Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
Mr. George Wilson
President
B.C. Wildlife Federation
< officeinfo@bcwf.bc.ca >
Dear Mr. Wilson:
Thank you for your correspondence of July 23, 2014, regarding the
recreational allocation of Pacific halibut. I am pleased to note your
support for my ministerial authority over the allocation of fishery
resources.
For the halibut fishery in British Columbia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(DFO) allocates access among the recreational, commercial and First Nations
sectors through an integrated fisheries planning process that involves all
fishing sectors. Allocation decisions incorporate legal requirements,
treaty agreements and Aboriginal rights, as well as the equitable use of the
resource. In all cases, the Department's first priority is to manage
fisheries in a manner that ensures the conservation and sustainable use of
fish stocks, while also creating economic and social benefits for Canadians.
The allocation of Pacific halibut among recreational and commercial users
has been the subject of extensive consultation and analysis for many years,
and DFO has given careful consideration to these consultations and analyses
when making halibut allocation decisions.
In 2012, when my predecessor, the Honourable Keith Ashfield, announced the
change to the commercial-recreational halibut allocation formula, he
emphasized the importance of providing greater long-term certainty in the
Pacific halibut fishery for First Nations, commercial and recreational
harvesters, and, most importantly, encouraging jobs and economic growth in
British Columbia. He also indicated that the revised allocation formula
struck a fair balance between the sectors and established a stable
environment for the future. As such, there are no plans to alter the
existing allocation formula, which allocates 85 percent of the resource to
the commercial sector and 15 percent to the recreational sector.
It is also worth noting that declining abundance of Pacific halibut in
recent years has resulted in fewer halibut for all sectors to harvest.
Canada's Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for 2014 is 6.85 million pounds, down
from a high in 2006 when the TAC was 13.2 million pounds.
The experimental recreational halibut licence, which allows recreational
harvesters to lease Pacific halibut quota from commercial harvesters based
on market value, remains available to anglers and businesses interested in
additional fishing opportunities. This mechanism offers economic stability
for the recreational fisheries and the coastal communities that benefit from
angler contributions.
I appreciate the input provided by the B.C. Wildlife Federation through the
International Pacific Halibut Commission Conference Board and the Sport
Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB). As you are aware, our collective objective
is to ensure that the recreational fishery remains open for the longest
season possible, while staying within its allocation. Drawing on advice
from the SFAB, DFO adjusted its management measures this year to support
this objective.
Thank you for your support and for sharing your views about this important
matter.
Yours sincerely,
Original Signed by
Gail Shea, P.C., M.P.
________________________________________________________________
Ministerial Correspondence Control Unit Fisheries and Oceans Canada /
Government of Canada
President
B.C. Wildlife Federation
< officeinfo@bcwf.bc.ca >
Dear Mr. Wilson:
Thank you for your correspondence of July 23, 2014, regarding the
recreational allocation of Pacific halibut. I am pleased to note your
support for my ministerial authority over the allocation of fishery
resources.
For the halibut fishery in British Columbia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(DFO) allocates access among the recreational, commercial and First Nations
sectors through an integrated fisheries planning process that involves all
fishing sectors. Allocation decisions incorporate legal requirements,
treaty agreements and Aboriginal rights, as well as the equitable use of the
resource. In all cases, the Department's first priority is to manage
fisheries in a manner that ensures the conservation and sustainable use of
fish stocks, while also creating economic and social benefits for Canadians.
The allocation of Pacific halibut among recreational and commercial users
has been the subject of extensive consultation and analysis for many years,
and DFO has given careful consideration to these consultations and analyses
when making halibut allocation decisions.
In 2012, when my predecessor, the Honourable Keith Ashfield, announced the
change to the commercial-recreational halibut allocation formula, he
emphasized the importance of providing greater long-term certainty in the
Pacific halibut fishery for First Nations, commercial and recreational
harvesters, and, most importantly, encouraging jobs and economic growth in
British Columbia. He also indicated that the revised allocation formula
struck a fair balance between the sectors and established a stable
environment for the future. As such, there are no plans to alter the
existing allocation formula, which allocates 85 percent of the resource to
the commercial sector and 15 percent to the recreational sector.
It is also worth noting that declining abundance of Pacific halibut in
recent years has resulted in fewer halibut for all sectors to harvest.
Canada's Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for 2014 is 6.85 million pounds, down
from a high in 2006 when the TAC was 13.2 million pounds.
The experimental recreational halibut licence, which allows recreational
harvesters to lease Pacific halibut quota from commercial harvesters based
on market value, remains available to anglers and businesses interested in
additional fishing opportunities. This mechanism offers economic stability
for the recreational fisheries and the coastal communities that benefit from
angler contributions.
I appreciate the input provided by the B.C. Wildlife Federation through the
International Pacific Halibut Commission Conference Board and the Sport
Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB). As you are aware, our collective objective
is to ensure that the recreational fishery remains open for the longest
season possible, while staying within its allocation. Drawing on advice
from the SFAB, DFO adjusted its management measures this year to support
this objective.
Thank you for your support and for sharing your views about this important
matter.
Yours sincerely,
Original Signed by
Gail Shea, P.C., M.P.
________________________________________________________________
Ministerial Correspondence Control Unit Fisheries and Oceans Canada /
Government of Canada
