Licensing and Registration Requirements

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Jon
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Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Jon »

Register your boat in your name via the NVDC or the State. Then apply for a Commercial Vessel License and purchase a Hand or Power Troll permit. You can then apply for a Catcher/Seller permit and/or Direct Marketing Fisheries Business License (more on these below).

If you have any other people participating with you on your boat they need a Commercial Crewmember License.

There are three required licenses to catch and sell salmon:

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commision
1) Hand or Power Troll Permit
2) Commercial Vessel License

Anyone wishing to sell a permit has to file an intent to transfer 60 days before it can be sold. The list of pottential sellers is on the Intent to Transfer list.
(Hand Troll permits begin on page 38, Power Troll page 40)


National Vessel Documentation Center (Coast Guard) or State of Alaska

3) Vessel Documentation. If you bought a documented vessel (federal registration) from a private party you submit a CG-1258 (Exchange of Certificate of Documentation) form to the NVDC. If your boat is state registered, an Alaska Boat Registration Application.

If you are going through the NVDC, include your boats original documentation and the original Bill of Sale (make a copy of both and the form to keep on your boat until the new documentation arrives). You also need to include a check for $113.00 ($84 for the documentation and $29 for the Fishery endorsement). Instructions. I don't know what is required to do the State registration.

To sell your catch to the public for noncommercial purposes, or to restaurants, grocery stores, etc. who are licensed processors a Catcher/Seller Permit is required (it's free). This is for whole, cleaned fish only, no processing.



If you want to process your own catch a Direct Marketing Fisheries Business License is required. I haven't done this yet but it looks like there is a large list of requirements.

If you purchased an EPIRB or acquired one from another party you are required to register it. Registration is free and can be done online. You'll need the 15-digit Beacon ID number from the EPIRB itself. I believe this also makes it easier for the Coast Guard to find you by enabling them to call everyone on your contact list who may know where you are.

Canadian Boats See this post.
tcram
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by tcram »

I am in the process of purchasing a boat that I plan on setting up for handtrolling. If I am reading this post correctly, the first thing to do after my purchase would be to submit a CG-1258? I am a resident of the mid-west but the vessel will never see it. Do I still title/licence it in my home state?

Is the commercial crew member license specific to single crew member or can my wife help one trip and them my brother the next under the same licence?
Jon
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Jon »

They'll each need their own crew license. I believe you can now buy weekly, month, or yearly licenses so you have a lot of options.

You can title the boat wherever you like afaik. Tax-wise, Alaska will be your tax home for your fishing business so I would pick a town you plan on fishing out of and title it there.

The form has moved here:
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvdc/forms/cg1258.pdf
tcram
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by tcram »

Jon-

I appreciate your willingness to share info with someone new to the craft.

-TC
longfinner
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by longfinner »

Jon,
congrats on your new (to you) Canadian troller purchase!
I am interested in the process of purchasing a Canadian troller for the west coast (US). I have read the above posts but since you have recently completed the process I am hoping you would summaries your process and experience (the good, bad, and the ugly). I am strongly leaning towards a Canadian troller and would like hear form someone who has jump through the hoops. PM me if necessary.
Thanks
Jeff...
Jon
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Jon »

longfinner,

Registering a Canadian boat to fish was a pain. See this post. It helps to have a broker who knows how the process works. Be prepared to spend $1000 or more and 1-2 months of time before the boat can legally fish in the US.

In the end, no government agency asked for my admeasurement documentation and I don't think a database of this information exists... so perhaps I could have skipped the entire process and gone fishing. :)
Once and Future
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Once and Future »

I don't want to barge into a private conversation, but I bought a Canadian troller in the past few months and don't mind sharing what I've learned, if you're interested. There was no broker involved which makes it much more complicated and nerve-wracking. But it appears to have turned out all well in the end. I did ultimately find the best way to convert US funds into Canadian via a bank.
Jon
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Jon »

O & F,

Have no fear, you aren't barging in. Go ahead and post what you had to do, I'm sure it'd be helpful to know.

Thanks,
Jon
longfinner
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by longfinner »

Thanks Jon and O&F for responding and giving some additional insight. I was getting cold feet for few seconds but since reading both responses I think it is time to make a deal! Monday begins more phone calls and emails. O&F I did not mean for this to be private and yes I will take your advise on the dollar conversion. From my experience, working with a bank closer to the border seems to help. They seem to know more about money conversion than interior banks.
At least there is one good thing about this economy, as of (2-21-2008) Canadian dollar is about 80% of the American dollar.

Jeff...
Once and Future
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Once and Future »

The best way I found to deal with the conversion was to open an account in a Canadian bank. You almost have to be there in person, but maybe not if your current American bank is a huge one with a Canadian division. But here is the key. You open 2 accounts in the Canadian bank. My bank allowed me to open a savings account which was in US funds, and a checking (they say chequing) account in Canadian funds. This allowed me to move some funds at my convenience. Then, I tracked the exchange rate daily until it seemed to be on a stable low point. I then called the bank and got a rate quote for the amount to be moved, and once verified, sent a fax saying "do it now". So that transaction would be instantaneous, assuring my rate.

Choose the bank carefully. they allow themselves to charge between 1% and 4% on the transaction. And this doesn't show up in the paperwork anywhere, it just is part of their "exchange rate". Also, the fund transfer between banks, even though electronic, takes 2 days to accomplish, typically. This makes locking in a rate more elusive. However, the wire to US fund savings account, then transfer to Canadian fund checking account within the same bank eliminates a lot of uncertainty.

Obviously, this is important. Because if during a 2 day delay the rate changes 2%, and you're in an especially greedy bank which rakes an extra 3%, you're losing $2,500 on a $50,000 deal!!! Note: I have learned all my credit card companies also tack 3% onto my Canadian purchases, hidden in the exchange rate.

Even if I went through a broker, I would do the bank account thing. Because the broker I talked to spoke of a 2 day delay in posting the funds to their brokerage account - so you transfer the money, then see what rate you get, which I feel is unacceptable.

What is crazy to me is that as our economy crashes, the Canadian dollar weakens against us. The only explanation I have found is that the Canadian economy is strongly dependent on natural resources, and is even considered a petroleum economy. So as crude oil prices fall, so does the Canadian dollar. Seemed to hold true as I was tracking both prices this fall.

Some other issues and the answers I have found, which I cannot garantee as the deal is all done but I am not moving the boat from Canada until spring (most of these issues a brokerage sale would solve for you):
1) Is a "duty" owed when you bring a Canadian boat into US waters permanently? Apparently not on a used commercial fishing vessel.
2) Are there sales taxes due in Canada? Apparently not, IF you handle the deal properly. Unfortunately, Canadian lawyers weren't as knowledgable as I would have thought.
3) Any liens on the boat? Easy to check with local Transport Canada office. These women were VERY helpful for being govt. workers!

That's all I can think of for now, and post is plenty long enough anyway!
longfinner
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by longfinner »

O&F
I like the idea of opening a duel account and transferring the funds a the low point. It sound like I need a couple more days so I can push the deal or wait for the lien clearance, transfer the balance return to pick up the boat at a later date. Thanks for the help and sharing your experience.

Jeff...
Scotland
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Scotland »

Hi guys thought I would add some info about transfer of funds from US to Canadian. I Did it with British Pounds to US Dollars when going to buy a troller in AK in 2010. You can use an international Broker who specifically deals in the conversion of funds. It's a bit like playing the stock market but with none of the risks. You will get a much better rate than at any bank. How it works:- You simply contact a reliable broker and create an account with them. Then you deposit your funds into your account. The broker will give advice on the transfer rates but it is up to you to tell broker when to convert money as rates change from minuite to minuite, you can tell them to convert when rates go up to a certain point( It may not go up to the point you specified though, but no matter you are still left wth your original amount in US dollars, then you just decide on another point.) You can also put conversion table on your computer desktop and keep an eye on rates from hour to hour call broker when it looks good and convert funds when on the call or you can convert as soon as your funds hit your account with them. Then you simply tell broker which account and the amount to send funds into using your passcode. I used a British company called Tor-FX. I converted funds before I left UK as rates were falling. I decided not to buy and converted full amount back into British Pounds 3 weeks later and made a profit of £2000 about 3000 US That was from an amount of £65000 about 110K US at the time. That was due to the national election results in the UK in 2010, none of the political parties won a majority vote and a joint party government was formed causing the pound to fall against the dollar. I was just very lucky with the timing.

I must admit that I was very nervous about giving my money to someone I had only communicated with by e-mail and phone but I checked the government list of registered companies to make sure they really existed and their customer rating which was good. I think you could use same company from the US or choose a US company. The diffirence in exchange rates between the banks and these brokers makes it well worth it. If you are going boat shopping then it is definatly the best way to go. You have time to look at boats and keep an eye on exchange rates via your laptop or smart phone. For example if you deposit 100k then you transfer funds when things suit you, if you find a boat for 85k Canadian then you instruct your broker to exchange the amount of US dollars required. Transfer funds into boat brokers or boat sellers account. You have reciept of transfer and have broker specify reason for transfer naming vessel ID number so seller can't screw you. The remainder left in US funds you transfer back into your own bank. Transfers are immediate. The only costs you pay are 30 dollars for innitial transfer and another 30 for international when you buy the boat. Brokers make their money by getting something like .25% of amount transferred, banks take about 5% for amounts under 100k and less for over 100k.
Hope this helps someone. Please Check company history before using. I am pretty sure they have federal insurance same as banks.
Cheers,
Robbie.
lone eagle
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by lone eagle »

Robbie, I used the same outfit to move money to the states and was well pleased. My local bank couldn't even tell me how much they would screw me cos it depended on a different bank in New York! The conversion on boats....wooden poles are cheaper than having aluminum fabricated, same with mast. But the big thing would be the fish hold if that had been torn out
Scotland
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Scotland »

Yea I'd be looking for a boat with at least short stabilizer poes that I could extend and at least some type of fish hold. I'll probably go for something more turn key though. Anyway I have couple of years to wait before I make the move.
Cheers for the heads up Eagle, appreciated.
Robbie.
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by Scotland »

Chris, forgot to ask but where do you hail from? Hope you don't think I'm being nosey.
Cheers,
Robbie
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Re: Licensing and Registration Requirements

Post by lone eagle »

Bandon Oregon
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