bringing a firearm onto a private boat off monterey/half moon bay area

[bsumoba]

So I was curious...I was watching Deadliest Catch last week and the Northwestern got boarded by Coast Guard and was asked if they had any firearms and they had a 30-06 in the captains room.

Which got me thinking...

So say I go fishing for Salmon on a private boat. Can I bring a firearm on board and if boarded by Coast Guard or Fish&Game or any LE agency, will I get in trouble?

And, say I go way out, like 40-60 miles for Albacore...do the same rules apply?

[john67elco]

This is a great question. How far out until CA laws don't apply and federal laws do? I saw that same episode and was wanting to see more of that 30-06 he had since 70's

[goober]

your boat, or somebody else's?
what kind of firearm?
do you have an LTC?
how will you carry it?

[goober]

This is a great question. How far out until CA laws don't apply and federal laws do? I saw that same episode and was wanting to see more of that 30-06 he had since 70's

state waters limit is 3 nautical miles. after that its federal until the 200 nm EEZ limit.

[GMG]

Just a question, why would you need a firearm while fishing ?

By the way I don't think it is illegal unless your in Mexican waters Then the rules change, call the Coast Guard to find out.

[bsumoba]

your boat, or somebody else's?
what kind of firearm?
do you have an LTC?
how will you carry it?

Boat: Mine
Firearm: CZ75 9mm
LTC??? (legal to carry?) No...
Carry it in a compartment with no mag in it, but a mag next to it loaded...

Why does this matter? or does it??

[bsumoba]

Just a question, why would you need a firearm while fishing ?

By the way I don't think it is illegal unless your in Mexican waters Then the rules change, call the Coast Guard to find out.

Pirates, some kind of creature like a Mermaid (that is now proven to be real...Discovery Channel said so ) that wants to attack me...LOL, a great white (although this is probably another issue for another topic since its protected...but if its attacking you, can't you claim self defense?

[goober]

Boat: Mine
Firearm: CZ75 9mm
LTC??? (legal to carry?) No...
Carry it in a compartment with no mag in it, but a mag next to it loaded...

Why does this matter? or does it??

Whether or not you can carry a firearm and in what manner depends on several factors, among them:
where you are
whether the firearm is concealable
whether you have a License To Carry (LTC)

if it is your boat, and you are fishing in state waters (with a valid fishing license), you can carry your CZ75 concealed (12027(g) PC),
if you have an LTC you can carry concealed regardless of whether you are fishing.
if you are not fishing, or do not have a fishing license, you must follow the usual rules for transporting a concealable firearm (locked case, unloaded. loaded mag can be in same container but not in magwell).

outside state waters, federal law prevails, and i believe (but am not sure) that you can carry in any manner, loaded or not.

if it's not your boat, then legality notwithstanding, the captain makes the rules. if the vessel is a commercial transport (ferry, cruise ship, etc.), special laws probably apply (i don't know).

anybody that knows better please correct me.

[gblacksmith]

State waters out to three miles

Federal EEZ to 200, but that is for enforcing fisheries law

12 - 50 miles out, customs constructive presence zone, enforcement of customs law (commerce) only

You are in international waters for nav. purposes once you cross the COLREGS demarcation line.

Coast Guard will ALWAYS ask if there are guns aboard....not to seize (no authority), but to promote officer safety in situation where NO backup is usually available, esp. in international waters

[Zenja]

Where did we ever get to the point we needed a special reason to have a gun in our own boat

[ad_astra]

3 miles for state, but you might find some weird rules when there are islands or large bays involved. For instance, the entire lower Chesapeake still counts as Virginia even though there are sections that are 3 miles from any shore.

Regarding federal laws, they're still applicable to you if you're a us citizen and/or operating on a US-flagged vessel. You're still bound by the rules of your own country even if you're in so called "international waters." See for instance, this case, where the boat was closer to Cuba than the USA, but the US still had jurisdiction because it was a US boat and people involved.

In terms of firearms, I can't think of any scenario in which the lack of state jurisdiction could be advantageous given that you have to come from a state to get to said waters. It can work to your disadvantage if you sail from one state with weaker laws to one with stronger laws......

[cal3gunner]

...

[wweigle]

Another issue, which I just bring up as part of the discussion. I believe boats with sleeping quarters are/can be treated as temporary domiciles, where you can posses a loaded gun just like your home. It least I believe that is how it use to be when I owned a 30 foot boat in the delta, with standard equipment including a loaded shotgun in the V birth.

[turinreza]

Just a question, why would you need a firearm while fishing ?

just in case: To shoot the scuba tank in the great white shark's mouth of course.

[Falstaff]

If you have a fishing license; you're golden...

12027g is your friend, you can carry LOADED and concealed while fishing and unloaded concealed on the way to or from " a fishing expedition" whether the "to and from" covers driving to the dock where your boat is, no one knows fer sure...

BTW- its not uncommon to see handguns used to dispatch hooked dangerous fish before dragging them over the gunwhale....

Otherwise, and I'm guessing here, I would assume the same regulations that apply to transport via automobile apply to watercraft?