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Gov’t eyes scuba diving fee
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Posted on Jan 29 2001
The government will generate additional revenues to finance marine researches and restoration of sea life sanctuaries once the proposed collection of scuba diving fee is implemented.
Rep. Thomas B. Pangelinan introduced the legislative proposal which stipulated that commercial and recreational scuba diving should be regulated to minimize the adverse impact on the marine ecosystem of the Northern Marianas.
Mr. Pangelinan said the Division of Fish and Wildlife should be authorized to establish a scuba diving license fee for all scuba divers amounting to $10.00 a year.
Under the Scuba Diving Act of 2000, several marine explorations such as recreational diving, subsistence fishing, salvage or wreck diving, marine research, underwater filming, deep sea diving and commercial diving will be asked to pay the yearly license fee.
The proposal authorizes the DFW to establish and collect a five-year license fee for the establishment of the Scuba Diving Fund which will be utilized for restoration and improvement of designated sea life sanctuaries and possible marine exploration in the future.
By setting up the diving fund, the government will be able to immediately finance a DFW program without possible appropriation problem.
Aside from the license fee, any individual diver, dive tour operators, and dive shops who will be violating the Act will be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $500.00 for each violation and a fee of $2.00 for any request for re-issuance of lost or damaged license.
