Regulations, Lake Erie (eastern basin)

Status on Mon, Oct 5

• Smallmouth bass, Ontario (Zone 19): Open. From 2026-12-01: closed.
• largemouth, Ontario (Zone 19): Open. From 2026-12-01: closed.

Smallmouth bass

New York

• Anglers 16 years or older need a New York fishing licence; an annual licence is valid 365 days from the date of purchase
  NYSDEC: Fishing Licenses (license requirements), as of 2026-10-04
• Fees: non-resident annual $50, 7-day $28, 1-day $10; resident annual $25 (ages 16-69) or $5 (70 and older), 7-day $12, 1-day $5
  NYSDEC: Fishing Licenses (types and fees), as of 2026-10-04
• A New York licence is not valid in the Pennsylvania or Ontario parts of Lake Erie, nor in the Ontario part of the Niagara River
  NYSDEC: Fishing Licenses (license requirements for border waters), as of 2026-10-04
• Each angler may operate no more than 3 lines, with or without a rod, each with no more than 5 lures or baits and no more than 15 hook points, and must be in immediate attendance while lines are in the water
  NYSDEC: General Freshwater Fishing Regulations (Methods of taking fish: angling), as of 2026-10-04
• You may keep fishing after reaching the daily limit if every further fish of that species is released at once; a single uninjured largemouth or smallmouth bass being landed, measured or released from a recirculating or aerated livewell does not count toward the daily limit
  NYSDEC: General Freshwater Fishing Regulations (Possession and daily limits), as of 2026-10-04
• Black bass may not be possessed cut, filleted or skinned so that species and total length cannot be easily determined; fish may be gilled or gutted on the water
  NYSDEC: General Freshwater Fishing Regulations (Fish cleaning), as of 2026-10-04
• At all times on the Great Lakes waters: snatching is prohibited, foul-hooked fish must be released at once, gaffs may not be used or possessed (except ice fishing and bowfishing), herding or driving fish is prohibited, and fish eggs may not be used for chumming
  NYSDEC: Great Lakes and Tributaries Special Regulations (General regulations), as of 2026-10-04
• Round goby may not be used as bait; uncertified baitfish, including baitfish you collect yourself, may be used only in the water where they were collected (Lake Erie, the Upper Niagara River and the Black Rock Canal count as one water) and moved by vehicle only inside the Lake Erie-Upper Niagara River corridor; certified baitfish need a seller receipt no older than 10 days
  NYSDEC: Baitfish Regulations, as of 2026-10-04

Pennsylvania

• Boats are limited to slow, no wake speed within the boundaries of Presque Isle State Park, including Marina Bay, Misery Bay and all water within 500 ft of the bay and lake shores of the peninsula (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  58 Pa. Code 111.25(a)(1)(iii), Erie County (effective 2005-01-01); PA DCNR: Presque Isle State Park, Boating, effective 2005-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Boats are prohibited within 100 ft of the designated swimming beaches at Presque Isle State Park (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  58 Pa. Code 111.25(a)(5), Erie County (effective 2005-01-01), effective 2005-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• The internal lagoons of Presque Isle, from the Marina Drive bridge at the west end of Long Pond through the northern entrance of Graveyard Pond, are limited to electric motors; internal combustion engines are prohibited (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  58 Pa. Code 111.25(a)(6), Erie County (effective 2005-01-01); PA DCNR: Presque Isle State Park, Boating, effective 2005-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Anchoring in the entrance channels to Horseshoe Pond, Fox Pond, Marina Bay, the lagoons or at the Misery Bay bridge is prohibited where it interferes with public use or creates a hazard to other boats (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  58 Pa. Code 111.25(a)(3), Erie County (effective 2005-01-01), effective 2005-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Boats are limited to slow, no wake speed through the Erie Harbor entrance between the North Pierhead Light and the Inter Range Tower, and along the Erie Public Dock area from the Erie Sand and Gravel Company to the Continental Grain Company piers, including the Canal Basin, north to the harbor line (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  58 Pa. Code 111.25(a)(1)(i)-(ii), Erie County (effective 2005-01-01), effective 2005-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Fishing from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. is unlawful within 50 yd of the mouths of Trout Run and Godfrey Run while fishing the Lake Erie shoreline; both runs are nursery waters closed to fishing and wading (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 14 (Special regulations, Lake Erie tributary streams), as of 2026-10-04
• Anglers 16 years or older need a Pennsylvania fishing licence and must be able to show it, on paper or on a phone, when an officer asks; a 1-day resident or 1-day tourist licence is not valid from March 15 to April 30
  PFBC: Who Needs a Fishing License/Permit; 2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, pp. 4-5, as of 2026-10-04
• 2026 fees, including the $1.00 agent fee and $0.97 transaction fee: non-resident annual $60.97; 3-day tourist $31.97; 7-day tourist $39.47; 1-day tourist $31.97 (includes the trout and Lake Erie permits); resident annual $27.97 (ages 16-64), senior resident annual $14.47 (65 and older), 1-day resident $14.47; Lake Erie permit $9.97; combination trout/Lake Erie permit $20.97
  PFBC: Who Needs a Fishing License/Permit (2026 annual fishing license pricing), as of 2026-10-04
• A Pennsylvania licence covers only Pennsylvania waters of Lake Erie: Pennsylvania has no reciprocal licence agreement for Lake Erie, so New York or Ontario water needs that jurisdiction's licence
  2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 12 (Fishing privileges in boundary waters), as of 2026-10-04
• Each angler may fish with at most 3 lines, by rod or by hand, and on open water with no more than 3 rods at a time; there is no limit on hooks per line, and all rods, lines and hooks must be under the angler's immediate control
  2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 8 (Tackle and equipment: rods, lines and hooks), as of 2026-10-04
• Any bass placed on a stringer or held in a livewell or other container counts toward the daily limit, so culling is not allowed outside a permitted tournament; a fish that is bleeding or injured from being caught counts toward the limit and may not be released as unharmed
  58 Pa. Code 69.12(c)(4) (last amended effective 2022-01-01), effective 2022-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• You may possess only 1 day's limit, except at your residence, and up to 2 days' limit while taking fish home from a fishing trip of 2 or more consecutive days; fish given away count toward the giver's limit
  58 Pa. Code 69.12(c) (last amended effective 2022-01-01), effective 2022-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• It is unlawful to cast repeatedly into a clearly visible bass spawning nest or redd to catch or take a bass
  2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 9 (It is unlawful), as of 2026-10-04
• Smallmouth and largemouth bass are listed as VHS-susceptible: they may not be moved alive out of the Lake Erie watershed in Pennsylvania except under set conditions, and may not be used as bait outside the watershed unless certified VHS-negative; dead fish may be taken home for eating
  2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 14 (Transportation of VHS-susceptible fish out of the Lake Erie watershed), as of 2026-10-04
• It is unlawful to conduct or take part in a fishing tournament for bass on Lake Erie, Lake Erie tributaries or Presque Isle Bay from the second Saturday in April until the second Saturday in June (2026: April 11 to June 13); the summary words the end as midnight of the second Saturday in June, so this row includes that Saturday until the end is confirmed; any other bass tournament in Pennsylvania needs a PFBC special activity permit (2026-04-11 to 2026-06-13)
  58 Pa. Code 69.12(f), footnote * (last amended effective 2022-01-01); 2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 14; PFBC: Tournaments and Derbies, effective 2022-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Every angler 16 or older fishing Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay or their tributaries also needs a Lake Erie permit or a combination trout/Lake Erie permit; not needed under 16 years, with a 1-day tourist licence (which includes it), or in the East and West Basin ponds (Waterworks Ponds) of Presque Isle State Park; the 3-day and 7-day tourist licences do not include it
  2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, pp. 5 and 14 (Lake Erie permit; permit exemptions), as of 2026-10-04

Ontario (Zone 19)

• Anglers who live outside Canada need an Outdoors Card and an Ontario sport or conservation fishing licence at 18 and older, with no exemption at 65, except that a 1-day sport licence needs no card; anglers under 18 may fish without either when with a licensed angler, whose limit then includes their fish
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Recreational fishing licences and fees, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• While fishing, carry your Outdoors Card (not needed with a 1-day licence) and your licence summary unless the licence is printed on the card, and a summary kept on a phone must be the PDF from the licensing service, not a photo or screenshot
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Recreational fishing licences and fees, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Ontario licences follow the calendar year: a 1-year licence ends on December 31 of its year whenever it was bought, an 8-day licence covers 8 consecutive calendar days, a 1-day licence covers one calendar day from midnight, and an Outdoors Card is valid for 3 calendar years
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Recreational fishing licences and fees, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• 2026 fees for non-Canadian residents in Canadian dollars, before 13% HST: Outdoors Card $8.57; 1-day sport $24.86; 8-day sport $54.38; 8-day conservation $31.52; 1-year sport $83.19; 1-year conservation $52.71; 3-year sport $249.57; 3-year conservation $158.13
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Recreational fishing licences and fees, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Each angler may use only 1 line when fishing from shore, because the 2-line allowance in FMZ 19 applies to boats only
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations (Hooks and lines), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Each angler may use up to 2 lines when fishing from a boat in open water anywhere in FMZ 19, including Lake Erie
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Fisheries Management Zone 19 (Waterbody exceptions), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Limits apply to each angler: every fish you keep, eat or give away counts toward your own daily limit, and your possession limit counts all fish you hold anywhere, including in a cooler or freezer
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• From a boat you may keep fishing after reaching the bass limit and swap bass in a livewell, but you may never hold more than 6 bass (sport licence) or 2 bass (conservation licence) at once, the livewell must be part of the boat, hold at least 46 L (about 12 US gal), exchange water and be aerated the whole time, and every bass you release must be fit to survive
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations (Catch and retain rules; Livewell), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Fish kept anywhere in a water body shared with a state, such as the New York or Pennsylvania part of Lake Erie, count toward your Ontario catch and possession limits when you bring them into Ontario
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations (Boundary waters), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• You may take no more than your Ontario limit out of the province, fish must be packed so an officer can count and identify each one (fillets laid flat with a large patch of skin left on), and U.S. law forbids importing fish taken illegally in Canada
  Ontario: Packaging, transporting or exporting fish (page updated 2026-04-20), as of 2026-10-04
• A line may carry no more than 4 hooks, and each single, double or treble hook on a lure counts as 1 hook, so a crankbait with 2 trebles uses 2
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations (Hooks and lines; Hook), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• It is illegal to bring live fish, or any leeches, crayfish or salamanders, into Ontario for use as bait, so live minnows, leeches or crayfish bought in New York or Pennsylvania may not be used in Ontario water
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Bait, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• During a species' closed season you may not fish for it at all, even to release it, and a fish caught by accident must be released at once where it was caught, without holding it for photos or weighing
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• It is illegal to possess, move or release live round goby, tubenose goby, rudd or ruffe, or to use gobies as bait, so a round goby you catch must be killed, not released
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Invasive species and viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-04
• Taking live fish other than baitfish away from the water where they were caught needs a fish stocking licence and a licence to transport live fish, so a livewell should be drained and emptied before the boat is moved overland
  Ontario: Packaging, transporting or exporting fish (page updated 2026-04-20); Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations (Livewell), as of 2026-10-04
• Fish sanctuary from May 15 to the Friday before the fourth Saturday in June (2026: May 15 to June 26): no fishing of any kind, catch and release included; sanctuaries are not always marked with signs and the dates are inclusive (2026-05-15 to 2026-06-26)
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Fisheries Management Zone 19 (Fish sanctuaries); Ontario Fishery Regulations, 1989, Schedule V, Division 2, item 1(1), close time varied by Fish Sanctuary Variation Order SCT-2026, Schedule A (effective 2026-01-01), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-05
• Fish sanctuary from June 1 to July 15, which overlaps the first 19 days of the bass season (2026: June 27 to July 15): no fishing of any kind, catch and release included; sanctuaries are not always marked with signs and the dates are inclusive (2026-06-01 to 2026-07-15)
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Fisheries Management Zone 19 (Fish sanctuaries); Ontario Fishery Regulations, 1989, Schedule V, Division 2, item 1(5), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-05
• Fish sanctuary from June 1 to July 15, which overlaps the first 19 days of the bass season (2026: June 27 to July 15): no fishing of any kind, catch and release included; sanctuaries are not always marked with signs and the dates are inclusive (2026-06-01 to 2026-07-15)
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Fisheries Management Zone 19 (Fish sanctuaries); Ontario Fishery Regulations, 1989, Schedule V, Division 2, item 1(2), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-05
• Fish sanctuary from June 1 to July 15, which overlaps the first 19 days of the bass season (2026: June 27 to July 15): no fishing of any kind, catch and release included; sanctuaries are not always marked with signs and the dates are inclusive (2026-06-01 to 2026-07-15)
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Fisheries Management Zone 19 (Fish sanctuaries); Ontario Fishery Regulations, 1989, Schedule V, Division 2, item 1(4), effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-05
• Fish sanctuary from June 1 to July 15, which overlaps the first 19 days of the bass season (2026: June 27 to July 15): no fishing of any kind, catch and release included; sanctuaries are not always marked with signs and the dates are inclusive; the waters of the H. Knoll Lakeview Park Marina east of its breakwall are not sanctuary: they have the zone's ordinary close times (Fish Sanctuary Variation Order SCT-2026, Schedule B) (2026-06-01 to 2026-07-15)
  Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Fisheries Management Zone 19 (Fish sanctuaries); Ontario Fishery Regulations, 1989, Schedule V, Division 2, item 1(3); Fish Sanctuary Variation Order SCT-2026, Schedule B, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-05
• Special water closed to sport and commercial fishing all year (January 1 to December 31) (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  Ontario Fish Sanctuary Variation Order SCT-2026, Schedule C (special waters closed to sport and commercial fishing), effective 2026-01-01, effective 2026-01-01, as of 2026-10-05

Seneca Nation (Cattaraugus Territory)

• A Seneca Nation licence is required to fish in Cattaraugus Creek on the Seneca Nation's Cattaraugus Territory. The Nation's own rules apply there: see the Seneca Nation's Conservation page, sni.org/community-services/conservation
  NYSDEC: Smallmouth Bass Fishing On Lake Erie (note on the Seneca Nation licence); the Nation's rules: Seneca Nation of Indians, Conservation (https://sni.org/community-services/conservation/), as of 2026-10-05

Pennsylvania DCNR (Presque Isle State Park)

• The easternmost part of Gull Point, a State Park Natural Area for migrating and nesting shorebirds, is closed to all public use from April 1 through November 30, so boats may not land and anglers may not wade or fish from it; the park page gives no rule for the open water around it (2026-04-01 to 2026-11-30)
  PA DCNR: Presque Isle State Park, Wildlife Watching (Gull Point: a fragile ecosystem) and Boating, as of 2026-10-04

Environment and Climate Change Canada (National Wildlife Areas)

• Long Point National Wildlife Area is closed to the public except for listed activities: wildlife viewing and hiking on designated beaches up to the dunes from May 15 to September 15 (the ECCC page gives mid-April to mid-September for the two day-use beaches), motor boating only in designated areas at no more than 8 km/h, and sport fishing under Ontario rules; the rest needs a permit; a 132-ft strip along the water's edge of Lake Erie and Long Point Bay is excluded from the area (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  Wildlife Area Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1609), Schedule I, Part IV item 3.4 and Schedule I.1 (last amended 2025-03-12); ECCC: Long Point National Wildlife Area (page modified 2026-07-03), effective 2025-03-12, as of 2026-10-04
• No one may enter Mohawk Island National Wildlife Area from April 1 to August 31 without a permit, to protect nesting birds; from September 1 to March 31 landing, hiking, swimming and fishing from the shoreline are allowed under Ontario rules; camping, fires and hunting are prohibited at all times (2026-04-01 to 2026-08-31)
  Wildlife Area Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1609), s. 3.3(2) and Schedule I.1, Mohawk Island (last amended 2025-03-12); ECCC: Mohawk Island National Wildlife Area, effective 2025-03-12, as of 2026-10-04
• Big Creek National Wildlife Area allows only listed activities: motor boating in designated areas of the Big Creek Unit at no more than 8 km/h, launching on the Big Creek Channel, non-motorized boating in designated areas, and sport fishing under Ontario rules (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  Wildlife Area Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1609), Schedule I.1, Big Creek (last amended 2025-03-12); ECCC: Big Creek National Wildlife Area (page modified 2026-09-08), effective 2025-03-12, as of 2026-10-04

St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (Welland Canal)

• Fishing is prohibited in the Seaway and on Seaway property, except in an area the Seaway designates and then only under a scientific permit from Fisheries and Oceans Canada; the Seaway runs to the outer Port Colborne piers. Swimming, water skiing and diving are prohibited there too; enforced under the Canada Marine Act (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  Seaway Property Regulations (SOR/2003-105), s. 6 and Schedule item 13; Seaway Practices and Procedures (March 2026); St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, Have Fun and Stay Safe (modified 2023-04-20), effective 2019-08-28, as of 2026-10-05
• Not closed to fishing. Ships approach the Welland Canal here between the outer light of the west breakwater and the piers: a vessel under 20 m shall not impede a vessel that can navigate safely only within the channel, and a vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede any vessel navigating in it (2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31)
  Collision Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1416), Schedule 1, Rule 9(b) and (c); Seaway Practices and Procedures (March 2026), effective 2023-06-07, as of 2026-10-05

U.S. Coast Guard (event safety zones)

• Recurring Coast Guard safety zones close set waters during listed annual events, such as fireworks at Dobbins Landing in Presque Isle Bay (Erie, April to August), the Great Lakes Offshore Grand Prix on Lake Erie off Dunkirk (around the second or third weekend of August), fireworks off Buffalo Canalside and Hamburg, the Buffalo River dragon boat festival and fireworks on the upper Niagara River at Tonawanda; each zone is enforced only on dates the Captain of the Port Eastern Great Lakes announces, and entry then needs permission
  33 CFR 165.939, Safety Zones; Annual Events in the Captain of the Port Eastern Great Lakes Zone, as of 2026-10-04

Canada Border Services Agency (entering Canada)

• A boater who enters Canadian waters does not need to report to the CBSA if the boat does not land, anchor, moor, come alongside another boat, or take on or drop off people or goods in Canada, and leaves Canadian waters directly; any of those acts requires an immediate report.
  CBSA: The CBSA reminds private boaters of reporting requirements (news release), effective 2026-04-27, as of 2026-10-04
• To report, go directly to a CBSA telephone reporting site and call the Telephone Reporting Centre at 1-888-226-7277, or report in person at an open designated marine reporting site; only the operator may leave the boat to call; if everyone aboard holds NEXUS, call 1-866-996-3987 30 min to 4 h before arrival.
  CBSA: Reporting requirements for private boat operators, effective 2026-03-13, as of 2026-10-04
• Failing to report to the CBSA carries a minimum fine of CAD 1,000 and can lead to detention, seizure or forfeiture of the boat.
  CBSA: Reporting requirements for private boat operators (Failure to report); CBSA news release of 2026-04-27, effective 2026-03-13, as of 2026-10-04
• Even when no report is needed, everyone aboard should carry a passport or NEXUS card, and restricted or prohibited goods aboard, including all firearms and cannabis, must be reported to the CBSA.
  CBSA: Travellers Reporting Exceptions, effective 2018-07-25, as of 2026-10-04

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (returning)

• A U.S. boat that enters Canadian waters and returns without touching Canadian soil, without contact with a foreign vessel and without receiving goods does not report to CBP; otherwise the operator must report the arrival to CBP immediately on landing.
  CBP: Pleasure Boat Reporting Requirements, effective 2024-03-04, as of 2026-10-04
• Report a U.S. arrival from Canada with the free CBP ROAM app, on your own device or on CBP tablets at local businesses that include Smith Boys at Erie Basin Marina and Chadwick Bay Marina; NEXUS, I-68 or Verified Traveler holders may instead call 1-800-827-2851; the page lists no in-person marine reporting location on Lake Erie (its listed ports are on the St. Lawrence River)
  CBP: Northern New York State pleasure boat reporting locations, effective 2025-11-13, as of 2026-10-04
• Report a U.S. arrival from Canada with the free CBP ROAM app, or call the Port of Erie in advance for instructions: Erie International Airport/Tom Ridge Field, 4459 West 12th Street, Erie, telephone (814) 833-1355, inspections and boater interviews Monday to Friday 10:00 to 15:00; after hours call 1-800-973-2867
  CBP: Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware pleasure boat reporting locations, effective 2025-09-29, as of 2026-10-04
• Failing to report to CBP can bring a civil penalty of USD 5,000 for a first violation and USD 10,000 for each later one, and the boat can be seized and forfeited.
  CBP: Pleasure Boat Reporting Rules for Michigan Waterways with Canada (local media release), effective 2014-05-09, as of 2026-10-04

Sources

• New York: NYSDEC: Great Lakes and Tributaries Special Regulations (General regulations), last verified 2026-10-04
• New York: NYSDEC: Great Lakes and Tributaries Special Regulations, Upper Niagara River; Statewide Freshwater Fishing Seasons (effective April 1, 2026), effective 2026-04-01, last verified 2026-10-04
• New York: NYSDEC: Fishing Licenses (license requirements for border waters), last verified 2026-10-04
• New York: NYSDEC: General Freshwater Fishing Regulations (Fish cleaning), last verified 2026-10-04
• New York: NYSDEC: Baitfish Regulations, last verified 2026-10-04
• Pennsylvania: 2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, p. 14 (Special regulations, Lake Erie tributary streams), last verified 2026-10-04
• Pennsylvania: PFBC: Who Needs a Fishing License/Permit (2026 annual fishing license pricing), last verified 2026-10-04
• Pennsylvania: 58 Pa. Code 69.12(c) (last amended effective 2022-01-01), effective 2022-01-01, last verified 2026-10-04
• Pennsylvania: 58 Pa. Code 111.25(a)(1)(i)-(ii), Erie County (effective 2005-01-01), effective 2005-01-01, last verified 2026-10-04
• Ontario (Zone 19): Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Fisheries Management Zone 19 (Fish sanctuaries); Ontario Fishery Regulations, 1989, Schedule V, Division 2, item 1(3); Fish Sanctuary Variation Order SCT-2026, Schedule B, effective 2026-01-01, last verified 2026-10-05
• Ontario (Zone 19): Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations (Boundary waters), effective 2026-01-01, last verified 2026-10-04
• Ontario (Zone 19): Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Bait, effective 2026-01-01, last verified 2026-10-04
• Ontario (Zone 19): Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Invasive species and viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), effective 2026-01-01, last verified 2026-10-04
• Ontario (Zone 19): Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: Recreational fishing licences and fees, effective 2026-01-01, last verified 2026-10-04
• Ontario (Zone 19): Ontario: Packaging, transporting or exporting fish (page updated 2026-04-20); Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary 2026: General fishing regulations (Livewell), last verified 2026-10-04
• Ontario (Zone 19): Ontario Fish Sanctuary Variation Order SCT-2026, Schedule C (special waters closed to sport and commercial fishing), effective 2026-01-01, effective 2026-01-01, last verified 2026-10-05
• Seneca Nation (Cattaraugus Territory): NYSDEC: Smallmouth Bass Fishing On Lake Erie (note on the Seneca Nation licence); the Nation's rules: Seneca Nation of Indians, Conservation (https://sni.org/community-services/conservation/), last verified 2026-10-05
• Pennsylvania DCNR (Presque Isle State Park): PA DCNR: Presque Isle State Park, Wildlife Watching (Gull Point: a fragile ecosystem) and Boating, last verified 2026-10-04
• Environment and Climate Change Canada (National Wildlife Areas): Wildlife Area Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1609), Schedule I, Part IV item 3.4 and Schedule I.1 (last amended 2025-03-12); ECCC: Long Point National Wildlife Area (page modified 2026-07-03), effective 2025-03-12, last verified 2026-10-04
• Environment and Climate Change Canada (National Wildlife Areas): Wildlife Area Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1609), s. 3.3(2) and Schedule I.1, Mohawk Island (last amended 2025-03-12); ECCC: Mohawk Island National Wildlife Area, effective 2025-03-12, last verified 2026-10-04
• Environment and Climate Change Canada (National Wildlife Areas): Wildlife Area Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1609), Schedule I.1, Big Creek (last amended 2025-03-12); ECCC: Big Creek National Wildlife Area (page modified 2026-09-08), effective 2025-03-12, last verified 2026-10-04
• St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (Welland Canal): Seaway Property Regulations (SOR/2003-105), s. 6 and Schedule item 13; Seaway Practices and Procedures (March 2026); St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, Have Fun and Stay Safe (modified 2023-04-20), effective 2019-08-28, last verified 2026-10-05
• St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (Welland Canal): Collision Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1416), Schedule 1, Rule 9(b) and (c); Seaway Practices and Procedures (March 2026), effective 2023-06-07, last verified 2026-10-05
• U.S. Coast Guard (event safety zones): 33 CFR 165.939, Safety Zones; Annual Events in the Captain of the Port Eastern Great Lakes Zone, last verified 2026-10-04
• Canada Border Services Agency (entering Canada): CBSA: The CBSA reminds private boaters of reporting requirements (news release), effective 2026-04-27, last verified 2026-10-04
• Canada Border Services Agency (entering Canada): CBSA: Reporting requirements for private boat operators (Failure to report); CBSA news release of 2026-04-27, effective 2026-03-13, last verified 2026-10-04
• Canada Border Services Agency (entering Canada): CBSA: Travellers Reporting Exceptions, effective 2018-07-25, last verified 2026-10-04
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (returning): CBP: Pleasure Boat Reporting Requirements, effective 2024-03-04, last verified 2026-10-04
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (returning): CBP: Northern New York State pleasure boat reporting locations, effective 2025-11-13, last verified 2026-10-04
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (returning): CBP: Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware pleasure boat reporting locations, effective 2025-09-29, last verified 2026-10-04
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (returning): CBP: Pleasure Boat Reporting Rules for Michigan Waterways with Canada (local media release), effective 2014-05-09, last verified 2026-10-04