In almost all jurisdictions in the
USA, and many others too, while you are out
fishing, it is not allowed to have cleaned
fish onboard. Usually, only gutting is allowed, and sometime filleting (if you leave the skin on). This make perfect sense for fisheries enforcement, because the inspecting officer needs to ID the species and size of
fish caught, and for 99.8% of all recreational
fishing boats it is not a problem.
For a
live-aboard boat that cruises full time, with a
freezer full of fish from the past month it is impossible to comply with the letter of the
regulations. I have never worried about it, the few times I have been boarded for
inspection the officer never got down to looking in the
freezer. Even if he did, my experience is that LE are smart enough to understand the issue and not pursue a strictly technical violation.
But I am curious, has anyone been dinged under these rules? If so what were the circumstances and jurisdiction?