New possession limits

[ratherbefishin]

My understanding is that if you caught your two chinook salmon,recorded them on your licence,and your fishing partner caught his two,recorded them on his licence,he could legally give you his two if he didn't want them and you were not in violation of the'possession' limit,but this year,that would be illegal.You can only have YOUR two fish in YOUR possession.
Do I have this right?

[Fella]

Unless he writes you a possession letter...

[deadlyshot19]

Unless he writes you a possession letter...

pretty much the same deal as hunting, have proof you didn't kill them.

[Kalum]

That's right, new rules mean you can only have your fish in your possession. You can no longer transport someone else's fish, even if you have a proof that they're not yours.

[ratherbefishin]

So,that is tantamount to making it illegal to give a fish away if the total exceeds that individuals possession limit,even if the fish were legally caught.This raises the question about the legality of purchasing fresh fish from the market on the way home from a fishing trip if the total exceeds my possession limit

[Steeleco]

Sounds like if you buying fish you'd better get a receipt for said fish.

[deadlyshot19]

That's right, new rules mean you can only have your fish in your possession. You can no longer transport someone else's fish, even if you have a proof that they're not yours.

Are you sure about this? I mean I'm not certain but this is the first time I have heard of this?

[Keta1969]

So,that is tantamount to making it illegal to give a fish away if the total exceeds that individuals possession limit,even if the fish were legally caught.This raises the question about the legality of purchasing fresh fish from the market on the way home from a fishing trip if the total exceeds my possession limit

The possession limit is just that, a limit on how many "sport caught" chinooks you are allowed to have in your possession. If you buy fish from a legit source and have a receipt you are good to go. I would want the vessels licence# and owners name on the receipt if buying from a boat, and the store info if from a store. If it's native fish you could have a problem.

[ratherbefishin]

I don't buy fish from anyone else than legitimate sources.But I can't figure out why a guy can't give away a fish he has caught and recorded on his licence,that has nothing to do with the fish another guy has caught.

[Kalum]

Actually your ok to transport some one else's fish so long as you're within your possession limit. Sorry about that. A co explained the changes to me when we were out in bar camp this summer. We used to transport fish all the time and carried all the paperwork to show we were legit.
Always best to get it straight from the source though and suggest check in with your local co.

[ratherbefishin]

Ok,that seems clear enough,but the reason behind the change in the rules escapes me-if the fish were legally caught,then why on earth is it illegal to give the fish away to someone who already has their legally caught limit?this obviously isn't a conservation issue....

[boxhitch]

Then maybe don't call it a give away , say that you are transporting your friends fish and have in your hand the salmon card that they were caught on

[guest]

I would transport any ones fish as long as proper licenses were cancelled and Ser # recorded and approval letters in hand. Their limit has no bearing on yours. Just be all legit.

[Keta1969]

I,m sure it's more to do with enforcement than conservation. Say you're checked and have 4 chinooks in your possession 2 you caught and 2 you were given, how is the CO to determine you haven't caught all 4? I think we have generous limits and don't see a problem and can understand the difficulty a CO would have in trying to sort out all the possibilities regarding why someone is over their limit. There have probably been abuses and they have decided it's easiest to just enforce a limit.

[ratherbefishin]

My fishing partner often gives me his salmon,he simply doesn't like it that much,while I gave a number of people I share it with.No limits are exceeded,all fish are legally caught and recorded.What in the world is wrong with that?

if I really wanted to play the game,I would take one of my FN(status)kids with me and catch all I want,but I have never exercised that right

[fuzzybiscuit]

My dad heard about the new rules before going to Gold River fishing this year and brought 2 big coolers just in case. You see, my dad runs our Whaler up the inlet to Cougar Creek as he won't tow it up the logging road. His partner drove the truck and camper and met my dad at the camp site at Cougar Creek. The reverse happens at the end of the trip when my dad drives the empty Whaler back to the old mill site in Gold River and his partner takes the fish and all their gear by truck and the meets up with my dad there, then tows the boat back to Campbell River.

My dad met up with a fish cop on the trip this year and asked for some clarification on the new rules and how it would apply to them if one of them had all the fish in his possession. He was told that regardless of whether one of them had the second persons licence or a possession letter, they would be in violation of the new rules and would be fined for having more fish in their possession than what the rules would allow.

My dad ended up having to take his fish in one cooler while he boated back to Gold River while his partner took the second cooler with his fish back by truck. It was a pain in the arse but a good thing that they had brought 2 coolers.

Guys can interpret the new rule however you want but in the end if you have more fish in your possession than what the rules allow then you will be on the receiving end of a hefty fine.