BajaNomad

Mexican Fishing License

acadist - 5-26-2012 at 05:46 AM

Just got annual licenses for me and the boys online, with the current price of the peso they were under $40 each. Hope my car insurance does just as well!

woody with a view - 5-26-2012 at 06:49 AM

i think i paid $34ish last oct! money well spent.

BajaBlanca - 5-26-2012 at 07:05 AM

acadist - have a most wonderful trip ! your excitement is felt thru your words.

Pescador - 5-26-2012 at 07:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by acadist
Just got annual licenses for me and the boys online, with the current price of the peso they were under $40 each. Hope my car insurance does just as well!


When you buy them online, the monies go to Ensenada instead of to the area where you are hanging out. I know it is convenient and easy, but each little Conapesca office is really struggling to enforce violations and do what they can do, so it hurts them when Ensenada gets the monies.

woody with a view - 5-26-2012 at 07:49 AM

do you know if they get entered into the system so they can be reprinted in case of loss? that was the reason i used the online. something to consider in october, i suppose.

Osprey - 5-26-2012 at 07:55 AM

Loss? Loss? You can lose your passport, platinum Visa plastic, checkbook, truck keys but not your fishing license! Yikes!

woody with a view - 5-26-2012 at 08:00 AM

okay, you're correct. if i FORGOT to bring it with me, you know, left my tackle backpack at home and realized this when i got to baja-then found a computer-then remembered the name of the website-then was able to find our accounts.... maybe i should bring my computer so i'll have my cookies!

thanks for adding something else to THE LIST!

acadist - 5-26-2012 at 08:59 AM

I agree with Woody that it is convenient to have a back up copy on my computer. Sometimes it is about me, lol.

BajaBruno - 5-26-2012 at 11:55 AM

Perhaps you can just scan the locally-obtained license on your printer/scanner and keep a copy on a thumb drive for future use. Lots of the Mexican internet shops can also do this for you for a few pesos.

woody with a view - 5-26-2012 at 12:52 PM

now i have to add the printer/scanner to THE LIST also?:lol:

acadist - 5-26-2012 at 02:58 PM

no, I emailed to myself so I can print it at any internet cafe or hotel lobby computer

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 5-26-2012 at 04:56 PM

Hola Pescador,

GREAT POINT ! THANK YOU !

every year, i would buy my insurance and fishing license from vagabundos ( one stop shopping ). i never realized that it matters where i buy my license.

i know they are readily available in los barriles from any of the major hotels, i believe from the port captain and i do know from the pharmacy in the bancomer shopping center as i bought one for my son for his one week visit in 2010.

in the future, i will buy mine in los barriles.

thanks again,

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

Question

thebajarunner - 5-26-2012 at 06:38 PM

Rumor has it.......
If you are caught without a license then the boat, motor and all gear are confiscated by the feds....
True?
Even if you are a guest on a boat.
That is the story that is passed around our campfire, we always make sure to have current licenses.

Last time I heard, a non-licensed guy here in California paid a fine of about $800 (US)

Pescador - 5-27-2012 at 10:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by thebajarunner
Rumor has it.......
If you are caught without a license then the boat, motor and all gear are confiscated by the feds....
True?
Even if you are a guest on a boat.
That is the story that is passed around our campfire, we always make sure to have current licenses.

Last time I heard, a non-licensed guy here in California paid a fine of about $800 (US)


I know of two times that did happen, but I have also seen them tell the captain that next time they would confiscate the boat. For awhile, in our area, the marinos or navy were checking every boat for proper papers and a couple of times they followed the people back into the marina to get the papers.

shari - 5-27-2012 at 12:43 PM

tell ya what...whoever buys their fishing license from me here in Asuncion, I will scan it and save it or email the copy to you to have on your files so if you forget it, you will have a copy!

dont forget, if you dont have a license and get caught, the fine goes to the boat owner and yes they can confiscate all the fishing gear and boat if they are in a nasty mood...or you are belligerent!

Kgryfon - 5-28-2012 at 09:09 PM

I never realized I needed a fishing license in Mexico. No boat captain has ever said a word, either. Good to know - $40 is for an annual license?

Kgryfon - 5-28-2012 at 09:17 PM

Just looked this up, and saw a few more interesting things:

"Effective January 2008, boat fishing permits are no longer required for vessels practicing sportfishing in Mexican waters" So, does this mean if you are on a charter you don't need a license?

"Fish caught under a sportfishing license may not be filletted aboard the vessel from which it was caught" My captain has always cleaned and filletted the fish on the boat (not in the area where we were actually fishing).

"Be prepared to show a Mexican fishing license to US Customs if bringing fish back into the United States." I've brought fish back several times and have never been asked this.

BajaDanD - 5-28-2012 at 10:53 PM

"No longert needing baot permits has nothing to do with Liscenses. If you are on a boat and there is any fishing gear/tackle on the boat then everyone on board has to have a liscense no matter how old or if they are fishing or not.

fishing

captkw - 5-29-2012 at 03:02 AM

now in baja it's called wishing !!

woody with a view - 5-29-2012 at 05:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kgryfon
I never realized I needed a fishing license in Mexico. No boat captain has ever said a word, either. Good to know - $40 is for an annual license?


yes, and it's good for a year from the date of first use (you can state the date you plan to first fish!) instead of the way our crummy state of CA does it.

shari - 5-29-2012 at 07:21 AM

Kgryfon...I have found that lots of boat captains arent aware of many of the fishing regulations and permits required. In the old days enforcement was extremely rare but now the fisheries department is getting better organized and have many more agents checking.

In Mexico, being ignorant of the laws still makes you guilty....they say visitors should research these types of laws and be aware of them. Often, the first offense gets a warning but if your boat captain repeatedly ignores the laws, you may well get busted.

It is also sometimes a matter of economics too...we have had to turn down clients on occasion who didnt have licenses...but they just go on to the next charter operator who takes the risk to take them out anyway...to make a buck...luckily that doesn't happen anymore as we now sell licenses here.

Sometimes clients will choose a charter captain who they know will let them keep more fish than the legal limit too...luckily due to the local sales of licenses, there is more local enforcement to try to address these unfair practises.

[Edited on 5-29-2012 by shari]

acadist - 5-29-2012 at 04:50 PM

2 more days!!!!!!!!

MitchMan - 5-31-2012 at 06:24 AM

In my experience:

You can stipulate the start date of your Mexican fishing license if the licence is for less than one year. If you are getting a one year license, they ignore your request for a specific start date and simply issue the license with a start date of the actual issue date. Happened to me this year. I called and asked for an explanation and they asserted and stipulated what I wrote herein above.

Lee - 5-31-2012 at 06:48 AM

My experience too.

Get my license in Carlsbad. If I get it for one year, it's dated the day I pick up the license.

Less than a year, any date I want.

boe4fun - 5-31-2012 at 09:20 AM

My wife and I used to buy our yearly Mexican licenses from either the Vagabundos or at the tourist office in Ensenada, across from the Corona Hotel on the embarcadero, NO MAS! I found out that if my wife and I purchase our licenses in Bahia Asuncion from Shari, the monies will go directly back to the biosphere. That's what we're doing from now on.