International Waters & Regulations?

[uclueletcharters]

Question does anyone know the facts of international waters and sportfishing? Do the regulations barbed hooks etc apply in these waters and does DFO have authority to board you when fishing in these waters? I know when entering back into Canadian waters we need to be with in the limits. I have been out in these waters and boarded and above board but are they operating outside their jurisdiction?

 

[Cuba Libre]

No-- perfectly within their rights within the 200 mile Economic Zone

 

[uclueletcharters]

Great good to know thx for your info.

 

[Sharphooks]

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/canadasoceans-oceansducanada/marinezones-zonesmarines-eng.htm#ex

QUOTE

Exclusive Economic Zone

The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is an area of the sea adjacent to and beyond the territorial sea, extending out to 200 nautical miles from the baselines.

Within the EEZ, a coastal state has sovereign and jurisdictional rights over exploration and management (e.g. scientific research and protection of the marine environment), and economic exploitation of living and non-living resources in the waters above the seabed, in the seabed and beneath the seabed.

Within the EEZ, states other than the coastal state enjoy certain freedoms, notably those related to navigation and flight.

Canada has exercised its 200-nautical mile fisheries jurisdiction since 1977. Canada’s EEZ was formally established in 1997 when the Oceans Act came into force.


High Seas

The high seas is the area beyond the EEZ. No state has sovereignty or jurisdiction over the high seas. The UNCLOS specifically provides that no state may claim sovereignty over any area of the high seas.

UNQUOTE

The assumption here is, based on the language regarding "state jurisdiction", you could use barbed hooks and sticks of dynamite. However, as soon as you crossed back into the EEZ, jurisdictions and compliance would come back into play and you might have to answer some questions about the dynamite and the barbs on your hooks

The one caveat to all this is the following: if you're fishing out on the High Seas and you hear over your SSB about the large mushroom clouds seen over Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco, the dynamite and barbed hooks would them immediately become acceptable fishing gear either within or outside the EEZ and you should feel free to pack as many albacore as you thought fit given your vessel's stability limits

 

[uclueletcharters]

Great info it's well past my travel distance but what's the interpretation of this statement on the Pacific side sounds like the extention is only on the Atlantic side at this point?

Section - Canada has until 2013 to present information

Canada has no extended continental shelf off the Pacific coast. Since Canada ratified the UNCLOS in 2003, it has until 2013 to present this information to the Commission.

Which doesn't appear to be updated

Based on the info below it appears that the boundary of jurisdiction is only 12 miles out from the Pacific boundary at present?

Contiguous Zone
The contiguous zone is an area of the sea adjacent to and beyond the territorial sea. Its outer limit measures 24 nautical miles from the normal baseline.

This band of sea is a buffer zone where the coastal state may exercise control to prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea. The coastal state may also punish such infringements.

The contiguous zone is located within the first 12 nautical miles of the exclusive economic zone.

 

[uclueletcharters]

At a further look it does appear the EEZ is 200 nautical mile buffer regardless on the Pacific?

 

[Sharphooks]

I think the definition of EEZ and High Seas and the boundaries that separate both are pretty much boiler plate, certainly recognized by both the USA and Canada on both the East and West Coast. Both Coast Guard agencies are given jurisdiction within the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) but have zero jurisdiction beyond that 200 mile limit (same for fisheries regulatory agencies, whether Provincial or Federal)

It was for that reason that rampant fishing by foreign pollock fleets and high seas salmon drift net boats in what was known as the "Doughnut Hole" back in the 80's and 90's (high seas just beyond USA's EEZ in the Bering Sea) caused so much consternation: the Taiwanese, Korean and Russian boats could thumb their noses at the US Coast Guard and fish their brains out.

Probably fuel costs and catch efficiencies whittled down the fleet, although you still hear about the Asian high-seas driftnet guys plying their disgusting and completely unregulated trade

 

[tykkyt e blue]

Washington State fisheries told me that their concern was commercial activities beyond the 24 mile contiguous zone and that sportfishing was 'too small' to have much resources allocated beyond near coastal...

The Canadian reply was "umm" - I'll have someone call you back ( never did ) but he had no knowledge of sportfishing enforcement beyond the 24 mile zone either

 

[harper44]

Washington State fisheries told me that their concern was commercial activities beyond the 24 mile contiguous zone and that sportfishing was 'too small' to have much resources allocated beyond near coastal...

The Canadian reply was "umm" - I'll have someone call you back ( never did ) but he had no knowledge of sportfishing enforcement beyond the 24 mile zone either

You got the same answer that I did from wdfw. However, just because there's no enforcement doesn't make things legal. Wdfw jurisdiction and all policies are still valid to the 200nm line. Canada is the same and enforcement probably less prevalent. Hell we don't even have enforcement in costal wcvi


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