Fishing Mexican waters from San Diego, what you need

The Coronado Islands, the 302, the 371, the 425 and the 60 Mile Bank are all in Mexican waters. In many seasons that’s where the tuna are. Crossing the line is routine for San Diego boats, but there are a few things you have to get right.

Rules change, sometimes in the middle of a season. Use this as a checklist of what to look up, then confirm the current rules with the official sources linked below before every trip.

Know where the line is

The maritime boundary doesn’t run straight west from the border. It heads out to sea at an angle, west-southwest, with a bend west of Point Loma that boats call the Corner. It’s easy to cross while chasing fish without noticing.

• Load the boundary on your plotter and keep it on screen.
• Check your position before you drop a line if you’re anywhere near it.
• If you didn’t buy Mexican licenses, stay well clear.

Mexican fishing licenses

Mexico requires a fishing license for everyone on board a private boat carrying fishing gear in Mexican waters. That includes people who aren’t fishing. Licenses are sold by CONAPESCA, Mexico’s fisheries agency, and can be bought online by the day, week, month or year.

• Buy them before you leave the dock. There’s no signal to do it at the Coronados.
• Carry them on board, printed or on a phone that will stay charged.
• Make sure the names match the people on the boat.

CONAPESCA (official site)

Other paperwork

Depending on what you’re doing, there may be more:

• Landing in Mexico. If you’ll go ashore or into a Mexican port, you’ll need immigration paperwork, and your boat may need a temporary import permit. A fishing-only trip that never touches land is simpler, but confirm what’s required now.
• Coming back to the US. Check with US Customs and Border Protection whether your trip needs to be reported when you return, especially if you met another boat or went ashore.

Inspections

The Mexican Navy patrols these waters and may board you to check licenses and your catch. Be polite, have the licenses ready and keep your catch easy to count.

Protected areas

Some islands off Baja, including the Coronados, are inside protected areas with their own rules about where and how you can fish. Check before you fish close to any island.

Limits and bringing fish home

Mexico has its own bag limits, and California has its own rules for fish caught in Mexican waters and brought back into California. They don’t always match. You need to follow both: Mexico’s rules while you fish there, and California’s when you land.

• Keep fish whole or filleted in the way California’s rules allow, so they can be identified and counted.
• Read the CDFW section on fish taken in Mexican waters before your first trip.

CDFW ocean sport fishing regulations

Before you go

1. Licenses for everyone aboard, printed.
2. Boundary on the plotter.
3. Current Mexican and California limits checked.
4. Float plan filed, including that you’ll be in Mexican waters.
5. Decided whether anyone is going ashore. If yes, sort the extra paperwork first.

This is a general guide, not legal advice. Always check current rules with CONAPESCA, CDFW and CBP.