Question on crossing into Canada to fish do you have to call before entering or can you have passport and go fishing. I fish middle bank right on the edge. Rumor at the fillet table at Neah Bay was if you don’t anchor you don’t have to call.
Thanks ahead of time for Any information. 😜

I'd check both Canada and US immigration websites rather than trust rumour. At times, there were requirements to actually land in Canada as you would need some sort of proof that you had been there if, for example, you legally landed a Canadian halibut, 'but is closed in US, and you bring one to shore.

No longer calling in to Canada, they got tired of us calling. You have to go to WDFW and fill out a trip form online. They will send you a number for each day you cross over.

Joe

The WA reg pamphlet (pg 4) says you need to fill out a Trip Notification form for salmon fishing in Canada. It doesn't say you need same for halibut. Obviously you need a Canadian license to fish there and must comply to their regulations. If you land or anchor in Canada or their waters then you need to report to customs. If you don't land or anchor you don't need to report to Canadian customs.

Are the licenses available on line? Or can my wife pick one up for me when she is in Canada? Bob R

Pretty sure nonresidents must purchase their license from vendor while in Canada and cannot do so online.

You can get one online, but only good for salmon, lings and cod. You must be physically present in Canada to get your license in order to keep halibut.

Joe

Here's the most recent info I have from DFO about Canadian halibut fishing. If you're going to fish Areas 121, 23, and 123 you have to purchase your license in Canada. I don't know if they allow for a gift license purchase. Check with on of the contacts listed below.


Subject: FN0310-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon) - Halibut: Management Measures in Effect Starting April 1, 2019

For 2019, the recreational fishery allocation is 890,013 pounds.
The following measures will be in effect as noted below.

Coast-wide:

Open time:
Effective at 00:01 hours April 1, 2019 fishing for halibut will be opened coast-wide until further notice.

Licensing:
The 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of Licence, are in effect starting 00:01 hours April 1, 2019.

Limits and sizes:

Effective April 1, 2019 until further notice:

- The maximum length for halibut is 126 cm (head-on).

- The daily limit for halibut is one (1).

- The possession limit for halibut is either of:
---- one (1) halibut measuring 90 cm to 126 cm in length (head-on), OR
---- two (2) halibut, each measuring under 90 cm in length (head-on).

- The annual limit is six (6) halibut per licence holder, as set out on the 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence.

- All halibut retained by the licence holder shall be immediately recorded in ink on the 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence. The area from which each halibut is caught and its head-on length shall immediately be recorded on the licence.

The exceptions to these openings are:

Areas 121:
No person shall fish for or retain halibut, rockfish and lingcod in Area 121 outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward of a line that begins at 48 degrees 34.000 minutes and 125 degrees 17.386 minutes W and continues south easterly at a bearing of 116 degrees True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327 minutes and 125 degrees 01.687 minutes W.

Area 121:
Closed to all finfish, year round in the waters of Swiftsure Bank, inside a line from 48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 125 degrees 06.00 minutes W, thence to 48 degrees 34.00 minutes N and 124 degrees 54.20 minutes W, thence to 48 degrees 29.62 minutes N and 124 degrees 43.40 minutes W, thence following the International Boundary between Canada and the U.S. to 48 degrees 29.55 minutes
N and 124 degrees 56.20 minutes W, thence in a straight line to the point of commencement.

Variation Orders 2019-RCT-201 (Close Time) and 2019-RFQ-202 (Quota)


Non-residents of Canada wishing to fish for and retain halibut in Management Areas 121, 23 and 123 must purchase an electronic licence through a Canadian Independent Access Provider (IAP). Find an IAP location from our web page:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/iap-fai-eng.html

Note: Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) and Glass Sponge Reef (GSR) closures remain in effect - refer to the following web pages for descriptions:

1)RCAs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-eng.html#rca
2)GSRs- http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint-
eng.html#sponge


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contacts: Brad Beaith (South Coast) – (250)756-7190, Darren Chow (North Coast) – (250)627-3441, Jason Knight (250) 850-9370.

Fished the CA banks a few weeks back. Although there will always be some room for Agent interpretation you:
-can get on line licenses for halibut excluding the off-Coast areas noted above
-WDFW pre-trip filing is for salmon fishing only
-do not have to call if you do not anchor (technically “landing”) as reinforced by the CA agent on the phone when I did call in just in case I decided to anchor
-do not need to call in to the US side as you technically just transited Fx waters

You can always wear belt(s) and suspender(s).... get your Nexus cards....take salmon gear, call into CA in case you might anchor, call in to US and hope they don’t ask you to report

For boaters going into Canadian waters and returning to a US port, the link below will take you to a new CBP procedure where you can use your smart phone to check in on return to US waters. If you anchor in Canada, you need to call Canadian Customs.


https://www.cbp.gov/travel/pleasure-boats-private-flyers/pleasure-boat-overview/roam

Also from Page 4 of the current WDFW regs:

It is lawful to possess Canadian-origin fish or
shellfish if you have a Canadian license and
salmon conservation stamp (for salmon),
except it is unlawful to possess Canadian-origin
yelloweye or canary rockfish.


I will also add that the regs make it illegal to stop and fish in an area with fish aboard that are illegal to retain in that area (although they (species and numbers retained) may have been caught in an area otherwise legal).

Here's the link to the WDFW "permit" to bring salmon back into US/WA waters from Canada.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/fishing/canadian-trip-reporting


Canadian salmon trip notification

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 the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) before leaving state waters by completing the form on this page.

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

Salmon caught in Canadian marine 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.

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 a Washington license and WILD ID number, but it is not required.

Here's link to the new DFO regulations governing Chinook closures in Canadian waters.


https://islandfishermanmagazine.com/dfo-announces-chinook-fishery-shutdown/

....and, if you're interested in their Fin Fish (ling cod and rock fish) other than salmon....


RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)


Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0311-RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)- Rockfish and Lingcod: Coast-wide Management Measures - Daily Limits and Close Times - In effect starting April 1, 2019 (Outside Waters) and May 1, 2019 (Inside Waters)

Effective April 1, 2019 and May 1, 2019, the following recreational daily
limits and close times apply to Rockfish and Lingcod in North and South Coast
waters as described. These management measures are required to reduce fishing
impacts on rockfish in general and identified species of rockfish.

Possession Limits are twice the Daily Limits for Rockfish and Lingcod as
described below.

OUTSIDE WATERS:

North Coast - Areas 1 to 10, 101 to 110, 130, 142 – AND - South Coast (Outside
waters) - Areas 11, 21 to 27, 111, 123 to 127, Subareas 12-14 and 20-1 to 20-4,
and Area 121 (excluding that portion outside the 12 nautical mile limit seaward
of a line that begins at 48 degrees 34.00' north latitude and 125 degrees
17.386' west longitude and continues southeasterly at a bearing of 116 degrees
True to a point at 48 degrees 28.327' north latitude and 125 degrees 01.687'
west longitude).

---Daily limits: Rockfish, all species combined - three (3), only one (1) of
---which may be a Quillback rockfish, a Tiger rockfish, or a China rockfish.
---Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
---Daily limits: Lingcod - two (2).
---Open time: April 1 to November 15
---Close time: November 16 to March 31

INSIDE WATERS:

South Coast (Inside waters) - Areas 13 to 19 and Subareas 12-1 to 12-13, 12-15
to 12-48, 20-5 to 20-7 and 29-5
---Daily limits: Rockfish, all species combined – one (1)
---Zero (0) retention for Yelloweye rockfish and Bocaccio rockfish
---Daily Limits: Lingcod – one (1)
---Open time: May 1 to September 30
---Close time: October 1 to April 30
Area 28 and Subareas 29-1 to 29-4 and 29-6 to 29-17 are closed for Rockfish and
Lingcod April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 (year round).

Variation Orders 2019-RCT-201 (Close Time) and 2019-RFQ-202 (Quota)


Notes:

Licensing - the 2019/2020 Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licences and Conditions of
Licence, are in effect starting 00:01 hours April 1, 2019.

Rockfish Conservations Areas (RCA's) remain in effect - refer to the
following website for descriptions:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/restricted-restreint/rca-acs-eng.htm.

Please review the BC Sport Fishing Guide online at
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/index-eng.html, for any other
restrictions that apply to the Area that you are fishing in, such as finfish
closures, size limits, annual limits, and permitted gear.

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call
the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line
at 1-800-465-4336.

For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at
1-866-431-FISH (3474).


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contacts: Brad Beaith (South Coast) – (250)756-7190, Darren Chow (North Coast) –
(250) 627-3441, Jason Knight (250) 850-9370.


Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0311
Sent March 29, 2019 at 17:06
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

If you would like to unsubscribe, please submit your request at: http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=manage_subscription

If you have any questions, please contact us via e-mail to: DFO.OpsCentreFisheryPacific-CentreOpsPechePacifique.MPO@canada.ca

All those regs and so little time......

John Beath has posted a detailed explanation on going to/from Canada for fishing out of a US port.


https://halibutchronicles.com/2019/04/21...anadian-waters/

Here's the link to buy your Canadian license on-line

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/application-eng.html

Good for the tidal waters except for halibut in Area 23, 123, and 121