Originally posted by Starfish:
Actually it's not quite as simple as I stated... on page 27 of the regs, you can posess two days limits of game fish such as steelhead. For salmon (food fish), it's two days in any form plus 40 pounds in processed or frozen form.
Calm down everybody....
There is no need to worry about the fish cops busting into your house to check your freezer.
The possession limit only applies to "in the field" or "in transit". It does not apply to "ordinary residences." Here are the specific quotes from the definitions pages of the rules:
"POSSESSION LIMIT
The number of daily limits allowed to be
kept in the field, or in transit."
"IN THE FIELD OR IN TRANSIT
Anywhere other than at an ordinary
residence. Dockside fish cleaning facilities,
boat ramps, and cold storage lockers are
considered in the field."
"ORDINARY RESIDENCE
A residential dwelling where a person normally lives, with associated features
such as address, telephone number, utility
account, etc. A motorhome or camper parked
at a campsite is not considered to be an
ordinary residence."
What does all this mean? It means that so long as you abide by the daily limits and/or possession limits, you can have as much fish in your home freezer as you care to store.
Sebastes: see page 23 of the regs pertaining to salmon and shellfish caught in Canada.
Steelhead Dreaming: I don't agree that it is a "gay" law. Rather, I believe that the rule was imposed to prevent a person from illegally overlimiting on any given single day, and then telling the enforcement officers, while in the field, that the fish in the cooler is a week's worth of fishing limits, with a legal limit being taken on each day.
The rule at least forces a person to take the fish home, and freeze, cook, or store it, before going out for additional legal limits on subsequent consecutive days.
Greatone28: I would guess that those Neah Bay folks were probably staying at a campsite or hotel. Therefore, under the specific language of the rules, the fish in their portable freezer would have to comply with the possession rules.