Independent Fishers days numbered

[Derby]

Independent fishers days numbered?
Vancouver, BC, Canada / (CKNW AM) AM980
Neetu Garcha
January 29, 2014 08:44 pm

A move that could see an end to independent fishermen in BC has members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union voicing their concerns. The union says the Department of Fisheries is in the process of meeting with commercial salmon fishers to discuss an Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQ) proposal. Present of the union, Kim Olsen says too many people will suffer if the proposal gets approved.
“ITQs will only raise the cost of fishermen to continue to fish, they will displace fishermen out of the industry, causing undue hardship on them and for the coastal communities that many fishermen live in.”
Olsen says under the ITQs, a fisherman’s catch is determined by wealth allowing only large corporate fleets to purchase licenses.

 

[Whole in the Water]

This is not good for anyone but wealthy, corporate interests. We need to support the commercial sector in fighting this. If not we will be having to buy quota from Jimmy Pattison, et al to go out and catch some salmon. DFO is trying to do to salmon what they have done to halibut - this cannot happen!!!

 

[Jencourt]

There is no way on earth this could be a surprise to anyone. Ever time the ITQ grabs more traction it takes a big bite out of the rec sectors ability to access the resourse. It is only a matter of time before the big boys in the business end of our sector find them selves facing the same decisions. Yes at that time the smaller businesses will get run over,and the non vested anglers will be left to wallow in what once was . Or we can pay the big guys to take us.

I for one have been trying to get it across to the masses that in this "Halibut situation" " allocation and TAC are the least of our worries and that it is not a halibut situation . Halibut just happens to be at the front end of this right now.

But who am I.

 

[Derby]

That is why " the Malcolm case" is so important and why Jimmy Patterson has joined in on the appeal...

 

[Jencourt]

That is why " the Malcolm case" is so important and why Jimmy Patterson has joined in on the appeal...

Agree Derby and that is why I have been looking at how I can squeeze a few drops out of an already dry sponge Ha Ha Ha.to make a small donation to bcwf for this cause.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Agree Derby and that is why I have been looking at how I can squeeze a few drops out of an already dry sponge Ha Ha Ha.to make a small donation to bcwf for this cause.

I completely agree we rec anglers need to provide whatever level of $ support we can afford to this important legal battle. Pay now, or suffer later!!!

 

[Purple Hazer]

Independent fishers days numbered?
Vancouver, BC, Canada / (CKNW AM) AM980
Neetu Garcha
January 29, 2014 08:44 pm

A move that could see an end to independent fishermen in BC has members of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union voicing their concerns. The union says the Department of Fisheries is in the process of meeting with commercial salmon fishers to discuss an Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQ) proposal. Present of the union, Kim Olsen says too many people will suffer if the proposal gets approved.
“ITQs will only raise the cost of fishermen to continue to fish, they will displace fishermen out of the industry, causing undue hardship on them and for the coastal communities that many fishermen live in.”
Olsen says under the ITQs, a fisherman’s catch is determined by wealth allowing only large corporate fleets to purchase licenses.

Good post and from what I understand was in the works once the halibut allocation was done. Only a matter of time.

 

[GLG]

And as reported this is going on right now with shellfish.
Attacks/Theft of our resources on every front.
It's the Tarper way.

 

[onefish]

The troll fleet in the Charlottes have had ITQ's for Chinook for quite some time. My guess is at least a decade. The troll fleet on the WCVI have already voted down the ITQ system at least once.
I think the gulf trollers have ITQ when they get sockeye opportunities usually in Johnstone straights.
I am not sure if there are any ITQ systems in place for net fisherman when it comes to fishing for salmon.

The best thing they ever did for the herring fishery was to come up with an ITQ system. Prior to the ITQ system there was chronic over fishing as the fisherman would always underestimate their catch. DFO would then allow the fishery to continue a bit longer thus the fleet would always end up with a much larger catch than DFO desired.
With ITQ if a fisherman goes over his ITQ the money goes to the crown so there is zero motivation to go over your allocated ITQ.

The ITQ system does have merit when it comes to keeping better control of the actual harvesting of the fish. The problem is when guys make money they either pay taxes or look for write offs. One of the easy write offs is to buy up more quota thus concentrating the quota in an ever smaller circle of big shots. I would call Jimmy P a big shot.

 

[Jencourt]

Pretty sure all this can be accomplished by the use of IVQ's, could it not. IVQ would keep ownership of the resource out of play,Thus keeping it in control of the crown. It would keep all boats on a much more even playing field and dose not promote the idea of buying up and leasing quota or gaining control of the TAC. Still have quota to take care of keeping the harvest within TAC. Just no ability to buy, sell or lease what dose not belong to them in the first place.

This is a win win in my books. probably not to those who would rather have the resources handed to them to control,price fix and reduce by many times how many people benefit by the harvest of said resource.

The ITQ version of the IVQ beyond better controlling catch (which the IVQ dose anyway.) historically has no benefit to the sustainability and conservation of the resource. In fact it dose the opposite and becomes a danger to the resource by funneling way to much of it to large single corporations that have big bucks,and big lobby power. I have not seen yet where this has resulted in the best decision making regarding management .

That is why it has to go!!!!!!!!

Thats how I see it anyway!

The troll fleet in the Charlottes have had ITQ's for Chinook for quite some time. My guess is at least a decade. The troll fleet on the WCVI have already voted down the ITQ system at least once.
I think the gulf trollers have ITQ when they get sockeye opportunities usually in Johnstone straights.
I am not sure if there are any ITQ systems in place for net fisherman when it comes to fishing for salmon.

The best thing they ever did for the herring fishery was to come up with an ITQ system. Prior to the ITQ system there was chronic over fishing as the fisherman would always underestimate their catch. DFO would then allow the fishery to continue a bit longer thus the fleet would always end up with a much larger catch than DFO desired.
With ITQ if a fisherman goes over his ITQ the money goes to the crown so there is zero motivation to go over your allocated ITQ.

The ITQ system does have merit when it comes to keeping better control of the actual harvesting of the fish. The problem is when guys make money they either pay taxes or look for write offs. One of the easy write offs is to buy up more quota thus concentrating the quota in an ever smaller circle of big shots. I would call Jimmy P a big shot.

 

[bigbruce]

I must have missed something - what is "IVQ"?

 

[Jencourt]

individual vessel quota.

 

[searun]

individual vessel quota.

And IS the way to go. That way ownership is retained by the crown. The Hali situation is just the tip of the iceberg. We already fish under an IQ system for salmon.

 

[onefish]

Without a licence the vessel is useless. My understanding is that quota is attached to the license not the vessel. Can you clarify the IVQ? Is IVQ actually being used in a fishery or is it your idea on how to fix the current system?

 

[fish4all]

Without a licence the vessel is useless. My understanding is that quota is attached to the license not the vessel. Can you clarify the IVQ? Is IVQ actually being used in a fishery or is it your idea on how to fix the current system?

Herring, halibut, groundfish, sablefish, area B pinks, area B sockeye, urchins, geoduck, probably missed a few are all ITQ. I dont know of any IQ fisheries.