Gear'n'beer!
Well-Known Member
Guys, the first time we were faced with Hali closures, DFO was very clear that "No Season" was an option. The ol' "pout" technique of saying none of them are acceptable and come up with something else would result in exactly nothing. Just think about it for a minute.
No one does any more work then they have to. What would be easier to manage? Thousands of sport boats or a commercial fleet like the East Coast.
Fact is the coast has less then half of the halibut they traditionally work with. Fact is that over half of the halibut is caught by lodges/guides. It could become a commercial only species so fast your head would spin. I was at the fisheries meeting in 2008 I think ( Could be wrong on the year). Myself, reps from a few local tackle shops and a couple of guides were there. Our loca SFAB arranged the meeting at the last minute. We had 45 minutes. We pled our case.
The first thing that Fisheries Minister Gail Shea asked was would you guides like your own ITQ's?. That's right. ITQ's. She was prepared to divvy up another species on this coast among a select few 5 minutes into the meeting.
From a management standpoint, it is important that us recreational guys do everything we can to ensure a season, and throwing things back in DFO's face, IMHO is not the way to do it. Call ******** on the above statement if you want, I was there, Gord Martin of Foghorn Charters was there, Ward Bond of Island Outfitters was right there, it very well could have happened over coffee and a continental breakfast!
Can you imagine the shitstorm from that? Just gift the guides their own quota?? You guys wouldn't be able to go out in public much less look at yourselves in the mirror!