I was looking through some old related posts from a year or so back and came across this one from the Governor which seems to me to be a particularly brilliant piece of analysis and rather poignant to this discussion. Hope you don’t mind me reposting your comments Gov. The federal government and DFO sold us out on halibut and it looks like they are working hard to give away the rest of the fisheries.
By Governor on 01-13-2010
“When a commercial considers what will happen to his personal financial interests if that particular species goes to a percentage share (ITQ), the thought process is most likely this:
1. I must prove that I have caught and still catch as much of the resource as possible so when shares are 'gifted' I get maximum share (greed - this has led to massive increases in landed catch of species like crab and prawns in the past decade).
2. I must keep the sport sector to the lowest possible percentage so it doesn't diminish my personal share. (money - the exact situation on halibut has occured - the original position from commercial halibut fishermen was the sport sector should NEVER be allowed to exceed 5% of Canada's TAC).
Greed and money motivate commercial interests.
God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation”