3 questions about jones act

[dave fuller]

1st- Can you charter with a provincial out of Maine? 2nd- Can you commercial fish with a provincial from the stats? 3rd- On the show wicked T una, the hard Merchandise boat commercial fishes year long for, I believe groundfish , how can he do it legally from a novi built boat? My brother was looking at a provincial and ran in an old school friend who was in coast guard, his friend advised him not to get a provincial because he wouldn't be able to do anything with it. Did not elaborate other than that.

 

[bluefin650]

Pinwheel is a canadian boat and they do charters.

 

[commtuna]

Oh dave fuller. If you used the "search" function you find the answer to your question! The Pin Wheel, as well as all the other canadian tuna boats, fish 100% legally. Most canadian hulls are under 5 net tons which, under the Jones Act, allows them to be used in America as long as they are state-registered.

A canadian-built boat can commercially fish LEGALLY, it just cant be documented. It needs to be state-registered.

A canadian-built boat can also charter LEGALLY but cannot carry more than 6 passengers. To carry more would require a COI and to get a COI would mean the boat needs to be documented, which isn't permitted.

Im in the Coast Guard and I also used to fish a canadian-built boat. It's totally legal. There's even Novi boats fishing here in Alaska.

 

[traditions]

There are hundreds of Novis lobstering,dragging,siening ,whatever in Maine.I'm not sure about the chartering thing though.I know you cant smack lobsters with a Canadian vessel.The Jones act was supposed to protect US boat builders.There is supposed to be a 5 ton limit,but there are loop holes you can drive a 50 x 20 Novi thru.I even know of a Dixon that's documented,hull finished off in the states.I would think a call to the Coast Guard should clear up what can be done.

 

[F/V First Team]

Can't document your boat. Don't need a documented boat to do 6 packs.

Inspected vessels need to be documented. Want a Novi to be documented? Stash some hash on it and have it seized by a U.S. Marshal and wait for it to be auctioned off.

But then you' be in a Novi...:-?

 

[dave fuller]

Coast guard only says no can do. I looks around and I see one third no vis but then I heard about fisherman from ocean city who had to beach their boats because they were running novis. Coast guard keeps passing me off without a firm answer.

 

[CCtuna]

The tuna tangler and hot tuna are massive dixons...most of the boats outta chatham are novis. Not really sure i understand the question tho

 

[WRHardie]

Just wait a while, Millennium Marine is supposed to be opening a shop up in Maine.

 

[commtuna]

It's a loophole. The CG will not encourage you to buy a canadian boat. Call the USCG National Vessel Documentation Center 1-800-799-8362 if you want.

Or you can just do what everyone else does and buy a canadian boat and live your life.

 

[Coastal]

Just get a Maine built boat. They're faster, better looking, and support local jobs!

 

[F/V First Team]

Now we're talking! :-D