Editor's note: Late Friday afternoon, Sen. Schumer announced that the Canadian government agreed to reimburse Baldwinsville resident Roy Anderson for the $1,000 he was forced to pay.
This just in from the Washington office of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.): He heard back from Canadian officials, who informed him that they're reviewing his proposal to streamline pre-clearing for international fishing tournaments. The Canadian government also agreed to allow recreational fishermen to report to the Canadian Border Services Agency by cell phone when they enter Canadian waters.
In a statement supplied to BassFan, Schumer said: "The decision to allow reporting via cell phone is a good first step, but there's much more to be done. The Canadian authorities should put a moratorium on unnecessary boat stoppages and seizures until we've reached a final agreement that provides minimal disruption to our anglers, recreational boaters and our local economy. This would allow tournaments to continue uninterrupted this year as well as bolster local fishing and tourism by allowing anglers, recreational boaters, water tours and others to enjoy the St. Lawrence River without interruption."
Schumer added: "The Canadians have shown responsiveness, and I'm going to keep working to protect our fishing industry while respecting their sovereignty. I'm pleased the Canadians have heeded our call and will review my commonsense approach to preserve competitive fishing tournaments. Pre-clearing would be a win-win for border security and the North Country economy, and I'm going to keep pressing both sides until we get this done."
