Fishing and crossing the border is about to get easier.

S

starcrafttom

Active member
Well it looks as thought fishing in Canadian is going back to being easy again. The powers that be are going to go back to the old days where you could fish Canadian waters with out clearing customs. We will be allowed to fish in Canadian waters, as long as we dont anchor, land at a dock or go ashore. You have to have a Canadian licences and follow Canadian limits and rules.

This means longer seasons, and bigger limits for shrimp, crab, salmon and lings without the bother of checking into a port.

The reason for the reversal was pressure by both the american fisherman/industry and Canadain Fish and game. Money being lost on both sides . I am just glad to see the return.

It also looks like canadians returning to canada may not have to check back in at all but not sure about that part.
 
Tom,

I don't read this as excluding us from the US Border& Customs requirements. Or will it ?
The Anacortes office of Customs, is insistent that I would have to return to Cap Sante office before returning to my slip at Skyline.
I hope your right.
alan
 
Having worked in that area, and often across the border, up until last year, officials on both sides applied "the right of innocent passage." As long as you didn't put down an anchor, raft up with another boat, or dock (or beach) the boat, you didn't have to let the authorities on either side know.

Last year, boats I drove were stopped several times on both sides of the border by Canadian and US Coast Guard boats. The Canadian commercial boats were told they would need to contact US Customs, even when just making passage in US waters, AND contact Canadian Customs when they came back... a major inconvenience for commercial operators on both sides. Some of the Coast Guard boats had officers from both countries onboard. They seem to have eased back on this.

As Tom states, you'd need to have the appropriate license/tags for the waters where you are fishing. If you are just sight-seeing, without making land contact, you should be able to go back and forth.

No claim to know the absolute decision making on either side, just stating my experience.

If the blue light is flashing, stop.
 
Peter, I think that form was for the way it has been up until now. WDFW have not decided how they are going to handle the new ruling/law by Canadian. I am hoping for a update / news release from WDFW in the near future. This is why its so hard to find info right now. On edit---Even before I posted. I just used the link you provided to file a catch notification form. I filed it out as if I was going fishing for a month. Wonder if i can get one for a year? Easy to do online and you just have to have it if you get borded. its all done on line and the report number is emailed to you so you could do it from the boat on your phone.

This new law was a result of American fisherman on the great lakes not giving the gamies any info when they came back in. A large number of them where telling the game depart. to go fly a kite and not submitting catch reports of fish caught in Canadian waters. Not something I heard in this area.

For me it means that I can go across the channel and fish for lings most of the year instead of just the month season we get here. And more shrimp.
 
Actually Tom, I believe this is the NEW rule. It's currently on the WDFW Website right now. I heard about it on the outdoor line on recent broadcasts. Basically they're saying you need to notify WDFW and they will give you a confirmation number, then you're free to bring fish in from Canada. The difference is fisherman are NOT required to have a Canadian customs clearance number in order to fish anymore, just the notification confirmation. That's how I read it anyway.

Here's the original rule from the 2017-18 rules pamphlet.

It is unlawful to possess in marine waters, or
deliver into Washington, any fresh salmon
taken for personal use from Canadian waters,
unless such salmon meet current regulations
for the waters of the applicable Washington
Catch Record Card area. However, if the vessel
operator has a valid Canadian customs clearance
number obtained once they are in Canadian
waters, fishers aboard the vessel may deliver
Canadian-origin salmon into Washington
that are lawfully taken in Canada, regardless
of whether the salmon meet the current
regulations for the area where delivered.

Here's the new rule added to.the seasons and regulations section:

Canadian Salmon Trip Notification

Salmon caught in Canadian marine waters

Anglers who plan to fish for salmon in Canadian marine waters and return in their boats with their catch to Washington are required to notify WDFW before leaving state waters.

Canada no longer provides U.S. anglers with a way to document their legally caught salmon in Canadian waters. In order to pass a dockside inspection upon their return to Washington, anglers need to complete the form below notifying WDFW of their plans to fish for salmon in Canadian waters.

The form should be filled out prior to departing for Canada. Anglers will receive an email confirmation that their trip information has been received.

Anglers are reminded that they may not catch their daily limit of salmon in both Canadian and Washington waters on the same day. Anglers with Canadian salmon in their possession may not fish in Washington marine waters unless it is legal to retain the fish caught in Canada in the area where fishing in Washington.

A Washington fishing license is not required to fish in Canada or to fill out the trip notification form. WILD ID can be used if the angler has had a Washington license and WILD ID number, but it is not required.
 
And here's the official rule change effective August 14, 2017.

WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE 
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov 
August 14, 2017
Amends Canadian-origin salmon transportation rule
Action: Changes method for obtaining clearance number from a Canadian phone line to WDFW website generated.
Effective Date: Effective 12:01 a.m., Aug. 16, until further notice.
Species affected: Salmon.
Location: Washington marine areas.
Reason for action: Canadian Customs and Border Security regulations related to requirement for obtaining a customs clearance number have recently changed. This regulation is needed to provide an alternate means for persons seeking to possess and/or land Canadian caught fish in Washington waters or ports of call. 
Other information: Visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/canadian_catch.php to obtain a confirmation code. The form requests basic trip and contact information from the party leader that must be submitted prior to leaving Washington with the intent of fishing for salmon in Canada. The party leader will receive an email from WDFW with your confirmation code. 
Information contact: Fish Program: Ryan Lothrop, (360) 902-2808; Enforcement Program: Dan Chadwick, 360-249-4628, ex 1253.

Sorry for all the legalese. I just wanted to make sure I saw it and read it right before posting. :D

Peter
 
Thanks for your work, Peter.
This will make it easier for people wanting to cross over and fish and free up Customs on both sides to focus on what they need to do.
 
So true Tom. Sorry I missed your edited section. I'm glad we're on the same page. I also wanted to clarify for others who might be interested.

Hope you catch more lings, shrimp and salmon. I might have to check out the salmon fishing in the Gulf Islands when our areas are closed. :thdown
 
San Juan, I do not think you have to check back in to the us because you did not check in to canada. But the regs are not clear. I read what peter posted as you only need to have the WDFW number on you IF you get stopped. No requirement to report to customs or WDFW on return.

Its funny that i was able to get a WDFW number for a month> I wonder if we are talking about two different things? How to report back thru customs if you cleared Canadian customs VS just crossing the border and fishing?Many people go fish for a week or more across the border.

More research needed.
 
Canada no longer provides U.S. anglers with a way to document their legally caught salmon in Canadian waters
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So riddle me this? How is a Canadian fishing licence not a document? We have never needed anything to report our catch before but a Cad fishing licence. This new number from WDFW does not ask for or provide records of the catch? Just not sure what is being accomplished by this new number requirement.
 
Basically the WDFW does not want you to catch a limit in Canada and then catch a limit in the US on the same day. On any day that you have reported to have fished in Canada you are not allowed to fish in the US. Of course if it isn't even open for fishing in the US it doesn't make much difference. The new reporting system is how they plan to keep track of it. In reality I doubt they have the man power to do very much in the way of enforcement of this policy, but if they wanted to they could. If you punched in with them that you plan to fish in Canada for a month you would probably be fine, but if they caught you fishing in US in that time span you might have problems. If they catch you with fish in the US when it isn't open and you haven't punched in a trip to Canada you probably would have problems then also. What gives them the right to tell us we can't fish in the US if we have fished in Canada, I don't know. Seems to me what we do in another country should have no bearing on what we do in US. They made these rules up very suddenly when they realised that after shutting down Silver fishing in the Strait for 2 years in a row people were buying Canadian licenses and having no problem catching silvers just the other side of the border. I guess they have the power to make up any rules they want to when ever they want. We always go by the rule books, but in Washington you really have to do your homework if you want to be in compliance.
 
I'm going to buy a Canadian license, not purchase a WA State license, do my fishing on the Canadian side of the line. WA State has made fishing around here unpleasant and very regulated. Not to mention; the resources are going south. Besides, in less than 45 minutes of leaving Skyline Marina I can be in Canadian waters.
 
san juanderer":2jees56d said:
I'm going to buy a Canadian license, not purchase a WA State license, do my fishing on the Canadian side of the line. WA State has made fishing around here unpleasant and very regulated. Not to mention; the resources are going south. Besides, in less than 45 minutes of leaving Skyline Marina I can be in Canadian waters.
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N O T E D
 
drbridge":370l5b5w said:
<stuff clipped|> What gives them the right to tell us we can't fish in the US if we have fished in Canada, I don't know. Seems to me what we do in another country should have no bearing on what we do in US.
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The North of Falcon agreement covers how many total fish can be caught in the area North of Cape Falcon (in OR). BC, WA and OR are all part of the agreement. The basic idea is to limit the total catch in that area to comply with federal regulations. Allowing fishermen to take two limits in a single day (one in Canada and one in WA) would impact the overall limits for the region. Also, it would be VERY difficult to differentiate 4 fish caught in WA waters with 2 marked on a Canadian card from 2 caught in Canada (legally) and 2 caught in the US. It's even more complicated when the limits and marking requirements are different in Canada than in the U.S.

drbridge":370l5b5w said:
They made these rules up very suddenly when they realised that after shutting down Silver fishing in the Strait for 2 years in a row people were buying Canadian licenses and having no problem catching silvers just the other side of the border. I guess they have the power to make up any rules they want to when ever they want. We always go by the rule books, but in Washington you really have to do your homework if you want to be in compliance.
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For as long as I can remember (15+ years of salmon fishing), you couldn't keep both a WA limit and a Canadian limit on the same day. I agree that WA regulations seem overly complicated and there is currently on ongoing process to simplify them.
 
doug I dont see where we cant fish in the US and CA, you just cant go over the us limits. So if Iam going for silvers near the border line I could catch fish in either area but not go over the limit for us fish.

So It begs to wonder that if I dont not have a US licence and fish only in Canada then why would I have to be concern with US limits? that does not apply if I land in Canada and cross the border into the US by road. I am not sure the left hand knows or cares what the right hand is doing.
 
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