Sushihunter
Active Member
http://www2.canada.com/westerly/news/upfront/story.html?id=041887c7-42d2-4a66-8434-cd9ffd7911b3
Sport fishery fears halibut catch reduction
Westerly News
Published: Thursday, January 20, 2011
Dear Editor,
Here we go again. Looks like the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is planning to shut down halibut fishing in July for sport fishermen.
Several years ago sport fishermen were cut back by DFO by one halibut or 30 per cent of our allowable possession limit at the time. That year the commercial fishery under-fished their quota by as much as the entire sport fishing quota. Simply put -- that is double our allotment of fish left in the ocean.
My message is simple.
Our entire economy can suffer from further cutbacks in this area. People will think twice about buying boats, fuel, and tackle, affecting most small business owners in our area and throughout the province.
Then the tourist-dependent businesses will suffer due to less people coming to our towns to fish. Not to mention the hotels, motels B&Bs, gas stations, and restaurants etc. will also suffer.
Commercial caught halibut generates about $4 per pound for the commercial license holders versus sport fished halibut generating $16.50 per pound, most of which is put back into our community.
There are 436 commercial halibut license holders. There are well over 1,000 (sic) sport fishing license owners.
DFO gives the commercial fishermen 88 per cent of the halibut and the other 12 per cent goes to the sport fishermen.
This formula and the entire agreement is not working properly for either party.
The sport fishermen are going to continue to be cut back if this rule is not changed.
If you want to help your economy write to MP James Lunney and Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in Ottawa and state your concerns.
We have very good information there is no shortage of this resource, only greedy commercial license holders wanting to cut us back again -- most of whom live in countries other than Canada.
For further information go to www.sfibc.com/ which is the Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia's website.
Request our previous limits to return as they were three years ago (a three halibut possession limit and a two per day allowable catch).
The fish are still abundant and there for us.
Act now.
Paul Grimston, Castaway Charters, Port Alberni
© Westerly News 2011
Sport fishery fears halibut catch reduction
Westerly News
Published: Thursday, January 20, 2011
Dear Editor,
Here we go again. Looks like the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is planning to shut down halibut fishing in July for sport fishermen.
Several years ago sport fishermen were cut back by DFO by one halibut or 30 per cent of our allowable possession limit at the time. That year the commercial fishery under-fished their quota by as much as the entire sport fishing quota. Simply put -- that is double our allotment of fish left in the ocean.
My message is simple.
Our entire economy can suffer from further cutbacks in this area. People will think twice about buying boats, fuel, and tackle, affecting most small business owners in our area and throughout the province.
Then the tourist-dependent businesses will suffer due to less people coming to our towns to fish. Not to mention the hotels, motels B&Bs, gas stations, and restaurants etc. will also suffer.
Commercial caught halibut generates about $4 per pound for the commercial license holders versus sport fished halibut generating $16.50 per pound, most of which is put back into our community.
There are 436 commercial halibut license holders. There are well over 1,000 (sic) sport fishing license owners.
DFO gives the commercial fishermen 88 per cent of the halibut and the other 12 per cent goes to the sport fishermen.
This formula and the entire agreement is not working properly for either party.
The sport fishermen are going to continue to be cut back if this rule is not changed.
If you want to help your economy write to MP James Lunney and Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in Ottawa and state your concerns.
We have very good information there is no shortage of this resource, only greedy commercial license holders wanting to cut us back again -- most of whom live in countries other than Canada.
For further information go to www.sfibc.com/ which is the Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia's website.
Request our previous limits to return as they were three years ago (a three halibut possession limit and a two per day allowable catch).
The fish are still abundant and there for us.
Act now.
Paul Grimston, Castaway Charters, Port Alberni
© Westerly News 2011
