2015 Halibut Regulations

[drmadcow]

Personally as a BC resident I'd love to see the same size limit until the end of September, at which time we'd be allowed to catch larger fish. That way locals will benefit, and the guides in the areas with larger fish aren't hogging the TAC during the peak months.

 

[SerengetiGuide]

There's 400 fish caught after September. To keep it till then is pretty useless. By that I mean the change in size. Not the season being open

 

[Dave S]

There's 400 fish caught after September. To keep it till then is pretty useless

Your just one guy with one opinion/objective. Give it a rest already. Chirping on here won't change things. Get involved in the process if you want to push your agenda.

 

[GLG]

No offence meant, but I disagree. Most anything can be changed if people put their minds, money and will to it. History is full of examples. I realize that there are those that feel the experimental quota can't/want change but my post is to hear ideas from those that think it can and must. So let's hear some...

First round of public consultation was a couple years ago. We put out the word out on this website to have as many anglers attend and let DFO know what we thought. Sadly it was not that well attended but the folks that did attend left no doubt what we thought. Next round of public consultation, when the draft regulation is ready, should be soon. That's the last I heard. You can find info here on what happened in 2012.
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/consultation/ground-fond/hab-ccf/docs/min-pv/2012-04-16-05-01-eng.htm

When the next round comes it should be posted here.
http://www.canada.ca/consultingcanadians/currentconsultationsbydepartment

I suspect we will get the word posted on this website and with a little luck maybe we will get a good turnout of comments. At leased I can only hope....

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Your just one guy with one opinion/objective. Give it a rest already. Chirping on here won't change things. Get involved in the process if you want to push your agenda.

400 fish according to dfo. Not an opinion. And i am involved. Thats such a cop out.

 

[dougthefisher]

There's 400 fish caught after September. To keep it till then is pretty useless

Unless you are someone who is catching one of those 400.

 

[ziggy]

Nothing to say that as a longer season becomes the norm the estimate of 400 mentioned, may not increase significantly. It takes a little time for people to adjust their habits, so it would be prudent to have more than a single years data to base a decision on. At any rate, think what you will, but if the choice is to haul as many fish out of the water as possible just to get our share, or leave some in the water for the future, I'm for the latter. The science is far from exact and I'd rather risk being under than over!

 

[wolf]

Been watching this for a while and I have to chime in here as been intrigued by some on here who well just dont get it .... limit is only 6 per year ...... lets be real for once if you cant get your fish during prime time march to end of august then an extended season is going to help you .... no one complains about how there are seasons for certain other species ie prawns,lingcod,rockcod,coho,sockeye,spring etc id personally rather have any size open for 8 months of the year again your ONLY allowed 6 fish ....with this limit in place which I believe is working we have gone under TAC for 3 years and last year they bumped it up to 2 per day in the fall....so why not increase the upper size???to any size??? not rocket science here...

I have other ideas but ill let the slagging sling like it always does here.....

wolf

 

[dougthefisher]

Maybe some people do not get to fish 100 days a year.maybe they only get to fish in september. Not everyone has the same oportunities to get out. Maybe its only 6 fish but if you do not get to target them till late in the year you should still have the chance to do so.

 

[sawbill]

Just make it any size please. We can only retain 6 stinkin fish

 

[dougthefisher]

Just make it any size please. We can only retain 6 stinkin fish

how many STINKIN fish can you eat in a year? Im thinkin not 6 30lbers

 

[high tide]

For the amount of money many of us tourists spend getting to and from and staying on the WCVI I personally would like to see the 2 per day - 3 Pos. Limit return year round. Keep it at 6 per year, 1 over up to the 133cm, every thing else under . But the BIG cash we spend just to get there, all other costs involved then only allow the 1 per day ....... well it sucks.
Given sea and weather conditions, the visitor or tourist might only get out once per year.

Just my opinion.

 

[Confused]

Just a perspective from someone that doesnt live on the coast. It is more importanrt for me to have the size on that second fish raised than raising the size limit on the larger slot size. As one that just visits the coast a couple times a year, I would rather take home a couple bigger fish(i.e two 30 pounders) than a little one and try and get catch a bigger one. I fully realise that for those that live on the coast that the posession limit and that smaller slot size are not that important, but for those of us that dont get out there that often, it is important.

That being said, I fully realise that there are many perspectives, interests, that have to be considered. And i dont envy those that are tasked to make these decisions. It is always difficult to keep everyone happy, especially in fisheries management.

 

[vic-tory]

Hopefully one day high tide, need 20% of TAC to go to 1/2 both any size assuming 7.038mill total TAC. Need about 1.2mill rec tac for 1/2 with one any size. Maybe a change in government next year and fisheries minister will make give it a little more hope.

I think some people are missing the point that this year we don't have to trade off an increase in max size and a full season. If a larger upper size to 80 is done, you'll still get a full season.

 

[fogged in]

For the amount of money many of us tourists spend getting to and from and staying on the WCVI I personally would like to see the 2 per day - 3 Pos. Limit return year round. Keep it at 6 per year, 1 over the 133cm, every thing else under . But the BIG cash we spend just to get there, all other costs involved then only allow the 1 per day ....... well it sucks.
Given sea and weather conditions, the visitor or tourist might only get out once per year.

Just my opinion.

No offence intended "high tide"
But the money you spend as a visitor getting to Vancouver Island to hire a guide and fish for your possession limit of 2 halibut and 4 springs plus your coho, pinks or maybe sockeye is a DROP IN THE BUCKET compared to us locals who have 20 to 80,000 bucks and more in some cases tied up in a boat that depreciates every year, PLUS the cost of moorage and or a vehicle to pull the rig, ramp fees, maintenance, gas and equipment....that's big bucks.
You should be thrilled to come to our waters, hire a guide for a couple of days and enjoy the experience within the rules that hopefully will ensure the fishery exists for our children!
Have you ever pulled in a halibut of 100 or more pounds...hardly a sporting event....Strictly about bragging rights in my opinion

 

[Jencourt]

Understanding and supporting the fact that we must stay within our TAC.

I would still say A reg that will allow us to enjoy a more relaxed and hassle free fishing experience,even if only for a small portion of the season. So yes that means some form of a no size limit shoulder option. In my opinion this does a much better job of providing the most options to all anglers than bumping the size by a couple cm will ever do. Maybe at this time it has to be at one end of the season only, maybe not?? Even a few short months will at least provide anglers a choice in how they shape their Halibut fishing experience.

For the record. My continued support of this option has NOTHING to do with wanting to kill a giant. It has only to with wanting to see a season that provides at the least the above mentioned.

Personally I am all but certain that I would release a monster if I got one anyway. It would however, be nice , even if only for a small part of the season,to have the ability to make that choice. A couple months to go fishing with the knowlage that wen I pick my spot, bait my hook and lower it to the bottom, I will do so with all the excitement and anticipation that got me hooked on fishing Halibut in the first place. Fishing under the slot has me now doing all of this still,( less often though) but with the thought "I hope I don't catch one I have to measure" Or "please don't let our only fish be a few cm too big AGAIN" in the foreground of my mind instead.

PS: 15% is not enough Sure hope I stop hearing so many of you uttering the words " It's not going to happen so get used to it". Acceptance is as good as promotion as far as I am concerned.

 

[uclueletcharters]

dougthefisher, my thoughts exactly how many fish can one angler eat in a year, 6 hali, 30 chinook, unlimited other salmon species, cod, lings, shellfish etc that's a huge amount of fish. I know for one I couldn't eat seafood everyday and don't. You add the kids in and wife and I guarantee families are or would be throwing out fish at the end of each year or giving it away. I don't even fill all my slots and still give fish away to family and friends, I say take care of the fishery and only take what you know you can eat in a year and the resource will stay healthy for future generations. It bugs me big time to take a life and not use all the meat it provides so I usually short myself lol. Many years ago I kept to many fish with in limits and ended up throwing fish away as it was freezer burnt definitely felt wrong and not responsible never happened again.

 

[high tide]

No offence intended "high tide"
But the money you spend as a visitor getting to Vancouver Island to hire a guide and fish for your possession limit of 2 halibut and 4 springs plus your coho, pinks or maybe sockeye is a DROP IN THE BUCKET compared to us locals who have 20 to 80,000 bucks and more in some cases tied up in a boat that depreciates every year, PLUS the cost of moorage and or a vehicle to pull the rig, ramp fees, maintenance, gas and equipment....that's big bucks.
You should be thrilled to come to our waters, hire a guide for a couple of days and enjoy the experience within the rules that hopefully will ensure the fishery exists for our children!
Have you ever pulled in a halibut of 100 or more pounds...hardly a sporting event....Strictly about bragging rights in my opinion

Wow ... where did that come from ...... Matter A fact I don't hire guides, I run my own vessel .... spent mega cash over the years supporting your local ramps, camp grounds hotels and bars, gas docks etc etc, BC ferries to get there and I get slammed for wanting to take 2 per day 3 possession ... as it used to be .... and should be ... and was made last fall. Get off your high horse . On these costly trips you might only get one shot at off shore over the four days spent there .... So are you implying I'm trying to rape your fishing grounds ? .... so do ya think I'm supporting your local and Island Business .... ? DUH ... and No I do not believe in killing the 100 pounders you speak of what the ...... man ?

U must be a greedy local pig

 

[uclueletcharters]

Wow harsh words, I've been there on the forum it's not worth the battle of words and name calling on a public forum it goes no where. Many times words are twisted or mis interpreted. Were all entitled to opinions right or wrong and no one can say the perfect thing as you get hung from either end lol! Can't win. So long as the fishery is effectively managed there's no problems but the last thing one wants is the fishing grounds in their backyard cleaned out. We all know what happens when an area gets fished out the locals are left with nothing and the out of towners find new fruitful fishing grounds it's just the way it goes, it's human nature I guess. Sad but the true reality.

 

[bigdogeh]

some pretty good comments and thoughts here. it's good that people are talking about this. myself, I think maybe an off season opening of 1 large (as well as 2 possession)... (or maybe a 100# limit on the large or something to that effect) for 1 or 2 months sometime in the off season might be a good change. at least they wouldn't get hammered when there are the max amount of anglers targetting them through the summer months. may also bring in a few more clients for the local guides in the off season when there business is really slow if they are still working, and still not really have a detrimental effect on the breed stock since not many would still be targetting them but at least there would be an opportunity and not just an opportunity for those with the deepest pockets and quota. and lets get rid of the ********! quota "pay for what's already yours and mine (ours)" system on halis also. the restaurants, pubs, tackle shops, gas stations etc, would also have a small benefit during the off (shoulder) season. just my thoughts. i'm ok with the size limits right now. (maybe increase the large to 80...) but i'm not ok with someone with a large pocketbook and most likely not even a resident of canada pulling 1 or 2 150# slabs into the boat beside me and bonking them because he bought quota from some slipper skipper that our government sold out to.... the playing field needs to be fair and ethical.