CANADIAN BOATYARDS UPSET WITH FEDERAL TARIFF Several Canadian boatyards have expressed their displeasure
While the legislation governing the importation of foreign-
with the federal government’s taxes and duty on U.S. boats
owned vessels and storage thereof has been on the books
stored at their businesses during the winter, according to
for years, the tariff requirements have never been enforced.
news reports from Canada.
Consequently, a large number of Americans have always left
Cape Breton Boatyard in Cape Breton, N.S. is just one of several boatyards that were quoted in newspapers as being
their boats in Canada for repairs and winter storage. They have never been charged extra for this storage.
troubled by the federal government’s actions. The boatyard
The Canadian customs service had assured Henry Fuller,
has made the winter storage and maintenance of U.S. yachts
the owner of the boatyard, in early June that no enforcement
part of its core business. Now it faces the prospect of losing
changes were planned for this winter. At the very end of the
several U.S. customers because the Canadian Border Service
boating season, however, the agency changed its mind and
is unexpectedly enforcing a 15 percent tariff on the appraised
said it would enforce the letter of the law.
value of any U.S. vessel stored on Canadian soil.
If this decision is allowed to stand, Cape Breton Boatyard will be facing the prospect of going out of business.
PENNSYLVANIA EXPANDS MENTORED YOUTH FISHING DAY season in 18
Fish and Boating
southcentral
Ted Walke, PFBC
The Pennsylvania Commission Dave Miko, PFBC
(PFBC) unveiled plans to expand its popular Mentored
and southeast counties. The second one will be held on approximately
Youth Fishing Day program across the
two dozen waters on April 5, the weekend before the
state in 2014.
traditional statewide opening day of trout season.
Launched this past spring as a pilot program on the Saturday
In related action, PFBC adopted a change in its boating
preceding the regional opening day of trout season, Mentored
regulations intended to provide additional safety to
Youth Fishing Day was an immediate hit with adult anglers
passengers when a motorboat is operating at greater than
and the kids in their lives. More than 3,700 adult anglers
slow, no-wake speeds. In these instances, the regulation
registered 5,110 kids for the fishing opportunity.
prohibits individuals from riding outside the passenger
For the 2014 fishing season, the first Mentored Youth Fishing Day will be held on approximately a dozen waters on March 22, the Saturday before the regional opening day of trout
carrying area or from riding on bow decking, gunwales, transoms or motor covers. The amendment becomes effective Jan. 1, 2014.
GREAT LAKES WATER LEVELS ARE RISING A year ago, boaters, marinas, boatyards, and boat dealers
to a significant increase in snow buildup last winter and an
were all bemoaning the low water levels on the Great Lakes.
incredibly wet spring.
But that attitude changed dramatically this past boating season as the Great Lakes have experienced a greater seasonal rise in water levels than a year ago.
Other Great Lakes also rose this past boating season. Lake Superior, for example, which typically experiences a one foot rise in water levels, rose 20 inches this boating season. And
Between January of this year, when lakes Michigan and Huron
Lake Erie, which experienced almost no seasonal rise last
hit all-time record low water levels, and now, water levels on
year, saw its water level increase almost 24 inches this year.
the Great Lakes have made a nice recovery. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which tracks water levels in the Great Lake, lakes Michigan and Huron have risen 20 inches since reaching their all-time record lows due
Each of the Great Lakes is still well below its long-term average. Representatives from USACE estimate that it would take six consecutive months of above average precipitation to bring the lakes back to their normal long-term averages.
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