Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
Editor:
Everyone loves a good fish story, but the recent letter about federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea and the Pacific halibut fisheries is far-fetched (‘Shea’s announcement very disappointing’, The Guardian, Feb 28, 2011).
The long-standing Pacific halibut allocation policy provides commercial sector 88 per cent and recreational sector 12 per cent shares of total allowable catch, after First Nations constitutional fishing rights have been met. Since 2003, four federal fisheries ministers have examined the facts and upheld the allocation policy, which was the result of extensive stakeholder consultations and included an independent allocation adviser.
Commercial halibut fishermen have been developing the resource for more than 100 years, and have achieved the globally-recognized Marine Stewardship Council certification.
Pacific halibut are in a cyclical period of low abundance and the combined commercial and recreational allowable harvest limit in British Columbia has been significantly reduced – from 13.24 million pounds in 2006 to 7.65 million pounds in 2011. Commercial fishermen understand that low abundance means lower harvests.
The commercial fishery is made up of hardworking people who supply food to hundreds of thousands of Canadians who enjoy eating commercially-caught halibut in restaurants or at home. Lobbying Minister Shea to arbitrarily re-allocate halibut from this group of Canadians to benefit fishing lodge and charter vessel businesses who account for 60 to 70 per cent of the recreationally-caught halibut undermines defensible policy and process.
Experience has shown us on both the east and west coasts that fishery management decisions based on lobbying efforts do not serve the resource, stakeholders, or the citizens of Canada well. In her recent statement, Minister Shea has made it clear that conservation is paramount; the fish come first and everyone must bear the costs of conservation. And that approach is fair and equitable.
And by the way, contrary to Mr. Well’s statement, commercial licence holders are identified on DFO’s website.
Chris Sporer,
executive manager,
Pacific Halibut Management Association,
Vancouver, B.C.
Everyone loves a good fish story, but the recent letter about federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea and the Pacific halibut fisheries is far-fetched (‘Shea’s announcement very disappointing’, The Guardian, Feb 28, 2011).
The long-standing Pacific halibut allocation policy provides commercial sector 88 per cent and recreational sector 12 per cent shares of total allowable catch, after First Nations constitutional fishing rights have been met. Since 2003, four federal fisheries ministers have examined the facts and upheld the allocation policy, which was the result of extensive stakeholder consultations and included an independent allocation adviser.
Commercial halibut fishermen have been developing the resource for more than 100 years, and have achieved the globally-recognized Marine Stewardship Council certification.
Pacific halibut are in a cyclical period of low abundance and the combined commercial and recreational allowable harvest limit in British Columbia has been significantly reduced – from 13.24 million pounds in 2006 to 7.65 million pounds in 2011. Commercial fishermen understand that low abundance means lower harvests.
The commercial fishery is made up of hardworking people who supply food to hundreds of thousands of Canadians who enjoy eating commercially-caught halibut in restaurants or at home. Lobbying Minister Shea to arbitrarily re-allocate halibut from this group of Canadians to benefit fishing lodge and charter vessel businesses who account for 60 to 70 per cent of the recreationally-caught halibut undermines defensible policy and process.
Experience has shown us on both the east and west coasts that fishery management decisions based on lobbying efforts do not serve the resource, stakeholders, or the citizens of Canada well. In her recent statement, Minister Shea has made it clear that conservation is paramount; the fish come first and everyone must bear the costs of conservation. And that approach is fair and equitable.
And by the way, contrary to Mr. Well’s statement, commercial licence holders are identified on DFO’s website.
Chris Sporer,
executive manager,
Pacific Halibut Management Association,
Vancouver, B.C.
. Since all we ever seem to get back for a result is acknowledgement letters saying thank-you and we will pass this on to someone that might pass this on to someone that might actually read it. They never seem to answer any direct questions. But hey we can't give up, sooner or later someone is going to start to listen and get on board to enact change.
