Senator Tom Berryhill (R-Twain Harte) said California is one step closer to offering a junior fishing license. The Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 345, which would create the reduced-cost Junior Sport Fishing License as a way to encourage young people to explore the sport.

“Fishing is one of the greatest activities out there,” said Berryhill, who represents Oakdale in the state assembly. “I want to give kids a chance to explore the sport and spend time in California’s great outdoors. Offering a reduced cost junior license will encourage families to take their kids fishing. Once you’ve fished ... you’re hooked.”

SB 345 also clarifies possession limit regulations for charitable or other nonprofit organizations.

While recreational fishing contributes over $4.9 billion annually to California’s economy, a major source of outdoor tourism and jobs, it has been on the decline in recent years. Removing costly barriers to youth participation is particularly important when studies have found that 71 percent of anglers experienced fishing for the first time as a child.

While the bill originally did more to combat this problem, before the Senate Appropriations Committee amended out a major component, said Berryhill, the junior fishing license will go a long way to introduce our young people to the sport and therefore increase license sales.