Fishing license ?

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Hi all. Did not discern a laws and regulations forum for this subject; please move to proper place if needed.

- About spearfishing with scuba; is it allowed in U.S. - for sport or for commercial low scale ?

- If you are fishing/spearfishing beyond the 12 miles or in international waters, is a U.S. fishing license needed ?

- If no U.S. license needed to spearfish farther than 12 miles from shores; can the catch be brought to U.S. market without a U.S. fishing license ?

Or... how does it work ? What about catching limits ?
 
Well, at least in Florida, if you're bringing fish into state waters, you had better have a fishing license and obey the catch limits/regulations!

Mike
 
Unless you're shooting Lionfish with a Lionfish specific device. Then you don't need a license at all in Florida.
 
- If no U.S. license needed to spearfish farther than 12 miles from shores; can the catch be brought to U.S. market without a U.S. fishing license ?

Just having a speargun/fishing gear on board (not lionfish gear) requires you must have that state's fishing license to enter & be on their waters. Even if you have no harvest on board and just traversing state waters non stop.
 
Thanks. That is surprising, Johnoly !
With no harvest on board and a speargun with spiderwebs the license is needed. Wow. And imagine it has to be a license from that same state to be valid !

An extension to the original post... Being in international waters, no fishing gear on board; buying fish from a commercial boat, and bringing it to state shore, with purchase receipt; would a fishing license be needed ? There is been no fishing activity, at least by my concept of the word 'fishing'
I see many unknown/grey areas in the regulations...
 
depending on where you are you will most likely be in us federal waters not international water. i know in the gulf from most areas us waters go out 200 miles. and state waters go out the first 3-12 miles. you should only need a fishing license if you are fishing in state waters. but if you go out and fish federal and then come back into state water and stop for any reason before you get to port then you will need a state license for that state. you cannot legally sell any fish (except maybe lionfish) without a commercial fishing license. as far as buying fish from a commercial boat while offshore that can only legally be done if said commercial boat also has a commercial wholesalers license. but if they sell you the fish with a receipt then its their problem in my book. but that would be up to the officer/judge.
 
Think of it this way... a fishing license is for the fish in your possession in state waters. In addition, a state has authority in federal waters if the state rules are consistent with federal regulations. And not all states do... confused yet?
 
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