Planning on fishing in Canada but returning to the U.S.?

By Pat Grubb

Washington anglers who plan to fish for salmon in Canadian 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 an online form.

The form should be filled out before departure. Anglers will receive an email confirmation that their trip information has been received.

Canada no longer provides U.S. fishers with the means to document their legally caught salmon in Canadian waters. In the event that anglers are subject to a dockside inspection upon their return to Washington, anglers need to complete the form notifying WDFW of their plans to fish in Canadian waters.

Anglers are not allowed to 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. However, a Canadian fishing license is required for fishing up north. To buy online, go to bit.ly/2GfVREx.

The form asks for the date you enter Canada, the date you leave, the number of the vessel and the number of people on board. Go to bit.ly/2KqeM3F or look under the fishing license tab on the WDFW website.