Shipping fish from BC

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Robert H. Wilkinson

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We hope to celebrate our 30th anniversary in Victoria - possibly in June. I would love to bring or ship some Halibut home with us. Some questions re. this.

1/ I have heard of shipping fish frozen in an insulated container surrounded with a salt ice mix.

2/ Would I get a commercial shipper or could this be brought on the airplane with luggage?

3/ I assume I would need to keep a receipt for it from a legitimate fish monger to proof I had not poached it.

4/ When would they be in season in BC?

5/ Good place to buy fresh fish near Victoria?

If anybody can give any suggestions/advise re. this I would appreciate it.

Thanks, Rob
 
I've brought fish home from Newfoundland back to Alberta, via Air Canada without a problem. I just put it in a cooler and checked it as luggage. That was back in 2000, but I don't think you should have problems if you are not crossing an international border. Bring your store receipt if you are worried about being checked for poaching.

A funny thing happened at the airport security on our return trip from Newfoundland. Remember this was year 2000, pre 911. The only question we were asked at security before boarding security was; "Do you have any Salt Beef in your luggage." I answered "no, why." The security officer replied, "Because it make a mess of everyone's luggage when it leaks in the planes luggage compartment," Salt Beef is the comfort food of Newfoundland, it is basically chunks of beef in a salt brine packed in 1 gallon pails. There are a lot of Newfies in working in Alberta's Oilfields and I guess is was common practice to pack a pail of Salt Beef in your luggage to take home so you could enjoy a 'Jiggs Dinner' on the prairie.
 
If you're buying if from a commercial operation, I don't think you need anything other than the receipt to prove it's a legitimately purchased fish. If you buy fresh, I don't think you want a salt ice mix as if that comes in contact with the fish (failed seal on a bag), it can flavor the fish. If you buy frozen, vacuum packed, it will easily stay frozen for the duration of a typical flight if you just wrap it in a few layers of newspaper. If you buy fresh, it can stay cold for the flight if it's packaged with ice and similarly wrapped. Halibut should be available that time of year in Victoria. The recreational season runs most all of the year, the commercial season in BC runs from 11 March – 7 November, 2017 (or until the quota is caught). They'll still be fishing in June. "Finest at Sea" is a pretty good fish seller and they have an operation in Victoria (27 Erie St). I'm sure they will know all that is needed in regards to packaging fish for your flight. It might be easiest to just give them a call - (250) 383-7760.

BTW - while you are there, if they have some in stock, also buy some spot prawns. They are better than any other kind of prawns (taste more like lobster).
 
The only "issue" I've ever had was with a customs agent in the states when we entered on a small float plane. As we unpacked the fish, he claimed that we were over our limit. ??? Apparently he fished locally in Seattle and didn't have any idea of possession limits, processed frozen fish, B.C. fishing regulations, or the fact that he was U.S. Customs, not Washington Fish and Game.

If you fish with a commercial guide, they will know where you can get the fish packaged and flash frozen. Commercial airlines are used to seeing frozen fish, packed in 60# boxes, as part of their regular "luggage." The processing house will deliver the boxes 1/2 hour before flight time. SeaTac has a special frozen locker if your connection is overnight or longer. Otherwise, I've had friends fly Sitka to Raleigh, NC without a problem. The boxes are commonly frozen fish wrapped in mylar bubble insulation inside of a heavy plastic bag and a heavily waxed cardboard box held closed with nylon strapping. They would probably stay frozen for 3 days.

Transport is not a problem, so we concentrate on other issues. One of them is package size. With just my wife and I, we tell the packing house 12 oz packages. Otherwise you may end up with every package being fish for four. Much nicer to get out two packages when necessary. The other is luggage. If you can live out of a carry on day pack for your fishing trip, you get to use your luggage allowance for fish. Usually worth it.

And good luck getting back with halibut cheeks. It's never happened for me. I suspect that those end up in Seattle restaurants. The only time I've got to eat them is when I cut them out myself and took them with me, now my standard practice.

Mark
 
Oh, I didn't see that you were going to buy halibut. I've never done that, but I don't think it would be a problem.

Mark
 
Roger, thanks for the name - I checked out their website and sent them an email. Will definitely eat there when we visit. They say they will ship FedEx anywhere in Canada.

Peter and Mark, thanks for the ideas/suggestions.

Much appreciated

Rob
 
I second Roger's recommendation Finest at Sea is a huge supporter of the Pacific Salmon Foundation and their seafood is amazing!

I researched WestJet checking fish in my a cooler when I was in Hawaii in November and it was pretty basic, just use dry ice (the amount they required) and a cooler.

One alternative is to see if a charter like "No Bananas" or "Blue Wolf" are able to do a halibut trip for you while you are here. If you are lucky and get two 30 pound halibut a half day charter will be cheaper then buying at the store.

Happy Anniversary!
 
Kaelc, thanks for the info!

We ended up not making it to Victoria last summer and this summer it looks like a no go as well. We are hoping maybe 2019. Its still on the bucket list!!

Regards Rob
 
I am not sure where is the best place to buy a fresh fish! However, I think that you can ask local farmers!
 
In many area once fish are processed - frozen, canned etc....they are not part of your limit any longer even if you are fishing. Once processed, fish just become food. I've never had any issue going across the border into the Canada and into the lower 48 with frozen or canned sport caught salmon, halibut, clams, spot shrimp, moose, caribou sausage, or anything else. There was no receipt because you don't get one when you don't buy them...obviously....I'd keep yours just to be on the safe side - you never know, but what you are doing is a very common thing. Now, grocery store items I have had issues with....romaine lettuce is very dangerous and I have had them take frozen chicken because somebody somewhere on earth caught salmonella from chicken and there was an alert. Pretty sure they took a tomato too once. Anyway, I've gone through the border many times and brought fish through airports and have never had any trouble.
 
T.R. Bauer":3cvoojyl said:
salmon, halibut, clams, spot shrimp, moose, caribou sausage, or
Click to expand...

T.R. - thanks for the info. Judging by the 3 posts above yours looks like Spam should be added to the list :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Regards,

Rob
 
Robert H. Wilkinson":234w29ll said:
T.R. Bauer":234w29ll said:
salmon, halibut, clams, spot shrimp, moose, caribou sausage, or
Click to expand...

T.R. - thanks for the info. Judging by the 3 posts above yours looks like Spam should be added to the list :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Regards,

Rob
Click to expand...

Interesting date span too. I would not click on that link.

I did have an obnoxious encounter with the US Customs one time. Returning from a couple of months up in the Broughtons, I was selected to take part in an agricultural survey -- read that as a very close inspection of everything in and on my truck, trailer and boat. That included a pack of about 10 pages of survey; where I had been, (on any farms, zoos etc), what I had done, (fishing, petting any animals, feeding any farm stock etc), what food products I had, (fresh, frozen, canned, packaged etc), and probably more I cannot remember. When it came to the page of meat foods, I wrote "Vegetarian" across the top of the page and drew a line through the "None" boxes all down the page. Then I got to hand the officer my keys and he spent 45 minutes going through the truck and boat and then came in and started with the forms I had filled out, reading each question and asking for a verbal answer, confirming what I had written. Read through the whole 10 pages, then went back to the "Vegetarian" page and repeated that whole thing listing all the meats, fish, poultry, seafood, and whatever else was on the list, to which I replied "None - No fruit no meat."

Then He proceeded to lecture me for another 10 minutes on the situation I would be in if I was caught lying to a Federal Officer. Then he brought up the fresh fruit, I had on board. In my Garbage sack in the boat, I had left a stem from some fresh grapes and it had 3 rottin-ish grapes on it - Yikes! AND THEN, he went on to the turkey meat I had in my back pack. Ah yes, then I remembered, I did have a packet of turkey jerky in my ditch bag. That is where I got lucky, It was from Costco, grown, made and processed in USA and the package was unopened , so instead of a $400 fine or worse, I got off with a warning and put on a list for a repeat check at some point.

All that to say, if you are taking any kind of meat, fruit or food products I would declare them right up front. Be sure and check the customs food lists on line and even print that off and take it with you. (They seem to like paper work :wink:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
I've had a few interesting experiences crossing in and out of BC. For years I took a month off in August/September to fish for steelhead on Vancouver Island, the Dean river, and Skeena country. Once coming back, US customs started a bit suspicious because I was alone, claiming to have been fishing for a month. They asked where were my fish. I had none, steelhead fishing is all catch and release. I guess they had not heard of that so they proceeded to take my truck and gear apart looking for the 'real' reason I was crossing the border. Four hours later they let me go. Another year entering BC at 5:00 in the morning (I want to get through Seattle without traffic) I hand the lady my passport, she types on her computer and says, "Karl, do you still live in Glide Oregon". "Yes", I reply. She says, "and your taking the ferry to Vancouver island, fishing for a week, chartering to the Dean River, then taking a ferry to Rupert for another two weeks. I'M ENVIOUS! GOOD LUCK!!". No further questions asked.
 
WOW - that makes 5 spam hits on 1 thread! If my bait attracted as many fish as this thread attracts spam I would be selling the fish instead of buying it!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
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