BDN staff/Jen LyndsWESTON — A large crowd of citizens who occupy East Grand Lake for both pleasure and profit during the summer expressed frustration June 22 at border crossing reporting requirements for boaters that they bemoaned as both an annoyance and detrimental to business.
A special meeting was held at First Settler’s Lodge to discuss the issue. The requirements were put in place by the Canada Border Services Agency back in 2011, officials said, but not everyone is aware they exist. A meeting facilitated by representatives from the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the CBSA Wednesday evening was a move to educate the public about the rules.
BDN photo/Jen LyndsEast Grand Lake is located between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada, and the boundary between the U.S. and Canada passes through the lake. That makes it easy for boaters from both nations to drift between countries. In the past, lake dwellers and visitors on the U.S. side of the boundary line have freely crossed over to the Canadian side of the water to fish or see friends or relatives.
Dennis Harmon, patrol agent in charge of the Houlton station for the Border Patrol, told the crowd that threats to the U.S. have increased since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which necessitated the rule making. In the past few years, he said, the border patrol has caught a war criminal, an individual with terrorist ties, and narcotic smugglers
“The threat is there, even if you do not see it or hear about it,” said Harmon, added that the lake could easily be used as a conduit to smuggle drugs and other illicit items into both countries.
BDN photo/Jen LyndsMeeting attendees were shown and given a map with the international boundary on the water clearly marked. Harmon said that the map and GPS monitors could help individuals stay on the proper side of the international boundary.
According to the reporting requirements, if you are the owner or operator of a private boat entering Canadian waters and you are carrying 29 people or fewer, you must report your arrival to the CBSA.
Canadian residents who enter the U.S. must report back to Canada and U.S. residents must report to Canada upon arrival.
Boaters who plan on landing on Canadian soil, tying up to a Canadian boat or exchanging merchandise with the boat must also report, Harmon said. Reporting can be done in person at the Fosterville port of entry. Those who plan on weaving in and out of Canadian waters can report by calling the Telephone Reporting Centre.
Reporting requirements for boaters entering the U.S. are similar, he said. Operators entering the U.S. who plan on landing on U.S. soil, tying up to a U.S. boat or exchanging merchandise with the boat must report to a Customs and Border Protection officer, through a new Outlying Area Reporting System, or via telephone if part of the NEXUS program.
Those who register with the Telephone Reporting Centre will be required to produce identity documents, such as a passport, NEXUS card or permanent resident card. A pre-registration process is slated to reduce wait times.
Those in charge of a private boat carrying 30 or more people entering Canadian waters cannot be cleared through the TRC (telephone reporting center). Those operators must arrange for clearance locally by notifying the CBSA in writing at least 72 hours before they arrive in Canadian waters. The notice should include the details of your arrival and a request to be cleared in person at a DRS/M or by the local CBSA office.
Harmon stressed that agencies in both the U.S. and Canada have agreed to take a “common sense approach” to the matter, meaning that boaters who simply weave into Canada to avoid rocks in East Grand Lake or are using a sail boat and are blown into that nation for a few moments do not need to report.
Several registered Maine guides attended the event, and most expressed displeasure with the system. Several guides said that the necessity of gathering identity documents from all of their clients and the cumbersome task of reporting was going to hurt business.
“You are putting an awful lot of pressure on people who are trying to earn a living,” one guide said. “I think you ought to think about that.”
Jeff Murchison of Houlton, who said Friday that he often fishes East Grand, said that he felt that the regulations were “necessary to keep out the bad element,” but “unfortunate.”
“I understand that they need to maintain border security,” he said. “But I think that people will miss the convenience we had of just crossing across the lake to see a friend or go to a favorite fishing spot. There are a lot of good fishing spots on the Canadian side.”
Failure to comply with the law may result in civil penalties, including fines and seizure of forfeiture of one’s boat.
Robert Harris, a Danforth resident who said that he often travels from the U.S. over to Canada to visit friends “on the other side of the lake,” said prior to the meeting that he thought it was just another example of “big government.”
“Who wants to be out on the water with cell phones and birth certificates?” he said. “I understand the need to keep our borders safe, but this seems excessive.”
Karen Mitchell of Houlton, whose family owns a camp on East Grand Lake, agreed.
“This is just going to be a major pain, there is no doubt about it,” she said. “I have several Canadian friends who probably won’t be coming over to visit as often because of this.”
For more information on the reporting requirements, visit the CBSA website at http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html
