Pack Your Passport if You Want to Fish on the Great Lakes This Year

Due to new anti-terrorism rules from the Department of Homeland Security, those paying to fish on Lake Erie will have to bring with them either a passport or two other forms of ID if planning to cross the invisible northern U.S. border. The 2008 charter season begins next month, and these new regulations threaten to damage the local charter and tourism industry.

The rules apply to the other Great Lakes as well, but its half of the best fishing in Lake Erie - the half with the deeper, colder waters - that just happens to be on the Canadian side. And according to Homeland Security, they plan on enforcing the new border security rules on fisherman re-entering the country.

Upon arriving back on US shores, fisherman will be required to drive to a local government reporting station where they will have to pose for pictures for Customs officers through a videophone connection.

Lake Erie's over 600 charter boat captains are furious, citing that the rules will not only be difficult to follow, but will also deter tourism and won't stop terrorism.

Operators wishing to continue fishing in Canadian waters will be forced to:

•Fax in passengers' personal information — name, date of birth and government ID number — to the local Customs and Border Protection office an hour before they leave shore. The names will be run against terrorist watch lists.

•Make sure passengers carry either a passport or a government ID and a proof-of-citizenship document.

•Send the passengers to a local border protection reporting station after landing, so they can call in on a videophone.

Making sure that no one sneaks by, officiers will also be watching and doing spot checks on patrol boats and government aircraft.