Early Halibut Opening

[Tips Up]

No posts by anyone since "Whole in the Water " posted this one. I'll go since I've often posted something stupid so I have a question on the following post

From the post above. If it were a conservation issue we may be able to agree but this is an allocation issue.
Isn't the overall cuts in the quota (commercial and Rec) directly related to a conservation issue or in other words, the need to maintain a sustainable fishery? No doubt we can argue if the 15/85 split is fair or not but from what I've read online, according to the data that's used the spawning biomass is at a 40 year low. I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on the economic benefit of pound for pound with Commercial versus Recreational but my biggest fear is that with the known mismanagement of fisheries in the past by DFO we may not have a fishery at all in a few years if the biomass stays on this trend. Maybe I've misinterpreted what I've read on the matter.

IPHC Cuts Coastwide Commercial Halibut Catch By 18% – Fishermens News

fishermensnews.com

Thank you for correcting me. You are correct. The Total Allowable Catch is set to maintain a sustainable fishery.
This is hard to remember when I can pay to play and retain what ever I like.
IMO....For conservation this needs to be looked at and regulated by area like other fisheries. The fishing pressure and biomass I imagine varies from one area to another.

 

[Tips Up]

You guys are so off topic it is incredible. Commercial fisherman leasing their quotas has no effect on how much fish recreational anglers can catch.

Please explain your post?

Correct me if I'm wrong. My understanding is... If the allocation was correctly adjusted the Rec Sector would not be under these same size and season restrictions.
The Experimental Lease Program was and is the kiss of death. This was DFO’s way of adjusting the allocation but on your dime and to benefit those holding and not fishing quota. We should all be fighting to have this experiment ended. Then fish it or lose it. This would be benefit rec anglers to access the resource and younger commercial fishermen to make a decent living. Also supports the local businesses and economy.
Sadly with more restrictions there will be more people buying in making it a successful experiment and those with $$ will do their thing.

 

[Hardy Guy]

It's been said before : leasing is needed in the commercial ground fish fisheries for several reasons, and the fishery is better because of it. The issue right now us 15 percent of a low TAC does not cover Rec needs. It the TAC goes way up again then 15 percent may be way more than we need .... it's complicated and even more so with a lower halibut biomass.

 

[Cookie's Cutter]

So the issue is not with leasing quotas, because it doesnt matter who owns the quota or who leases it. It is the fact that the commercial allocation is too large and the rec/sporty allocation is too small.

 

[Capt_Ed]

Let me put this in terms that are little more relevant to the times . In the beginning Canada and the USA came to an agreement on trade issues and who should get what and how much, a negotiation if you will. Now Trumpy needs more so he starts whining and trying to change the deal.
In case you havent figured it out yet, if you think 85/15 should change........your Trumpy.

 

[Gong Show]

So the issue is not with leasing quotas, because it doesnt matter who owns the quota or who leases it. It is the fact that the commercial allocation is too large and the rec/sporty allocation is too small.

Yes, allocation of the resource.



Active commercial fishermen like owner operator. Commercial interests like leasing.



If only active commercial fishermen can have quota, it would free up TAC for recreational.



As long as quota is leasable, strong

interests will oppose TAC reallocation.



It's a pipe dream, but it would give active fishermen, commercial and recreational, more quota.

 

[Hardy Guy]

I agree Ed. As much as I want more rec halibut the fishery was started and fished almost exclusively by commercial fishermen for decades with very little catch by the rec fleet until recent times. When the quotas came in and the TAC was high the rec fleet had lots with their allocation .. now that the TAC has dropped . Not so much. What people forget is as the rec TAC drops so does the commercial TAC and their quotas. I want more rec opportunity but people need to remember the history. Commercial has taken a hit also. I can also feel for the salmon trollers .... we have all got shafted.

 

[Gong Show]

If Jimmy and DFO had their way, there would only be one vessel fishing the coast. Period.

 

[Gong Show]

Okay, no more PUI from me.

 

[Capt_Ed]

Yes, allocation of the resource.



Active commercial fishermen like owner operator. Commercial interests like leasing.



If only active commercial fishermen can have quota, it would free up TAC for recreational.



As long as quota is leasable, strong

interests will oppose TAC reallocation.



It's a pipe dream, but it would give active fishermen, commercial and recreational, more quota.

You do realize that the quota that get leased out is and always has been part of the original 88 and now 85 percent of Commercial quota. If leasing goes away it doesn’t mean that quota is up for grabs. Its still commercial quota

 

[ziggy]

So the issue is not with leasing quotas, because it doesnt matter who owns the quota or who leases it. It is the fact that the commercial allocation is too large and the rec/sporty allocation is too small.

That’s not my perspective mine is it’s 100% about who owns the quota. Not the Commercial fisher and not the public Fisher, corporations and former Commercial fisherman milking a cash cow. It would be beneficial monetarily for the commercial fisher and as well as maybe open opportunity for the public sector if this was changed. Why should people who don’t fish own and rent out public property! Where else does the government do this?

 

[Whole in the Water]

Yup that is why the unfair and illogical bias benefiting the commercial sector or the public fishery needs to end and change the allocation to at least 75/25. This would be much better for local economies as the public fishery generates at least 2-3 times more money per pound over the commercial sector. Just makes basic economic sense.

 

[ship happens]

Yep its like owning real estate

 

[Hardy Guy]

That’s not my perspective mine is it’s 100% about who owns the quota. Not the Commercial fisher and not the public Fisher, corporations and former Commercial fisherman milking a cash cow. It would be beneficial monetarily for the commercial fisher and as well as maybe open opportunity for the public sector if this was changed. Why should people who don’t fish own and rent out public property! Where else does the government do this?

Dairy quota, egg quota, TFL licenses, private forest land awarded decades ago, other species fisheries quotas ..... I'm sure there is more but you get the idea.

 

[ship happens]

Yup that is why the unfair and illogical bias benefiting the commercial sector or the public fishery needs to end and change the allocation to at least 75/25. This would be much better for local economies as the public fishery generates at least 2-3 times more money per pound over the commercial sector. Just makes basic economic sense.

The whole problem is the sport side doesn't record enough catch. That's the main and probly biggest problem with how to manage the TAC for the sport side. Fix that one and I'd say you fixed

The whole coast dropped to boot. That one can't be fixed as easy without conservation in place. Tough gig

 

[Gong Show]

You do realize that the quota that get leased out is and always has been part of the original 88 and now 85 percent of Commercial quota. If leasing goes away it doesn’t mean that quota is up for grabs. Its still commercial quota

I know, it's hard to express a complicated passion subject in a few sentences.
It would be a complete rationalization in my pipe dream.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Dairy quota, egg quota, TFL licenses, private forest land awarded decades ago, other species fisheries quotas ..... I'm sure there is more but you get the idea.

Yup and some quota systems work and some don’t. The halibut quota need to change to 80/20 allocation - more than a fair allocation with greater economic benefits for the BC economy which we are going to need more than ever now!

 

[ship happens]

Still have to record your catch in which a large number of sport does not. Irec is a joke. Need a better way. Tags might be the way. Don't know. Want to go kill a hali? Buy a tag. At least then it's recorded. Not all fishers want to catch hali.

 

[ziggy]

Dairy quota, egg quota, TFL licenses, private forest land awarded decades ago, other species fisheries quotas ..... I'm sure there is more but you get the idea.

really so when retire from farming you can lease the right to farm to the new Farmers? They raise and feed the chickens and pay you annually for the privilege? Pay you for the right to run a dairy herd? All of this at no cost to you and a constant income from cows and chickens you never owned. Seems pretty screwed up to me.

 

[Hardy Guy]

I didn't make the rules. I just answered the question. I also forgot : cunarard duck and napke syrup.