Halibut License Washington or Oregon?

tracker · 04-24-2007, 03:17 PM

I know that we discussed this last year and I know I could also look it up, but it seems like a good topic to bring up right now! So a possible crew member on my boat is wondering if his Oregon license will work for landing a halibut at Illwaco? I would tend to think the answer is no. But there would be the companion question being the same thing about crabs?

bajadan2000 · 04-24-2007, 04:15 PM

Dave,

I asked many people that should know the answer to this question and I heard many different answers, from it is OK until you get caught, to head scratching with a probably not.

The wording I can find in the OR. regs states: License and tags of either state are valid except when the other state's season is closed. This is only for the Columbia River where it forms the state boundary line, not including tributaries, sloughs and lands.

When you move to the OR. marine regs. and fish off shore, you need an OR. license if you land in OR. .

Have not been able to locate what the WA. regs say about this going the other way, I am assuming it would have similar wording...

Dan

tracker · 04-24-2007, 04:34 PM

Thats kind of what I thought! So the question then is, halibut that opens on the 1st May, is that only an Oregon season? I understand that it is open in both states! If so, that is the basis for my question! Would either license then work? I would tend to say that it woulod be prudent just to get both! That way you are covered.

KillerBeee · 04-24-2007, 04:39 PM

Dave,
I'm pretty sure that you need to have a license from the state that your port of call is. Looks like concurrent licensing only pertains to near shore fishing?
The regs. pamphlets will be available soon.
Beeeeeeeeeee

Something Good · 04-24-2007, 06:08 PM

Are the regs for hali's different than other fish? I know I have fished tuna, salmon, and crab from Illwaco and Chinook with an Oregon license and have been checked several times with no problems.

Fishwater · 04-24-2007, 08:17 PM

The Oregon fishing regulations state: (page 3 General Regulations) "When angling in the Pacific Ocean within 3 miles of shore, between Cape Falcon, Oregon and Leadbetter Point, Washington either a resident Washington license or an Oregon license is valid. Persons other than Washington residents must have a valid Oregon license to land fish in Oregon which were caught in the Ocean." I called ODFW and asked them and seemed to have sort of stumped them, the person on the phone was consulting with her co-workers, and the final answer was.... maybe, and they told me to call WDFW, and they did not want to give me a definative answer either, MY final answer was i should probabally buy a $14 out of state 1-day to be on the safe side.

pijon · 04-24-2007, 09:15 PM

I called Wdfw last year about a similar issue. I launch in Ilwaco and run down to Tillamook to fish for bottomfish and then return to Ilwaco. I got the same routine. Holding while they conferred with coworkers.
The best answer they had was if I launched and returned to a washington port, but fished in oregon waters, I needed to follow oregon rules for size/limits seasons, etc. Still a grey area though.
If you fish the south jetty do you follow oregon rules or washington? I don't want to be the case that a judge has to decide.

BaitStop · 04-25-2007, 04:41 AM

It may be the port & state that you land the fish, so the 1 day WA license may not be a bad idea.

tracker · 04-25-2007, 05:17 AM

See that is what is wrong with the regs! If it is this hard to know for sure and you get an unclear answer from both state departments, then the regs need to be changed. Its like making sure the speed limit sign is obscured so as to be able to write more tickets. Anyway I think what fishwater has stated is the best route to go. Washington license at washington port and oregon at oregon port.

The companion question is if the season is only open in one state can you land in the state where season closed. I woul;d say yes as long as you have the other states license. But really knows. As was stated, do you want to be the case the judge has to figure out?

bajadan2000 · 04-25-2007, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishwater

The Oregon fishing regulations state: (page 3 General Regulations) "When angling in the Pacific Ocean within 3 miles of shore between Cape Falcon, Oregon and Leadbetter Point, Washington either a resident Washington license or an Oregon license is valid.

Thank you for the clarification Fishwater, I looked and missed this paragraph:blush:

I had called the Astoria office of the ODFW, talked to several people and they all told me anything outside the mouth of the CR would require an OR license if returned to a CR OR. port., no mention of the 3 mile rule.

Better carry a laminated highlighted copy of page 3, seems some of the people in charge of enforcing the regs do not know about this...

codfisher · 04-25-2007, 07:21 AM

Baja & Tracker,

You need to ask your questions of the Oregon State Police. They are the ones responsible for writing the citations in Oregon. Call the Astoria office and ask for someone from the Fish & Wildlife Division of the OSP. They can set you straight.

Codfisher

Something Good · 04-25-2007, 08:47 AM

One more thing to think about is I had a friend from work fishing out of Illwaco for salmon and decided to be safe and go ahead and get a 1 day Washington license. When they were checked by the police he was questioned about why he had an Oregon license and a Washington license. Basically they were questioning him about trying to get more than his 20 salmon per year limit.

Herring Problem · 04-25-2007, 09:57 AM

Tracker, I asked OSP and WSP this same question last year whne I was down in the area fishing.

This was the response, that as long as you have a valid license in the resedence state with the proper tag,
you can do the following:

You can launch from Washington with Oregon license and tag and return to said port with tagged fish from the ocean area's.

You could launch from Oregon with a Washington Lic and tag and return to said port with fish.

"The major question is season." You can only use the port that has an open season. Example, let's say that Washington has a halibut season opener and Oregon is still closed. You can not launch from Oregon and return to the Oregon Port with a Halibut on board, as Oregon's season is closed. SO you would be allowed to launch from Washington and return to the Washington Port. And we are talking about the CR area here.

But if both states are open to halibut/salmon at the same time, all you need is the residence state license and tag for these fish and you can use either state's ramps/ports to fish from without buying both state's license.

Now watch me get a ticket this September when I go after Halibut.