Thanks FB, I appreciate the thread. As a new fisher and complete rookie last season, I'll share a few thoughts:
Our boat, which was on the water for probably upwards of 30+ days last season but targeted hali maybe 10 days, got 5 hali all season. 4 chickens and one 35lbs. We have 3 licences in the family, and at this point, I think we only have 2 or 3 of those fish on our licenses because we often had friends come out with us, and I always made them get a licence. That way, if we had a really good day for hali, we could each keep one, and well, it's good practice and proper, I suppose. So 2 or 3 fish went on others licences, and I didn't get anywhere near my number 6, nor did my wife or son. And we didn't even get our young daughter a licence this year.
I take a few things from that - first that I'd love an early season this year to see if we could get one or two more this Spring (Winter) before end March. We also got a few days in during October and November, although November was unsuccessful for us. So I'd love the longer season to keep on trying. Also, nice to have fresh fish at any time of year.
Second, I think a lot of folks are probably like us - we have more than one licence in the family, so our family number for total for the season is 18! And before anyone gets excited and questions whether my wife actually fishes, she love it as much or more than me and will go out alone with her girlfriends - I wasn't even there for one of those hali this year. Plus we take a number of others out with us, and my "fee" to my friends is usually boat gas and a fillet! Never seems to be a problem for them, they get a licence and some great fish, and we still managed to get fish in the freezer. Was it enough for a family of 4 (with two younger kids, who are a little picky but if cooked well, will eat hali)? We've been rationing the few fillets we had over the last months, sure would be nice to eat more frequently, but if we had even caught one licence worth for our freezer alone, we'd have plenty I figure.
Which brings me to a question - why 6? Models must have determined that would be the max number to get closest to the TAC, but for the average fisher, I wonder if that's even necessary? With family etc, I would think 5 may do. Especially with family/friends and their licences on board. Realize this may be controversial, but throw it out there thinking it may help on another end - longer season or slightly larger fish perhaps.
I too question the need for the daily limit vs overall annual, but as I'm fortunate to live so close to the fishing grounds, I'm not bothered by that. However, for those who visit only once or twice a year, I could see how a higher daily/possession number would be nice. The annual limit should take care of that. Although I imagine that higher possession would mean greater number of folks catching and keeping more fish, thus affecting other limits....
Finally, as to size - I don't have much interest in keeping the big girls (although perhaps I would love one day to have an incredible photo with a mammoth hali, I'd live with a pic of one beside the boat and the story to tell), and as someone else said, if it's good for the fishery, then let's lead by example. I agree that should be common to commercial and sporties though, otherwise our gesture is merely a token.
