Passenger requires fishing license in NSW?

[stevemid]

hi,

Does the wife need a license if she accompanies me when I go fishing in NSW?

Steve

[Noelm]

I do believe she does, there is quite a bit on the Fisheries site about who needs a license, I guess its to cover the sort of thing that goes on when a whole family goes "fishing" so they can take more daily bag limits, I reckon if your wife was just sitting in the boat reading a book and explained she has no intention of fishing, the officers would not fine you, but if you started to give them a hard time about pulling you up, they might exercise their power! In the main, I have found them more than reasonable if you seem to be doing the right thing, but then, a license is not that expensive anyway, and at some point she might want to have a fish anyway.

[Triple]

If she is not fishing and not in possesion of fishing gear then NO why would she need one.. ie: other gear is stowed that you are not using but if there are more than four lines in the water then either she is or you are exceeding you allowable amount of gear and if your over your personal bag limit then either she was or you have gone over .. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/regulations/sw/methods
and there are other exemptions -
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/licence-fe (http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/licence-fee)

[Triple]

Not a bad idea for her to have one but, cause if the action is hot and she wants a crack then their is no risk for minimal outlay and you could technically double your bag limit..

[stevemid]

Thanks guys. I guess the take home is: spend a 100 grand on a boat, why chintz on a $35 license eh?