Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using PNW Bar Info ("the Service"), you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provisions of this agreement. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the Service.

2. Description of Service

PNW Bar Info provides informational data about Pacific Northwest bar conditions, including but not limited to:

• Bar crossing status and restrictions from official sources
• Tide information and predictions
• Weather and marine forecasts
• Sunrise/sunset times and solunar fishing period calculations
• Coast Guard radio frequencies and contact information
• Fish species identification guides and season information
• Community catch photo gallery
• Charter guide directory

This information is aggregated from public sources and is provided for informational purposes only.

3. Important Disclaimer

The Service provides information "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information displayed. Data may be delayed, incorrect, or unavailable.

4. User Responsibilities

By using this Service, you agree to:

• Verify all critical information through official sources before making any decisions
• Contact the Coast Guard directly for current bar conditions before crossing
• Use the Service responsibly and in accordance with applicable laws
• Not attempt to disrupt, hack, or abuse the Service
• Not use automated systems to access the Service excessively

5. Intellectual Property

The Service's design, layout, and original content are protected by applicable intellectual property laws. Data displayed on the Service is sourced from public government agencies (NOAA, Coast Guard, etc.) and remains their property.

6. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• We shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Service
• We shall not be liable for any damages, injuries, or losses resulting from decisions made based on information from the Service
• We shall not be liable for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the information provided
• We shall not be liable for any interruption or unavailability of the Service

Your use of the Service is at your own risk. In no event shall our total liability exceed $100 USD.

7. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless PNW Bar Info and its operators from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from your use of the Service or violation of these Terms.

8. Notifications and Communications

If you enable push notifications, you consent to receive alerts about bar condition changes. You may disable notifications at any time through your browser settings or the Settings page.

If you subscribe to email alerts, you consent to receive:

• Bar status change notifications based on your preferences
• Verification emails to confirm your subscription
• Service announcements related to features you use

You may unsubscribe from email alerts at any time using the link in any email or through your subscription management page.

8a. SMS/Text Message Alerts

If you subscribe to SMS alerts, you consent to receive text messages about bar status changes. By providing your phone number and opting in:

• You agree to receive automated text messages at the phone number you provide
• You must verify your phone number via a one-time verification code before receiving alerts
• Approximately 1 to 10 messages per day depending on your subscriptions and how often conditions change
• Message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier plan
• Reply STOP to any message to unsubscribe from all text alerts
• Reply HELP to any message for assistance
• You may also opt out through your subscription management page or Account page
• Your phone number will not be shared with or sold to third parties

SMS alerts are delivered via Twilio. Standard messaging rates may apply. We do not guarantee delivery of SMS messages, as delivery depends on your carrier and network conditions. See our SMS Text Alerts page for full program details.

9. User Accounts

Our Service offers optional user accounts through Google Sign-In. By creating an account, you agree:

• To provide accurate information and keep your account secure
• Not to share your account access with others
• That you are responsible for all activity on your account
• To notify us if you suspect unauthorized use of your account

9a. Account Features

User accounts provide the following features:

• Synced preferences (home harbor, theme) across devices
• Simplified submission process for catch photos and charter listings
• Management of your submissions from a centralized Account page
• Edit suggestions linked to your account for transparency

9b. Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your account at any time by contacting us. Upon account deletion:

• Your account data, preferences, and synced settings will be permanently deleted
• Approved public submissions (catch photos, charter listings) will remain visible but will no longer be linked to your account
• You may request removal of specific public submissions separately

10. User-Generated Content

Our Service allows users to submit content including catch photos, charter guide listings, and species data corrections and edit suggestions. By submitting content, you agree that:

• You own or have the right to share all content you submit
• You grant PNW Bar Info a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display, distribute, and promote your submitted content on our website and social media
• Your content may be shared on social media platforms (e.g., featured catch photos may be auto-posted to our Facebook page as Catch of the Week)
• You are solely responsible for the content you submit
• Your content does not infringe on any third party's intellectual property or privacy rights
• Your content does not contain illegal, defamatory, or inappropriate material

We retain the right to remove, edit, or refuse any user-submitted content at our sole discretion.

11. Content Moderation

To maintain a safe and welcoming community:

• All user submissions are subject to review before public display
• We employ automated filtering for profanity and inappropriate content
• Users may report content they find inappropriate or inaccurate
• We reserve the right to remove content that violates these Terms or our community standards
• Repeated violations may result in restriction of your ability to submit content

Content moderation decisions are made at our sole discretion and are final.

12. Content Reporting

Users may report content they believe is inappropriate, inaccurate, or violates these Terms:

• Photo reports: You may report catch photos that contain inappropriate content, spam, or inaccurate information
• Charter closure reports: You may report charter businesses that appear to have permanently closed
• Species data reports: You may report incorrect or outdated information about fish species
• Edit suggestions: You may propose specific changes to species or charter data. Accepted changes are logged in public change history for transparency

Report handling:

• All reports are reviewed by administrators and handled at our sole discretion
• We are not obligated to act on any report or provide reasons for our decisions
• There is no appeals process for content moderation decisions
• False or malicious reports may result in restriction of your ability to use reporting features

13. Voting and Engagement

Our Service includes voting features that allow users to show appreciation for community content. By using voting features, you agree:

• To vote honestly based on your genuine assessment of content quality
• Not to manipulate voting through automated systems, multiple accounts, or coordinated campaigns
• Not to solicit votes for your own content or offer compensation for votes
• That we may remove votes or disable voting privileges if we detect abuse

Vote counts are used for features like "Catch of the Week" and are displayed publicly. We reserve the right to modify or disable voting features at any time.

14. Business Listings and Closure Reports

Charter guide listings are provided as a community resource. Regarding business information:

• Business owners are responsible for the accuracy of their listing information
• We do not verify or endorse any charter business listed on our Service
• Users may report businesses as permanently closed; such reports are reviewed before action is taken
• We are not liable for inaccurate business information or for businesses that have closed
• Submitting false closure reports about active businesses may result in restriction of your reporting privileges
• Charter listings may include social media links (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok). We are not responsible for the content of linked third-party sites

15. Data Accuracy and Visualizations

Our Service displays data from official sources and user contributions. Regarding data accuracy:

• Bar conditions: Sourced from NOAA/National Weather Service. Data may be delayed, incomplete, or contain parsing errors
• Species information: Compiled from public sources and community-submitted corrections. Changes are tracked in public change history, but data may still contain errors or outdated information
• Charts and visualizations: Generated from parsed data and may not accurately represent all conditions
• Tide predictions: Based on NOAA data and astronomical calculations. Actual conditions may vary
• Solunar periods: Calculated from astronomical data as theoretical fishing activity predictions. Not a guarantee of fishing success and should not be the sole basis for trip planning

You are solely responsible for verifying any data through official sources before making decisions. We are not liable for errors in data parsing, display, or interpretation.

16. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

17. Modifications to Service

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service at any time without notice. We shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Service.

18. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Oregon, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

19. Affiliate Links and Commercial Relationships

PNW Bar Info participates in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

As an Amazon Associate, PNW Bar Info earns from qualifying purchases.

Regarding affiliate links and commercial content:

• Links to products or services may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them
• Affiliate links are labeled for transparency
• Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content or recommendations; inclusion of a product or service does not constitute an endorsement
• Clicking an affiliate link does not change the price you pay for any product or service
• Third-party affiliate programs (such as Amazon) have their own terms of service and privacy policies that govern your purchases

20. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us through the information provided on the main website.

See also our Privacy Policy for information about how we collect and use your data.