Fishing the St. Lawrence River?...be aware of Canadian rules and regs. UPDATED!

[Baron49]

For as many years as I can remember it has been an assumed rule as well and one stated by several Canadian Customs Officials that if you have a vaild NYS and Ontario, Canada fishing license, and do not touch land or anchor in Canadian waters you could fish without having to register at a port of entry.  It appears all that has changed without notice this year.  In the attached article from the local Watertown Daily Times a man was boarded and fined $1000 on the spot to keep his boat from being impounded and him being arrested by Canadian officals.  Have tried to attach a copy of the actual article from this morning's paper.

[Mike Cork]

  wow are the borders clearerly marked? I guess with GPS it's pretty easy but not everyone has that. And agents that carry credit card machines  their serious about money up there

[Donald Garner]

I guess if you're wanting to fish up there you'd better have hired a guide. 
Or fish with some one from there.

[mlakrid]

Seems to me, that the U.S. (NY) needs to impose double the fine for the Canucks that cross the US / Canada border, bet you they change it back right away...

This is total garbage...

Mike A

[Baron49]

UPDATE!!!!!!  U.S. State Department backs Canadian handling of fining fisherman in Canadian waters!  After NY congressmen and senators went to the U. S. State department it was deemed that the handling and fining of an American fisherman in Canadian water was done properly and in accordance with the laws.  This was according to a spokesman at the State Department's Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs.  It was also noted the $1000 "on the spot" fine could have been much higher, up to $25,000 and the boat could have been impounded

It was pointed out by the U.S. State department that the long standing idea that U.S. boaters could be in Canadian water without registering as long as they did not touch land, tie up to a dock, or anchor is totally incorrect and Canadian officials are now taking a firm stand that this impression is wrong.

The Canada Border Services Agency did provide a toll free number for boaters to call to register 1-888-226-7277, however they pointed out you MUST use a CBSA phone when you do and did not provide locations as to where these 24 hour CBSA phones are located other then to say "some marinas" may have them.  At any rate U.S. boaters will have to go out of their way if they plan to do any boating or fishing in Canadian waters when launching from the USA.  Either find a CBSA phone location or drive your boat to the nearest Canadian port of entry to register.