After nearly two years of confusion, Mexico now requiring boaters and anglers to have $23 Visas
utsandiego.com
Mexico’s confusing maritime regulations regarding visas for all who navigate into its waters within 12 miles of shore appear to be on again, this time for good.
San Diego’s fishing community learned the news last week at a meeting with officials from Mexico’s immigration and tourism departments. Sport boats had been chased out of Mexican waters in weeks preceding the meeting because the boats failed to obtain the proper documents to fish there.
The fee remains $13 or more (depending on the peso exchange and other fees) for a daily fishing permit in Mexican waters, but now everyone visiting to fish or boat within 12 miles of shore must have a Visa/FMT that costs an additional $23.
The fee will impact half-day, three-quarter-day and full-day trips that fish within 12 miles of the Mexican coast. Those fishing or sailing beyond 12 miles of the Mexican coast don’t need the Visa/FMT permits, according to Buzz Brizendine, owner-captain of the sport boat Prowler out of Fisherman’s Landing.
Brizendine said Ken Franke, president of the Sportfishing Association of California, is still in meetings with Mexican officials and trying to work out some compromises on the paperwork and time frame involved in the complicated process. For instance, the new rules require boat captains to provide Mexico with a passenger manifest 48 hours ahead of all voyages, but that’s impossible given the number of last-minute reservations and walk-ups that boats get for trips other than long-range deals. Franke could not be reached for comment.
Fred Huber, owner of the Daily Double, Point Loma and Mission Belle, said a sport boat was boarded by a Mexican patrol over the weekend and simply showed the officers a receipt for the passengers’ Visas/FMTs and was allowed to continue fishing. Mexico apparently has waived the manifest requirement for now, but the payment for Visas remains.
“As far as I know there is continuing dialogue between Ken Franke and Mexico to iron out some of the details to this,” Huber said. “I feel it’s a privilege to fish Mexican waters. We’re not thrilled with this, but we’re still in business, and we feel it’s still a good value to go there.”
Huber said the Mission Belle went out with 31 passengers to fish the Coronado Islands or waters around them on Monday.
“That additional $23 didn’t stop them from going,” Huber said of the anglers who paid $128 for the three-quarter-day run.
For a detailed look at Mexico’s regulations, check https:www.inm.gob.mx. Hit the English button and then go to Sport Fishing And Nautical Tourism.
Notes: Rifle deer season opens for those with D-16 tags this Saturday and goes to Nov. 24. It’s forked horn or better on all bucks. Doe, or antlerless, season also opens Saturday and runs to Nov. 17.
Brizendine said his 16 anglers on a 1½-day run that returned Monday morning caught 53 bluefin tuna to 35 pounds and 56 yellowtail on a drift about 88 miles from Point Loma. He has trips booked this weekend, but he said the season may have run out of passengers. Fish are still there.
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