CG Boarding

mintregila

mintregila

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Saturday my wife and I went to a local reef to bottom fish. Since we don't like anchoring much, we generally drift fish. In the morning, the wind was strong from the north so the drift was pretty fast away from shore.

Catching zip, we were mostly enjoying being out on the water and dozing off. When we were a bit south of the group fishing the reef, I started up and began heading back that way. After five minutes, I heard the unmistakable CG whoop whoop and he came up along side and advised that they were boarding for a safety inspection. I told him it was no problem to come ahead. Everything on my boat is up to snuff so no worries from me.

After presenting all paperwork and safety gear the guardsman asks where we would keep fish. They inspected my cooler and fish boxes which were empty as we had not caught anything. They hand me the completed form as we had no inspection issues and then tells me that they boarded us because we had drifted into federal waters and it would be illegal to possess Sea Bass or Striped Bass even if caught legally in state waters. I know this and I thank them and they depart.

I have no issue with getting boarded for a safety inspection. I was pleasant, cooperative, respectful and polite but it did irk me a little that they boarded primarily to see if the middle aged couple who drifted over the 3 mile line had a fish in the cooler they could issue a ticket for.
 
Hmm,I didn't know you couldn't be in possession of legally caught stripers if you entered "federal" waters.

They might have gotten me on something like this,, I guess need to pay closer attention. I have never known the CG to ask about fish, just safety inspections.
 
Happens around here as well. There is an area where LA and MS territorial waters do not quite match up leaving an area of federal waters in the middle. While it is OK to catch LA fish that are legal and transport ( directly ) to a MS dock ( even if the legal LA fish is illegal in MS )and vice versa, there are cases where fish are legal in LA and/or MS but NOT Federal waters. Even transport from one legal area to another across Federal waters is prohibited. And the fine will hurt your fuel budget in a major way. It is not unusual for "the enforcers" to lay low and wait for unsuspecting fishermen. I understand the rules, I understand the reason, but I still do not care for the practice.

Know the rules ( all that may apply ), know the waters. The sharks are not the only scavengers out there.
just MHO, of course.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Robski97

Guess I should get my papers in order .....

Rob

Click to expand...
Exactly what I was thinking..... i`ve been a little to relaxed about this the last couple seasons..
 
In MA ( Nantucket Sound)and RI (Block Is. Sound) , there are areas where one must transit through federal EEZ waters to get from one area of that state's water to another area of the same state's waters in a straight line.
Since striped bass are protected in fed. waters, I believe it is only allowable to possess bass there if they were caught in state waters and the boat subsequently passes through few waters without stopping or fishing in any manner. If one drift-fishes into the EEZ with protected fish onboard that would be a definite violation, and if no such fish were aboard it would still be reasonable probable cause for inspection. (No, not a lawyer .)
It's the responsibility of the fisherman & boat owner to ensure he/she avoids the EEZ and resulting compromising situation in such a case.

But of course the USCG is not required to have any probable cause , and can board and inspect anytime even if just for training purposes.
 
I wouldn't be surprised with the federal sea bass closure just starting and a lot of people probably not even aware they were checking primarily for that.
 
it would be pretty funny if I was boarded....

All well

Rob
 
quote:
Originally posted by Robski97

it would be pretty funny if I was boarded....

All well

Rob

Click to expand...


I have been twice. Once it was pretty funny. Once it was not.
 
Well after being boarded at gun point heading up to Norwich, Im pretty immune to anyting else. Some people take their job title alittle to seriously for the THREAT they see.

Rob
 
I'm one of those that just can't get excited over CG boardings.

In general and especially when I'm on the water, please leave me and my family alone. I've been stopped several times but only boarded once. Yes, they were very polite as they went through my personal living quarters and held us up for no reason.

I prefer the freedom boating allows.
 
The last time we where boarded the CG RIB came bow first into our port side, this allowed their 50 caliber bow mounted gun to extend into our cockpit about 2 feet which was where my Admiral and Grandson were standing. My Admiral started pushing away at the 50 caliber and screaming at the CG to get the gun out of the boat. The CG was a bit alarmed to her reaction but the business end of that 50 caliber looking you in the face is not a pleasant sight. They were polite and apologized and later when they were gone it provided a big laugh but for a few moments things were tense.
 
the CG should not be in the business of boarding recreational boaters, unless they observe them violating the law.
 
I believe they wait offshore a bit and monitor their radar/chartplotter overlay until they see someone cross the limit.

The way he spoke, I do not believe they would have given us a warning. They were there to write a ticket.

Good thing our poor fishing skills saved the day! lol
 
I think "Boarding" us is like a "Footprint" noting their presence. I bitched long and loud each time I was boarded, but nothing changed. They probably want to notoriety when they go to Congress for more money!
 
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