Rob

I hate to tell you, but when any money has been exchanged (and that means action/fundraiser too) for a "service" that you are furnishing, and "you are guiding them" in your boat and you are doing so on any "navigable waters" in the U.S. you are required to hold a limited coast guard license! It really doesn't matter whose hands "the exchange of money" goes to, it's the fact that money was exchanged for a service which would normally require a limited coast guard license if performed in any U.S "navigable waters".

I thought that you had stated earlier that you were a guide. Did I misunderstand you? Or do you only have a WDFW fishing guide license? If you think that I am wrong, call the U.S. coast guard and ask them. None motorized drift boats are the only exception!

Rob maybe you did not understand what I had said earlier! You say that I am mistaken, and that these are the requirements:
1 the vessle you operate must have a motor
2. you have to carry passangers fore hire
3. operate in US navagable waters

Here's exactly how people fail to understand each other! How is my answer any different then yours?

I said; " If any of these so called "guided trips" are being done on any "navigable waters" and they are using a boat with a gas powered motor, they are not only required to have a state fishing guides license, they are also required to have a limited coast guard license, which also requires them to have insurance, and be certified in both first aid and CPR."

Isn't that pretty much the same as what you have stated in your answers 1&3)??

Finally, as stated earlier by gooose, and me above, It really doesn't matter who's hand the money finally ends up in, it only matters that money was "exchanged" for a service that requires a special service on "U.S navigable waters"

That's the way that it was when I was the Business Manager and President of the Friends of the Cowlitz (FOC) for 4 years. Did the FOC action off "guided fishing trips" from people who didn't hold limited coast guard licenses? Yes! The reason was; because it was up to "the guide" to have all the proper state or federal licenses and not the "organization".

So here's how it works, be it for salmon or steelhead;

RCW 77.65.010
Commercial licenses and permits required -- Exemption.
(1) Except as otherwise provided by this title, a person may not engage in any of the following activities without a license or permit issued by the director:....


(c) Operate a charter boat or commercial fishing vessel engaged in a fishery;
(e) Act as a guide for salmon for personal use in freshwater rivers and streams, other than that part of the Columbia river below the bridge at Longview.


(2) No person may engage in the activities described in subsection (1) of this section unless the licenses or permits required by this title are in the person's possession, and the person is the named license holder or an alternate operator designated on the license and the person's license is not suspended.

RCW 77.65.370
Professional salmon guide license.

(1) A person shall not offer or perform the services of a professional salmon guide in the taking of salmon for personal use in freshwater rivers and streams, other than in that part of the Columbia river below the bridge at Longview, without a professional salmon guide license.

RCW 77.15.510
Commercial fish guiding or chartering without a license -- Penalty.

(1) A person is guilty of commercial fish guiding or chartering without a license if:
(a) The person operates a charter boat and does not hold the charter boat license required for the food fish taken;
(b) The person acts as a professional salmon guide and does not hold a professional salmon guide license; or
(c) The person acts as a game fish guide and does not hold a game fish guide license.
(2) Commercial fish guiding or chartering without a license is a gross misdemeanor.


Cowlitzfisherman