.....Revenue. . Revenue .BS

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 6:22 am

No one likes paying more fees, including me.
But, given the huge dollars involved in dealing with mussels once they are established, this is a good investment.
At least at the lakes I fish, there are people who only do the inspections, and they have to be paid.
We can argue all day about why the mussels are here, but the fact is they are, and for the State to ignore them would be a violation of the public trust, and just plain dumb.
Inspections make sense.
The alternative is to trust that everyone coming from a contaminated lake will fess up, make sure their boat is clean and dry, and ask for inspection.
Removing mussels from our water supply pipes and gates will cost millions every year, and, since boats have, so far, been shown to be the primary source of contamination, it makes sense we boaters should pay for the inspections.
No, we didn't cause the mussel problem in the first place, but we can help to reduce it's impact on our own home lakes, or anywhere else we choose to fish, with the extra money our fees provide.

Rich hamilton · Post by **Rich hamilton** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 9:56 am

You guys are right I guess I really do not have a good read on the whole situation. I thought some lakes they actually helped clean them up and then also wondered why in my backyard (lake Sonoma) nothing is being done that I know of. Why is Clear lake different? I have a hard time with believing they are ahead of the curve with the regulations looking at all the houses surrounding the lake and the lack of regulation on run off and sewage problems. Who knows maybe lake county is way ahead of the game but with all the crap I hear coming from theft and such I don't think so.

JustFishn · Post by **JustFishn** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 1:11 pm

When are they going to start inspecting birds and ducks?

mark poulson · Post by **mark poulson** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 1:55 pm

JustFishn wrote:When are they going to start inspecting birds and ducks?

Probably when they start issuing boating licenses.

bassrippin365 · Post by **bassrippin365** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:49 pm

Two words on this one "General fund" ----kinda like all of the money charged for the bay delta enhancement stamp. That money went into a general fund and never was seen again.You may agree with additional fees, however I do not. Give credit where credit is due....mismanagement of funds paid by you and me.

fish_food · Post by **fish_food** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 8:20 pm

bassrippin365 wrote:Two words on this one "General fund" ----kinda like all of the money charged for the bay delta enhancement stamp. That money went into a general fund and never was seen again.You may agree with additional fees, however I do not. Give credit where credit is due....mismanagement of funds paid by you and me.

That's just one of those oft-repeated myths everyone takes to be true because it keeps getting repeated everywhere. Agencies can't put and take into the General Fund as they see fit. The General Fund is made of revenues from personal income tax, sales tax, and corporate tax; you may be thinking of a Special Fund, where revenues collected from specific taxes and fees are supposed to be spent for a specific purpose.

As for the Bay Delta stamp--those monies probably got shifted somewhere (but not to the General Fund) or liquidated because it's been more than 3 Fiscal Years since the end of the program. I wonder how much of it was mismanaged and how much was actually spent on "enhancements" to the Delta? The local outdoor writers never really dug into how the funds were used--it could've made for some good investigative reporting and would have been of big interest to us. I remember reading that a release boat for black bass was one of their expenditures. Agency chiefs hide monies like the Parks Dept. did--they hoarded millions in secret funds and could've spent the money to keep various parks and services going. There was a big brouhaha over that and the Bee ran several articles on that bit of agency dereliction.

longshot · Post by **longshot** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:58 pm

It seems that we get charged all over the place and everyone goes oh well it's just 5-10-20$ no biggie but it really starts to add up. At some point we gotta take a stand and inquire about what's happening and why they can do it without vote? I was told it was in the wording like fees/ect.
I remember the striper stamp becoming the delta enhancement stamp blah blah and the sturgeon tags that were always going to be free now cost money.
It seems that they start something suppose to be free just gotta register or whatever and its just the beggining of the process of a later charge.

Flats Runner · Post by **Flats Runner** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 7:03 pm

In 2011 I, retired and moved back to my home state of Fl. My fishing grounds were Diamond Valley, Lake Skinner, and the San Diego Lakes. I put up with all the fees/restrictions/Inspections that Calif. could throw at you. The yearly tax on the value of the boat was the real killer. Quagga Mussels it is the waterfowl bringing them in. You guys are just a source for more $$$$. I feel for you guy's back there.

Fast forward to present day, had a Flats Boat custom built paid, the state sales tax, end of taxes. 2 year Registration $40.00, fish both freshwater and saltwater....5 year lic. $140.00. Fish 24/7 anywhere no restrictions, no inspections when you haul out. The fishing is fantastic....Plus you get to mess with alligators back here. They will chase a topwater popper!!