DFO 2020 Halibut Fishery Announcement & Regs

[sly_karma]

The "experimental" lease/quota buy back program for the recreational sector is a dangerous slippery slope that pits the rec sector against each other. At its core is the serious concern of commercializing the public/citizens right to catch halibut which is ultimately a common public resource that belongs to all Canadian citizens and FN's. It is only "managed" by the Crown via DFO for Canadian citizens and FN's "benefit".

Unfortunately the DFO and their political masters are increasingly commercializing our common property resources (don't believe it - try going rec. fishing on the east coast!) and it will take a supreme court case to hopefully re-establish/reaffirm these hard fought for rights that go all the way back to the Magna Carta. I do NOT use or support the use of the experimental lease buy back program - and strongly encourage all other public anglers to do the same!

This lease/quota buy back program is a ploy by DFO to move us to a model that ultimately could lead to the public having to pay a fee for any fish they catch as is belongs to some other group or corporate entity. That is total BS and must be fought hard against. It is a very dangerous slippery slope that will seriously screw the public fishery in the end!

We need to stick together in the rec./public fishery and not participate (both as individual anglers and as businesses) in this flawed lease buy back program so it can fail and fast! The real and lasting solution is not to pay for a resource we ALL already own, but to push to have a larger science based TAC for the rec. sector that has been given priority access for social and economic benefits that the public fishery brings. Then the rec. sector can much better support a healthy local businesses and coastal economies. Time to work together as a sector to truly improve this flawed halibut allocation process.

Here is an excerpt from a BCWF letter from Oct. 10, 2017 on the the topic

Here is a link to the whole letter:
https://www.sportfishingbc.com/foru...creational-halibut-fishery.67605/#post-850187

There are many more similar posts like this on this and other forums - just need to do a search to find them.

Food for thought. Thanks for the info.

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

Food for thought. Thanks for the info.

You seem like a pretty thoughtful guy......did you really not understand how this works and what Canadians rights are about this resource? I’m not trying to be a **** disturber but xrq is a pretty bad thing for all Canadians

 

[SerengetiGuide]

You seem like a pretty thoughtful guy......did you really not understand how this works and what Canadians rights are about this resource? I’m not trying to be a **** disturber but xrq is a pretty bad thing for all Canadians

Fair. But to think it’s going anywhere is naive ! Regardless of who uses it. Remember first year Or two it was like 0 almost still kept coming back

 

[wildmanyeah]

If they trash the XRQ system do you think its gonna be replaced with anything or change anything it will just be gone. There are far greater things to worry about in the recreationally fishing community and the sheep's wool that's firmly planted over peoples faces. The lip service that's being done and the average guy is being left far behind but don't tell him because he wont want to hear it.

I actually think there is a pretty solid chance the program will be cut but removing it is not going to change a dang thing.

 

[sly_karma]

You seem like a pretty thoughtful guy......did you really not understand how this works and what Canadians rights are about this resource? I’m not trying to be a **** disturber but xrq is a pretty bad thing for all Canadians

I didn't know the program existed until it was mentioned to us by the charter operator a couple years back. Hours later we are pulling in oversized fish and now know we have the option to keep them. We are Interior-based working guys that take this one annual trip to fill the freezers since most of us don't have any other access to saltwater fishing. The group decided to pay the money and take the fish. Thanks to the posts here and other recent reading, I now understand the concerns around the program.

 

[profisher]

I don't get it...you sign up for quota...catch a 100 pound fish..pay $6.00 a pound for it plus the cost of our trip to get there and back? Really? Seems to me to be cheaper to just pay Jimmy directly at Save On a few times a year. Whole in the Water is right...if this program were successful more species would be added to the program....and Jimmy would love it.

 

[ziggy]

The question that needs to be asked is if the commercial fishermen have quota they can’t or won’t fish, then maybe they have more than they can use?

 

[sly_karma]

I don't get it...you sign up for quota...catch a 100 pound fish..pay $6.00 a pound for it plus the cost of our trip to get there and back? Really? Seems to me to be cheaper to just pay Jimmy directly at Save On a few times a year. Whole in the Water is right...if this program were successful more species would be added to the program....and Jimmy would love it.

Picture it from this end: group has traveled 14 hours for their once a year ocean fishing charter that they've saved for and looked forward to all year. In past years they've had the frustration of having to release large fish, but this time they can keep a beauty fish for only $6 a pound for premium quality fish. Once a year chance to put primo protein in the freezer. You've come this far and there's no other shot at it for another year.

 

[Reel Gone]

So your turning this into as pay as you go fishery, what happened to conservation? If stocks are Low enough that Fisheries has put as size restriction on the breading stock how can you support that it’s ok to keep them if you just buck up?

 

[SerengetiGuide]

So your turning this into as pay as you go fishery, what happened to conservation? If stocks are Low enough that Fisheries has put as size restriction on the breading stock how can you support that it’s ok to keep them if you just buck up?

been over this many times. Size restriction is not due to conservation. It’s due to public fishery only getting 15% of the pie.

 

[sly_karma]

Anyway I believe I understand the issues now: we are effectively buying back share of catch that the sport fishery probably should have had all along.

 

[terrin]

been over this many times. Size restriction is not due to conservation. It’s due to public fishery only getting 15% of the pie.

Don’t forget retention as well. You need to burn all that fuel to get one fish off the bank then turn around and go home even if home is many 100’s of km away before you can come back and get another one. Makes the annual retention limit an unrealistic target for many all by design.

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Don’t forget retention as well. You need to burn all that fuel to get one fish off the bank then turn around and go home even if home is many 100’s of km away before you can come back and get another one. Makes the annual retention limit an unrealistic target for many all by design.

Totally. Why I like the Hybrid option of 1/1 any size or two under 112cm as gives everyone options...some people in BC travel a long ways to go fishing and with border closed it will be all Canadians fishing too Give our own the best options

 

[searun]

Maybe we should just open it up to the IPHC regs, 2 fish any size, 3 possession until we fish the TAC and close. It would encourage people to come early and leave the July - August fishery for salmon fishing. Nothing for DFO to manage, and the SFAB guys can take the summer off. Bliss.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Good idea for this year, it’s also a real possibility that non essential travel rules get pushed well into the spring

 

[SpringVelocity]

Close it down early July south anglers will come up with pitchforks.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I have no doubt that Thoes on the halibut Committee will try their best to get the best available regs that will allow a full season.

that’s what they do every year and this year will be no different.

 

[Sea lyin’]

Trying to find info on what countries are members of the IPHC? All I can find for a member list so far is Canada and the USA. And the numbers of talking heads are stacked in the States favour. Anybody know if this Is correct?

 

[searun]

Trying to find info on what countries are members of the IPHC? All I can find for a member list so far is Canada and the USA. And the numbers of talking heads are stacked in the States favour. Anybody know if this Is correct?

US and Canada are only (country) signatories. California to AK. Each fishing jurisdiction has representation and pays into IPHC.

 

[searun]

Or the other option is start the season with a regulation choice we already have modelling experience with, and if Covid impacts effort and catch as it did last year, ramp up to the IPHC regulations in August after we know more about our catch numbers. 2 per day; 3 possession....til we are done.