Who’s up for a leisure cruise in Canadian waters? While the land borders between the Great White North and the U.S. remain closed until Aug. 21 at least — our neighbors have allowed entry to Canadian waters for leisure cruising and recreational angling.
This new Canadian Border Services Agency policy is available at https://tinyurl.com/PDN-Entering Canada and includes pleasure fishing, i.e. recreational angling, sightseeing and other discretionary purposes.
This is great news for salmon anglers looking for another shot at Strait of Juan de Fuca chinook as many British Columbia fishing areas remain open to kings and coho.
However, visitors must:
• Continuously remain on your boat while in Canadian waters;
• Not land in Canada;
• Not make contact with another boat and
• Not moor or anchor while in Canada waters.
If at any point “you land on Canadian soil, come in contact with another boat or drop anchor, you will be required to report to the CBSA, and if you’re eligible to enter Canada, you will become subject to all entry requirements, including pre-arrival testing and submitting your mandatory information into ArriveCAN.”
The big takeaway is that “travelers engaged in transit or loop movements are not required to report to the CBSA,” according to the new regulations that took effect Monday. And if you’re fishing on the Canadian side, you’ll need a Canadian fishing license.
To purchase a Canadian fishing license, visit https://tinyurl.com/PDN-CDNLicense.
For more information on fishing British Columbia waters, visit https://tinyurl.com/PDN-FishBC.
Hunter education
Fish and Wildlife will resume offering in-person hunter education classes Saturday, with options for full in-person and hybrid courses, in plenty of time for prime fall hunting seasons.
In-person instruction is highly recommended for students 12 and younger.
“These courses reinforce important firearm and hunting safety principles, hunting ethics, basic survival and first aid, wildlife identification and conservation,” Fish and Wildlife hunting manager David Whipple said.
Some classes may change based on availability and COVID-related restrictions. To help meet public demand, an online course is still available for students, who must be at least 9.
“Consistent with Department of Health requirements, students and parents who are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask while indoors,” Whipple said. “All our volunteer instructors are also required to follow state COVID safety protocols.”
To learn about hunter education requirements, course options or find a course, visit https://tinyurl.com/PDN-HuntingReqs.
All hunters must pass a hunter education safety course before hunting on their own. Washington honors hunter education certifications from all 50 states. Those who are unable to complete a hunter education course before the fall hunting seasons may qualify for a hunter education deferral.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsula dailynews.com.
