West Coast Commercial Fishing

Are you interested in fishing for Albacore Tuna off of the west coast, but want to be in compliance with all rules and regulations? Have you been searching for all of the permits you might need, and yet aren’t sure if you have them all? These are common concerns. Contact us here! After all, for so many commercial fishing professionals, just when it seems like you have everything together, there’s one more form that you need. We designed the Commercial Fishing Permits Center to be exactly that: a center where you can find all of the commercial fishing permits you might need. That absolutely includes the West Coast Commercial Fishing “Tuna Treaty Permit.” 

About the Tuna Treaty Permit 

In 1981, Canada and the United States signed a treaty concerning Albacore Tuna Vessels and Port Privileges. It’s only been amended once (in 2002) and was codified by law in 2004. As you know, it’s not like when you’re out on the water you can see clear, obvious signs where the United States stops and Canada begins. So, Canadian vessels are allowed to fish for albacore tuna in American waters, specifically, the waters seaward of twelve miles from shore. Consequently, American vessels are allowed to fish for albacore tuna in Canadian waters seaward of a dozen miles from shore, too. 

West Coast Commercial Fishing

If you’re fishing under this treaty, you can’t do it year round. In fact, you can only fish in Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone from June 15th through Halloween. However, in terms of benefits, your American vessel is allowed to use some Canadian ports to get supplies, services, and even land the fish as well. Obviously, it’s natural to have questions about the specifics of this. If so, our staff is always here to answer any of your questions. 

Albacore Tuna: A Core Species of Fishing 

When people think of tuna, they tend to think of albacore tuna. There’s one very good reason for that: there’s a lot of albacore tuna available. Better still, that doesn’t look like it’s going to change any time soon. As of this writing, albacore tuna is not overfished nor is it subject to overfishing as well. The gear necessary to catch them almost never touches the seafloor – so, you can fish for these and make a lot of money while also taking it easy on the environment, too. 

The Rest of the West Coast and More 

While albacore tuna can be a lucrative business, it’s definitely not the only kind of fish out there. You can find plenty of other West Coast and even Pacific Island commercial fishing permits at our site. That said, those aren’t the only areas that you can go fishing, either. Our goal is to help as many commercial fishing professionals as possible, so you can find all of the forms you need to fish for practically anything in or around the United States. Any questions? Call (866) 292-4204.