Halibut Transporting for out of Towners 2013

[GLG]

Has anyone actually ever been stopped while transporting fish, or had a fisheries officer go through their cooler or freezer at their tent, trailer or lodge room?

Yup..... near Browns Bay... Co's, Fo's and RCMP... They pulled everyone with a boat in tow ..... went through our paperwork, cooler and trailer for infractions. They even asked if we had guns.... No problem as we were on the up and up so we were on our way in just a few minutes. They had a big parking lot so they could handle everyone.
GLG

 

[Aces]

Fishtofino - but you can have a couple of filets cut between the fin and the tail - as long as they are numbered - right?

Rob - good suggestion! We'll give that one a try this summer.

Has anyone actually ever been stopped while transporting fish, or had a fisheries officer go through their cooler or freezer at their tent, trailer or lodge room?

He said that he wanted to be able to measure that 1 fillet off the fish and we could portion the rest

 

[seadna]

Check pages 12 and 98 in the WDFW fishing regs and be able to document when and where your Canadian fish were taken. Combining Canadian and US harvest can get dicey if you are in possession, in the field, of more than 2 fish. I wouldn't be fishing both jurisdictions on the same trip/day without landing one or the other first.

From my read, if you are going to claim Canadian fish you should give serious thought to meeting their transport requirements. No telling which agency you might run into on the water or on land - DFO, USCG, WDFW, Clallam County, USFWS, NOAA....all have jurisdiction at one or more locations along your route.

If you get stopped in WA and are claiming Canadian halibut, you have to be able to prove size and species pursuant to the Canadian rules.

Fishers are reminded that it is a violation to have
any fish in your possession that is caught while
recreationally fishing that has been skinned, cut,
packed or otherwise dealt with in such a manner
that the species, number, and length of the fish
cannot be readily determined.
Regulations require that where size limits apply to any
fish caught while fishing recreationally, it must remain
in a condition that the size of the fish may be readily
measured. Possession of fish that are not readily
measurable, if inspected by a fishery officer
constitutes a violation of the regulation.

If fishing out of Neah Bay, don't forget about the Canadian closures and depending on where you are fishing, you might need the paper license. The electronic license won't suffice.

Thanks. I never combine Canadian fish and U.S. in the same day as it's not legal. It's also not legal to land Canadian salmon in the U.S. if the U.S. is closed for that species/type at the time. I've seen many an American bring Canadian hali back to Neah Bay but I've never seen anything other than a request to show the Canadian license to US WDFW and I've never seen anyone who at Neah who doesn't fully fillet and portion their Canadian caught hali at the dock. I've not seen others with an illegal catch (that I know of). I would be surprised if anyone in the U.S. tried to enforce the transport rules once one was off the dock. Still your point is well taken.

 

[Bushbear]

You never know when or where you might run into an officer or a check station. WDFW doesn't seem to run them often, but they are a valuable tool for fish and game enforcement.

Usually, when you get home, the fish/game can be processed without much problem. That said, if there are possession limits (maximum number/lbs permitted) what you have in the field combined with what you have at home can be counted. The possession rules from the state/country of origin are the baseline. If you're over in the field or at home - you can have problems.

 

[Rockfish]

You never know when or where you might run into an officer or a check station. WDFW doesn't seem to run them often, but they are a valuable tool for fish and game enforcement.

Usually, when you get home, the fish/game can be processed without much problem. That said, if there are possession limits (maximum number/lbs permitted) what you have in the field combined with what you have at home can be counted. The possession rules from the state/country of origin are the baseline. If you're over in the field or at home - you can have problems.

In the past if fishing with a buddy and we only get one Hali we would filet out the four filets and divide them up. Now one of us will have to put it on our license. So how do we divide it up so one piece has the tail and up to the head so it can be proved it is under the dreaded 126.

What happens if the other guy without it on their license and not measurable filets gets checked on the way home?

Does the guy with the measurable piece and the license with the fish on it have to follow you home in case you get checked.

I know in hunting if you are transporting a carcass from a buddy hunter’s kill you have to have all of their info written down, License # and other demographic info, date of kill, zone of kill and LEH number etc.

Perhaps there is a simple answer to this and I am just having another seniors moment?

 

[scott craven]

If you're on a road trip, you'll have to wait till you get home to split it up.

 

[Rockfish]

If you're on a road trip, you'll have to wait till you get home to split it up.

Usually we meet at the marina or launch and go our own ways after words. Sometimes I meet a friend at the boat who may have driven a long ways. I don't want to do an extra 2 or or 4 hour return drive just to get my half of a 50 lb butt? I guess they could bring me my half cut up frozen and vacume packed later. It would not be so bad if it was an extra half hour drive. Should be interesting for guides who devide up fish going with different clients from the same trip who are going to different home locations miles apart. Last time when 3 of us went with a guide they filleted them all and balanced them out in bags so we all got an equal share.

Not happy with this size thing and licence tag thing for that matter. Given DFO's inforcement capabilities I guess the chance of getting caught is very low but it will eventually happen to some poor sod.

Often we get checked by the survey guys., wonder if a system could be set up that they would certify the proof of length and give you a paper.

 

[Derby]

Come on Jackel... do you have any friends...

 

[trophywife]

So lets say a buddy and I go out chasing halibut. We get 1 fish only and it is his, but we split everything for the day, bait gas lunch and fish. He lives where I fish and I am going home. Question can he give me 2 fillets to transport home and write down his license number size of fish etc Would this be allowed????

Technically you are transporting his fish... A letter with fisher and catch info would be a good idea until
you get it to your permanent residence.