NYS Fishermen Fined $1000 for fishing Canadian Waters

[Billy Bob]

A friend forwarded this article....seems like the Canadian government is taking a different stance on US boaters venturing into Canadian waters to fish...If this holds true for the future it will effect many in my area that fish the Buffalo end of Lake Erie and the Niagara River.....it could also force the US to do the same....

 

http://watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110621/NEWS02/306219939/-1/NEWS

 

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110617/NEWS03/306179983

 

Edited to add the second article

Edited June 22, 2011 by Billy Bob

[Woodsman]

it could also force the US to do the same....

Billy Bob have you not read some of the posts from the last few years?

The US Coast Guard has stopped Canadian boats in Canadian waters claiming they had been in US waters. Yes the US Coast Guard has illegally crossed into Canada in an attempt to enforce US boarder security. There have been times when the stopped boats never entered US territory as shown by their GPS tracking feature.

At least the Canadian authorities are operating in their own country.

Maybe the US should get their act together before complaining about how Canadian authorities operate in our own country.

 

Pro Patria

[dannyboy]

What a pain, imagine how this will effect fishing the Niagara River having to report each time you cross the border line.

 

The US very much has their "act together" when it comes to security and in the past there have been issues with both Canadian and US agencies mostly due to over eager officers.

 

This is a new issue from what I understand, in the past as long as you didn't land (boats or aircraft) and returned to the country of origin you didn't need to notify the border agencies, you just needed to have the correct licenses and identification.

 

Dan

[bigugli]

Just a little Canadian government payback for a US Border service that has repeatedly stepped over the line.

Other wise known as "monkey see, monkey do".

[grimsbylander]

Just a little Canadian government payback for a US Border service that has repeatedly stepped over the line.

Other wise known as "monkey see, monkey do".

 

 

Maybe this is just a little dose of redemption, however, while officers and agencies play they power tripping games, it'll be the honest boaters and fisherman that lose out. Let's hope that with the amount of attention this gets that it all blow over and the officers are told to cool it. That's on both sides of the river.

 

Dave

[bigugli]

Technically, when the US border service has crossed into Canadian waters, they have violated a dozen different international laws. The most blatant: an armed agent of a foreign govt crossing into territorial waters engages in an undeclared act of war. If our coast guard was to be so ignorant and stupid, the US would fire upon and board the intruding vessel.

Edited June 22, 2011 by bigugli

[Gerry]

This "policy" is news to me also and I've fished boarder waters for many years. I don't see why we operate differently than what the US authorities do. The US will allow Cdns to fish in US waters without having to report as long as you don't touch US soil and that you have the appropriate license. We should return the money and apologize.

 

As to the one poster who complains about US patrol boats entering CDN waters, our government has given them that right and as I understand it, our patrol boats can do likewise.

[canadadude]

The way it's done on the Niagara is either the Canadian MNR boat or the NYS DOF boat has a Canadian CO, and ussually a Police officer aswell as a DOF officer and a Sheriff on board.They cooperate together on the patrols and can inspect and lay charges regaurdless of the boarder.

 

The above metioned charge is ridiculous, shame on Canada!!, as for the US boarder patrol chasing boats in Canadian waters this is a myth, don't beleive all the stories you read on the internet.If this does occure you can bet it's done with the cooperation of the Canadian authorities

[grimsbylander]

What are the exact requirements for Canadians fishing US waters? I picked up my NY fishing licence a couple weeks ago and have yet to go. I was told by someone to carry my passport as well as my Canadian and US fishing licences. What about things like boat registration? Are the boating safety regs the same? ie. bailing device, sounding device, etc.

 

Dave

[tipupesox]

You should carry your boat registration on your vessel at all times. Safety equipment will depend on the country origin of your boat. I would imagine that the safety requirements for Canada are very similar to the US. US citizens do not require a Canadian boating card while operating a vessel in Canadian waters. This incident could open a can of worms for people that do fish the Niagara.

[Billy Bob]

This "policy" is news to me also and I've fished boarder waters for many years. I don't see why we operate differently than what the US authorities do. The US will allow Cdns to fish in US waters without having to report as long as you don't touch US soil and that you have the appropriate license. We should return the money and apologize.

 

As to the one poster who complains about US patrol boats entering CDN waters, our government has given them that right and as I understand it, our patrol boats can do likewise.

 

I do a lot of fishing for walleye and perch on Lake Erie going out of the Buffalo area launches and have never had a problem "yet"....been doing it for over 30 years.....many years ago I use to trailer my old boat over and launch at Point Abino for those shallow bass but in 1985 I purchased a new boat with a 50 hp motor I found it easier to just motor over into the Crystal Beach area and fish under the sailboats for smallmouth...haven't done that in years but at times I was only 100 yards off the Canadian shores....I guess now that's a no no...my brother in-law still launches there as they own a cottage at Pleasant Beach...he tells me a couple of times he's been approached at the launch when he's retrieving his boat by custom officials....

 

Hope they stop the nonsense on both sides and just let us fish as long as we don't disembark onto shore.

 

Bob

[craigdritchie]

This situation is completely ridiculous. Email your MP with the links, and ask them to justify this kind of stupidity.

 

BillyBob - thanks for posting this.

 

 

(edit - typo)

Edited June 22, 2011 by Craig_Ritchie

[Roy]

Here some of that same situation as recounted by a WFN blogger.

 

http://www.worldfishingnetwork.com/users/tweinz/blog/be-prepared-if-your-fishing-the-us-or-canadian-side-of-a-body-of-water-109390.aspx