Early Halibut Opening

I'm not collecting names and I also don't know who is chairing the meeting.

I'm just a grandfathered SFAB voting member and try to attend meetings and support fisherman being able to continue fishing. I'm hoping to get invited to attend and then understand the issues and reasoning on and actions taken and also to provide my opinion.

Gordy at Foghorn Charters, Martin (SFAB) and myself were for having a meeting but who is going to take the lead and set things up? I'm going to the Esq Angler tomorrow morning and will consult with the guys on the club house availability and then advise the SFAB and see if they have names of others who would like to be involved.

I will definitely let you and other know the out come and how to get involved.

This would be a great opportunity to get some younger fisherman involved because it is their future. From what I see, 90%+ of all the people involved are over 60+ and all of the guys have lived through most of the issues. It would be a good opportunity for them to transfer the knowledge too.
 
Doug said:
I'm not collecting names and I also don't know who is chairing the meeting.

I'm just a grandfathered SFAB voting member and try to attend meetings and support fisherman being able to continue fishing. I'm hoping to get invited to attend and then understand the issues and reasoning on and actions taken and also to provide my opinion.

Gordy at Foghorn Charters, Martin (SFAB) and myself were for having a meeting but who is going to take the lead and set things up? I'm going to the Esq Angler tomorrow morning and will consult with the guys on the club house availability and then advise the SFAB and see if they have names of others who would like to be involved.

I will definitely let you and other know the out come and how to get involved.

This would be a great opportunity to get some younger fisherman involved because it is their future. From what I see, 90%+ of all the people involved are over 60+ and all of the guys have lived through most of the issues. It would be a good opportunity for them to transfer the knowledge too.
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I'm in that same demographic but I do have lots of experience in other worlds than SFAB. I'm a sometimes member of Esquimalt Anglers - say hi to Bruce B if you're there.
 
Eden Island said:
I'm assuming that only a small [negligible] fraction of fishers are catching between 5 and 10 halibut in a year. That would explain why lowering the annual limit wouldn't have much effect on TAC. It doesn't however explain why guys are too impatient to help others understand.

Please either confirm or explain.
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Thanks for your rely. I agree that there is probably only a small fraction of the overall fishers that take more than 6 fish but in a time when our TAC is being cut, our season is being shortened and the maximum size will probably be reduced, every bit or ever fish counts. The limit of 10 is obviously of benefit to someone, certainly not to the majority but to some, otherwise there would be no reluctance by some to reduce it back to 6. I'll repeat what I said before, if it makes zero difference then why have a yearly limit at all.
SG2.0 said:
A very very few catch over 3 halibut a year. Avg according to dfo is about 1 halibut per license who target halibut...less so overall. So could make license 20 halibut per year and would make no difference in catch poundage towards tac. Upper size limits needs to be higher.

Today did get motion passed for modelling of 70, 75, 80cm min size limit on halibut. Would see some nice savings from that, mainly affecting areas 1-4, which wouldn't affect the average angler either. Plus right now the majority of the stock composition is in that smaller size, and they aren't counted towards the actual biomass until they are of commercial size limit (82cm). So allowing those fish to grow into the biomass would drastically also increase the TAC we get every year. Win-win IMO.
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Thanks for your reply as well. I won't cover your first point on the yearly limits as I expressed my thoughts above.

With respect to the comment,"Upper size limits needs to be higher"? Not sure if you are suggesting this but others on here have suggested it. As one of the advisors already pointed out, higher size limits results is TAC being used up faster meaning shorter season. (Not my explanation but saw it in a previous post). Higher size limits would be to the benefit of some who like to target larger fish (a minority IMO) but certainly not in the best interest of many (the majority IMO) who mainly want as long a season as possible and the ability to go out and hook a fish or two even if they are mostly in the 12-20lb range. Remember that the average Rec Fisher do not have the knowledge to go out and specifically target large fish so having lower Max size limit benefits the majority are results in longer season. (Again IMO or maybe I'm just speaking for myself)

Agree with your comments on the min size limit modelling and can see the benefits. Will not be popular with some but hard to please everyone as many have already noted.

Again, thanks to those whose responded to my question. I really do appreciate it and I hope that no one found any of my comments disrespectful as that is certainly not my intent. We can agree to disagree but still be respectful.
 
I think having a min size limit instead of a maximum size limit is the way to go. This would only work if the tac for recreation was measured in numbers of fish instead of lbs. I think it’s a silly waste to keep a juvenile halibut of say 10lbs or so. That’s why a person would need 10.

Let the fish grow, reproduce and then keep fewer larger ones. If it makes sense to leave some really big females around breeding, then have a high maximum, like 150lbs.

Some will find it hard to catch legal halibut at first, but as we let the young ones grow, the populations of larger ones will increase. This is what we do with most other species. It’s also easier releasing a small halibut successfully, and it would bring back the excitement of catching a big one instead of targeting the immature ones which is what this fishery is becoming.
 
We will be releasing a lot of halis this year looking for our 101's. Don't think we will bother anchoring this year as a majority of fish will be overs. Troll em up.
 
submerged said:
I think having a min size limit instead of a maximum size limit is the way to go. This would only work if the tac for recreation was measured in numbers of fish instead of lbs. I think it’s a silly waste to keep a juvenile halibut of say 10lbs or so. That’s why a person would need 10.

Let the fish grow, reproduce and then keep fewer larger ones. If it makes sense to leave some really big females around breeding, then have a high maximum, like 150lbs.

Some will find it hard to catch legal halibut at first, but as we let the young ones grow, the populations of larger ones will increase. This is what we do with most other species. It’s also easier releasing a small halibut successfully, and it would bring back the excitement of catching a big one instead of targeting the immature ones which is what this fishery is becoming.
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It's a good thought to let the big producing females go but the commercial guys are more than happy to kill all the big ones we are trying to save
 
After discussions with others who attended the meeting, and with having this year’s halibut fishery cared in stone and there is nothing that can be done to change it. We find we need to get our ducks in a row and do some investigations and get the facts before having a meeting.

After experiencing this year’s halibut fishery everyone will have a better understand of how the new regulations have affected them.

There will be a halibut fishery meeting in the fall, and we are hoping to have as many fishermen as possible, SFAB members and other effected attend the meeting. We need to voice our concerns to the ground fish working groups and then they will forward it to DFO. We all need to work together.

If anyone wants an earlier meeting, please step up and take the lead.
 
SG2.0 said:
I hope I’m wrong but think this reg will not optimize our TAC this year. 😡
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Could be a lack of Southern Guests as well. Not sure how this will play out.
 
Old Blue said:
I think it sucks for the whole Island in general. It barely even effects the lodges up in the Gwai as they really don't get too many bigger fish except by chance salmon fishing.
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thIMG_20161031_210434.jpg
thats not really the case in the Charlottes. Notice my chef ,on the left caught his on a mooching rod. mine took about 15 minutes , his was a hour and a half
 
For most people who have to run a fair distance to get to their halibut spots it will be difficult to justify the expenses to catch and bring home a fish that would be cheaper to buy in the store. You can't even justify it buy telling yourself at least a 102cm fish will give me a big battle and be fun to catch. Long time loyal southcoast charter clients will be out for the same reason...are they going to pay a guide $700-$1000 plus ferries, lodgings to go bring home a 20-25 pound halibut...and with not good odds you can find those to keep? Not a chance.
 
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