'Frozen' food for thought??

[Pail Rider]

I was just over reading the NY board, and checking out a thread about the number of pounds of fillets people have stocked up on over the winter....and it got me thinking.

Here in NH, we have a law that says "No person may have in his possession at one time more wildlife than he may lawfully take in two days." (page 11 of the fishing digest under "unlawful actions".

I know for a fact that I have 'quite a few' crappie fillets in the freezer...probably more than 50 fish total.  Even though I have never taken a limit of 25, am I a poacher??

 

[Fishfinder81]

Just a law that cannot be enforced. I think that is stupid, but I get the reasoning behind it. No, u are not a poacher i have a buddy who stocks his freezer all spring with trout. By summer he has a full freezer of fish, and he never goes over his limit.

[sgthoskins]

Ahh the King doesn't like when you are prepared by storing food, even though you follow his limit laws.  You must consume constantly so if there is ever a problem in the food supply chain you are dependent on the King aka .gov to survive.

How does that quote go:  Control the food....?

[Roccus]

the only way you would ever get busted for this would be if your house was searched for a parole violation related to a F&G conviction.. and even then,  the burden of proof would be on "the people" to prove that said fillets came from fish caught in that state.... I wouldn't loose any sleep over it..

[Pail Rider]

I wouldn't loose any sleep over it..

Oh believe me, I don't plan on it.  I actually plan on putting more pannies in the freezer this weekend.  I just thought it would be an interesting topic to throw out on the cutting board.

[DConICE]

I always interpreted that law to be while transporting it... but as most of the rules it isn't clear or specific... guess like many other it is open to individual CO interpretation - which in and of itself is a problem in my opinion

Good luck catching more!

[fishermantim]

It's probably left as vague as it is ON PURPOSE, so that if someone were to have a run in with the law, and their house searched, they could "add more charges/fines" to their tally.
Basically as long as you don't break any laws, your probably safe.
But, break any law and we'll come after you and check for EVERYTHING in the process.

How long before they enact some "invasive species" laws that will allow the authorities to charge you if YOU can't verify that YOUR bait bucket has not held "uncertified bait/bait water" within a 6moth - 2 year period?

Keep the laws just vague enough to let them screw with just enough people to make just enough money in fines to keep their staff at just enough to enforce the laws.

[boneyard]

I always interpreted that law to be while transporting it... but as most of the rules it isn't clear or specific... guess like many other it is open to individual CO interpretation - which in and of itself is a problem in my opinion

Good luck catching more!

It's pretty clear to me. The word "transporting" is not even mentioned in the sentence of that rule....

[DConICE]

You are correct - it does not mention transporting it, it mentioned in  your possession... guess I just never took it to the extreme that they would/could check your house and took it as while you were out fishing.  As someone mentioned earlier, if you are following daily creel limits - you could easily have more than two days worth of fish in your freezer. It seems ridiculous to have legislation that governs consumption rate. 

[Coffin Dodger]

the only way you would ever get busted for this would be if your house was searched for a parole violation related to a F&G conviction.. and even then,  the burden of proof would be on "the people" to prove that said fillets came from fish caught in that state.... I wouldn't loose any sleep over it..

Yes, you ARE poaching!
The law is clear.
Most states have a 2 day creel limit for a total POSSESSION limit. Possession is just as much a part of the law as the daily creel limit.
I think the law has merit in certain situations for example, out of staters coming in on a multi day trip and bringing home large quantities of fish or game?

But, as Roccus said, the chances of getting caught are nil, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it either. 
 

[DConICE]

I find the timing of this post interesting... as I was fishing in Mass on Wednesday and an old timer I met on the lake started telling me a story of a NH F&G officer busting him an his buddies after a trip to Newfound many years ago and telling him how he would have to eat some of the fish he caught before he went out and kept anymore the next day (they were on a 3 day fishing trip). I didn't really understand what he was saying and figured he was just grumbling about a CO until I read this post and was reminded of the ordinance.   Being a catch and release guy I never paid much attention to it myself.

[capt1972]

I asked a CO this very question but related to goose limits.

Early goose limits = 5 per day
possession limit = 15

As of Oct limit  = 2 per day
possession limit = 6

As of Oct. I am illegal with my possession limit even though I have not even shot another goose.

I was told I had bigger problems if he was looking through my freezer.

[wmhunts]

"I was told I had bigger problems if he was looking through my freezer" 
Ya you got that right. Ahh the fond memories of invincible irresponsible youth
Stupid law I stock my freezer with fish and deer every year and enjoy eating and restocking. Fresh water has become catch and release for me since I became a salt water nut. Cod, haddock, striper, redfish yum
I think there is still some people out there who depend on their catches for sustenance (I just prefer to kill and eat) so let em stock up

[800stealth]

I was told I had bigger problems if he was looking through my freezer.

That's the way I would look at it... If F&G is banging on your door with a warrant chances are having a weeks worth of fillets in the freezer is merely a drop in the bucket.

[ice fisher]

what if the fish were given to you ? If I gave someone fish that doesn't fish and they were in their freezer ? They wouldn't know anything about possession limits  would they ??

[ice fisher]

my guess of the possession limits are due to , if your not eating what you already have why would you take more ? Yea I get stocking the freezer . But if you have 10 pounds of fillets how many more would you need ? So thinking about it I would say they just don't want the fish to go to waste . Guess it would be left open to interpertation

[perch boy]

I wouldn't worry about it. All you need to do is (spawn) with your spouse . The more (fry) the more fish you can have. I can't think of a better way, can anyone else? LOL

[Gills-only]

I always interpreted that law to be while transporting it... but as most of the rules it isn't clear or specific... guess like many other it is open to individual CO interpretation - which in and of itself is a problem in my opinion

Good luck catching more!

  Could have been caught in a private pond!!

[Coffin Dodger]

what if the fish were given to you ? If I gave someone fish that doesn't fish and they were in their freezer ? They wouldn't know anything about possession limits  would they ??

Possession seems self explanatory to me? If you have them, in your boat, truck, fridge, freezer, behind the bushes, in your waders etc. you possess them.
If the person you gifted them to is unaware of possession limits, I don't think ignorance of the law will get them off?
All that being said, as others have mentioned, it's unlikely that one would be caught with too many fillets in their freezer.

FYI, loosely quoted, aiding, abetting & advising people to break F&G regs is against the law also as I & others have done on this thread! 

[Pail Rider]

FYI, loosely quoted, aiding, abetting & advising people to break F&G regs is against the law also as I & others have done on this thread! 

Sweet, so when the Green Ghost comes to the Pailrider house to bust me, you guys are taking the fall with me     

[Coffin Dodger]

Sweet, so when the Green Ghost comes to the Pailrider house to bust me, you guys are taking the fall with me     

That's right PR.

We're all in this together now. 

I think maybe the legal term is co conspirators??