Cheers:
Very informative and lively discussion. First and foremost we have to protect the stock. In that I have been hearing universal support which one would expect from persons truly concerned about the future of halibut (or any) fishing opportunities. One would not want a repeat on the west coast what occurred on the east coast.
Having established that this proposed 'reduction' in halibut quotas is across the board (TAC) where all parties are suffering the same, with that I can live. We have a certain fishing pressure on the stock across BC waters involving commercial, native and sports persons is understandable. That the allocation has been arbitrarily placed at 86.7% commercial, 11.4% sports and 0.09 native, with an increase to the sports, from the commercial, to be arranged SINCE 2003 and that NOTHING HAS HAPPENED IN OVER 4 YEARS is NOT! Then, at the proverbial 'last moment', they run through the theatre yelling 'fire' and expect us to treat them seriously? This is totally unacceptable.
In a democratic society there must be respect for the law and, by extension, the persons placed in trust of that law. However, when the persons in charge (FOC) have shown such a total incapacity to manage even this simple type of activity, one must question their ability to manage 'ANY' in the interests of the people. This is a national resource, held in 'TRUST', for ALL persons in CANADA. Its management is too important to be allowed to be destroyed by incompetence. One only looks around to see what happened on the east coast to understand what 'might' occur and the consequences of such action.
I do not care about the price per pound of halibut. In fact one need only objectively look at the financial impact sport and commercial fishing has on the economy to determine that a sport caught fish has a vastly superior impact on the economy than does a commercial. I do care that every Canadian is afforded the opportunity, when conservation allows, to fish. This is a given right and, indeed, our heritage. As a nation we claim equality for all and champion the rights we possess. Can anyone imagine being told by a doctor that 87% of his patients must be male? Or rural? Yet we meekly accept that a national policy allows for such discrimination. Shame!
With this in mind I would argue that the halibut allocation should be immediately changed to 50% commercial, 50% sports and Native Food Fisheries to be deducted equally from both allocations. Anything less is simply unacceptable. And it should not take 4 years!
Let’s go fishing!
