Early Halibut Opening

[wildmanyeah]

the average guy retaining a halibut is probably going out with a guide once or twice a year retaining less then 4.

Then there is probably the guys making a trip once or twice a year to the island or even less going north with their own boat. So it would be the same for them 4 or less.

Thee guys that own a boat and get out multiple times a year and lot live close enough to a halibut hole and retain more then 4 a year is such a small minority imo

You can also look at the where the majority of the Tac is being taken and a lot of it is in areas with lodges.

So it’s really not hard to deduce and I believe the irec numbers and log book numbers backed that up.

Also guided success is magnitudes higher then non guided.

 

[Derby]

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 of explain.

Perhaps joining your local sfac and asking the chair to explain would help out.Something are better explained in person as it can be harder to try to explain in this forum of communication. Believe or not .

 

[Rain City]

the average guy retaining a halibut is probably going out with a guide once or twice a year retaining less then 4.

Then there is probably the guys making a trip once or twice a year to the island or even less going north with their own boat. So it would be the same for them 4 or less.

Thee guys that own a boat and get out multiple times a year and lot live close enough to a halibut hole and retain more then 4 a year is such a small minority imo

You can also look at the where the majority of the Tac is being taken and a lot of it is in areas with lodges.

So it’s really not hard to deduce and I believe the irec numbers and log book numbers backed that up.

Also guided success is magnitudes higher then non guided.

You also have to factor in all of the "guide-gifted" catch to all of the VIP guests . I'll get my popcorn ready...

 

[wildmanyeah]

I hate to break it to you guys but the average salt water angler may not even own fishing rod. . .

 

[Rain City]

I hate to break it to you guys but the average salt water angler may not even own fishing rod. . .

3 of the 4 in my family don't own any

 

[Poppa Reelie]

Keep the max size higher and reduce limit. How many big halibut are going to be released with hooks swallowed deep into the throat. These catch and release slots suck for salmon and halibut. If someone wants a 4 pound Chinook for the table let them keep that too, tack it to the license. These slots are doing more damage IMO. I know some friends who can fish freely if I ever get desperate, but havent had problems finding them myself. Seems the biomass was great the past years unless some are under reporting.

 

[SG2.0]

I’m glad someone got it but would be happier if someone could explain it. I’m not the smartest tac in the box so it takes me longer to get it. If some folks are catching 10 how are they not adding more to the totals than those who are catching 6 or less??? As I said I’m not the sharpest tac.

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.

 

[wolf]

Perhaps joining your local sfac and asking the chair to explain would help out.Something are better explained in person as it can be harder to try to explain in this forum of communication. Believe or not .

YES I agree with ya theere, not worth trying to explain it...

 

[eroyd]

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.

Yet the season is cut short because the TAC has been met. Enough are catching at least "their" ten. Logically this is shortening the recreation season for the rest of us that would like to enjoy sport fishing all year. even if it is for just one halibut.

I reality, regulations, limits, mean little without enforcement and honesty. Spot checks, creel surveys, fly overs etc. can only make calculations of sports a best guess.

 

[Tips Up]

Lots of great ideas and conversation here but in my opinion we are getting away from the real problem. The 85/15 Allocation. We need this adjusted. This is not a conservation issue this is an allocation issue.

 

[Doug]

At the Weds, SFAB meeting in Victoria. There was a discussion about forming a halibut working group of about 20 fishermen (rec, guides and SFAB) to discuss options on how to deal with area 19/20 halibut fishery.

The proposal to get a working group together would go a long way to understand the underlying issues and disseminate the reasoning on actions taken. It will also provide more information so a motion can be proposed at the next SFAB meeting.

Now the question is who will be invited and who wants to be on the working group. We all want an increase in TAC of 20% but who is going to over see the battle. After reading what the last guys went through in getting a 3% increase it might be hard to get someone to step up.

 

[Eden Island]

At the Weds, SFAB meeting in Victoria. There was a discussion about forming a halibut working group of about 20 fishermen (rec, guides and SFAB) to discuss options on how to deal with area 19/20 halibut fishery.

The proposal to get a working group together would go a long way to understand the underlying issues and disseminate the reasoning on actions taken. It will also provide more information so a motion can be proposed at the next SFAB meeting.

Now the question is who will be invited and who wants to be on the working group. We all want an increase in TAC of 20% but who is going to over see the battle. After reading what the last guys went through in getting a 3% increase it might be hard to get someone to step up.

Doug, are you or someone else collecting names? I am mostly an Area 12 fisher, but I live in Victoria and fish in 19 and 20.

 

[Doug]

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.

 

[Eden Island]

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.

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.

 

[Newf]

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

[submerged]

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.

 

[Samnjoe]

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.

 

[BearCove]

Lots of great ideas and conversation here but in my opinion we are getting away from the real problem. The 85/15 Allocation. We need this adjusted. This is not a conservation issue this is an allocation issue.

Absolutely correct!

 

[Admin]

I just cleaned up this thread again, regarding the tariff and Canada vs US conversation. As always, we are not going to have political debates in this forum.

 

[Samnjoe]

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.

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