halibut

[fishingbc]

February 22, 2009

The Honourable Gail Shea
Minister, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0E6

Honourable Minister;

I am writing you today to express my deep concern and confusion over your February 12th decision delivered to the SFAB regarding the 2009 Halibut fishery.

Frankly Minister I am at a loss to understand how you could so totally ignore the facts in this matter. As I had noted to you in previous correspondence regarding our meeting in January, I, and the others attending actually believed you comprehended the information we gave you on this issue.

We, the representatives for the recreational sector, have bent over backwards in an attempt to reach the type of management regime your predecessors and now it appear you, demanded. We spent countless days in travel and meetings with your officials and representatives, we thought, from the commercial sector coming to a number of mutual agreements for the management of the Halibut fishery. In every instance, after the agreement was reached, the commercial sector breached or ignored that agreement. Now your government has spent over a year, reviewing the latest proposal that we jointly put forward and the commercial sector has again breached, and after a year, you reject it out of hand.

To say this is unsatisfactory would be the understatement of the century. Your playing Pontius Pilot with this issue will not resolve it and I can assure you will amount to nothing more than throwing gasoline on the flames.

At a time when your government is making continuous claims about your concerns over losing jobs in Canada and the need to keep our economy stable and growing, you make a decision that will ensure the loss of hundreds of jobs in the recreational fishing industry in 2009. Moreover we will see losses in the millions of dollars to the British Columbian and Canadian economies because of your decision.

The amount of Halibut needed to maintain a viable and vibrant recreational fishery amounts to far less than the commercial sector will leave in the water in 2009. A transfer of this amount would cost the commercial sector nothing but would, as noted, have saved hundreds of jobs in the recreational industry as well as create an infusion of tens of millions of dollars into our economy. This is hardly living up to your duty to achieve the highest possible return to the people of Canada for the use of their fishery resource.

Either your staff failed to tell you or you have chosen to ignore the fact that at the recent meetings of the International Pacific Halibut Commission the processing industry advised the Commission that they currently have in storage some 10 million pounds of Halibut from last years harvest. That is more than all of the 2008 B.C. allocation and over 30% more than the total 2009 harvest. Every indication was given that commercial halibut prices were going to be but a shadow of what they were in 2008. In fact the processors made it clear that they cannot even sell their current stock even at ex-vessel prices, never mind at wholesale prices.

Yet you chose to allocate this valuable public resource to the lowest possible use for 2009.

Moreover you continue to support the practice of giving this resource to a major portion of the commercial quota holders who do not even fish for them. Of the 435 holders of commercial Halibut quota in 2008, only 168 actually fished for Halibut. The majority Halibut quota holders, 267 take this resource that was gifted to them by the government and sit on the beach while they collect rent for a Canadian resource from the few who are actually willing to go to sea and fish. All fish allocated to and caught by recreational fishers are taken by the anglers themselves not by third parties..

Madam Minister you are perpetrating a farce and supporting the lowest possible benefit to Canadians for the use of their resource. I ask you to immediately reverse your position and provide for the 2009 recreational Halibut fishery to proceed as it should and create an atmosphere and a basis for development of a rational long term management plan.

Yours in conservation.


Bill Otway
P.O. Box 326
Merritt, B.C.
V1K 1B8

 

[scott craven]

Here is a response to my letter which basically says nothing,
but at least they know we care enough to write about it.




Dear Mr. Craven:



SUBJECT: BRITISH COLUMBIA SALTWATER FISHERY



Thank you for your correspondence of January 10, 2009, addressed to the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, concerning the Pacific salmon and halibut fisheries. I have been asked to respond on behalf of Minister Shea.



Let me assure you that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) recognizes the importance of the recreational sector in British Columbia’s fisheries, and the Department will continue to seek ways of reconciling perspectives and identifying solutions that acknowledge the complexity of the West Coast fishery.



Addressing your concern for Pacific halibut, the Canadian total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific halibut is determined on an annual basis through the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), which was established in 1923 by a Convention between Canada and the United States. Canada remains committed to meeting its international obligations with regard to the management of the halibut fishery.



As you reference in your letter, a domestic allocation framework was announced in 2003 to provide 12 percent of the Canadian TAC to the recreational fishery, which was three percent higher than the recreational halibut harvest at that time, until an acceptable adjustment mechanism could be developed. Although the percentages allocated to the recreational and commercial sectors have remained constant, a lower Canadian TAC means that the quantity of fish for each sector has declined.



In 2007, renewed efforts between the Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB), the Pacific Halibut Management Association (PHMA) and DFO were launched to investigate an approach that would provide a longer term solution for a catch-share adjustment mechanism. Some upward adjustment of the 12 percent allocation was made for the 2008 season, but we still do not have an agreed upon mechanism that would allow for continued catch-share adjustments into the future.





Let me assure you that DFO is dedicated to continuing discussions with both the recreational and commercial sectors on implementation of the allocation framework and development of a longer term solution for the catch-share adjustment mechanism. As well, we will need to plan and manage Canadian halibut fisheries appropriately, in accordance with the Canadian TAC, to assure ongoing sustainability of the resource for the benefit of all Canadians. The Department will be working with the Sport Fishing Advisory Board to address these concerns.



With regard to your concern for support of salmon hatcheries and streams, the Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) plays a significant role in the management of Pacific salmon stocks. SEP has an annual budget of $26 million, which provides for hatchery operations, restoration of salmon habitat, rebuilding of vulnerable stocks, and support for community groups to protect the salmon resource. In addition, SEP has partnerships with stakeholders, other agencies and business organizations that provide over $5 million dollars of additional funding each year to restore salmon habitat, and works with over 10,000 community volunteers throughout British Columbia. In addition, the Government of Canada will invest an additional $250 million over two years to modernize federal laboratories across the country, and a portion of these funds will be put toward Salmon Enhancement Program facilities throughout British Columbia.



Along with the enhancement of salmon stocks, DFO is also committed to salmon protection and conservation. As such, Canada’s Policy for the Conservation of Wild Pacific Salmon provides a strong foundation for managing Pacific Coast salmon stocks by setting out a process for the protection, conservation and rebuilding of wild salmon and their marine and freshwater ecosystems.



Thank you for the opportunity to address your concerns.



Yours sincerely,









Andrew Thomson





Andrew Thomson

A/Regional Director / A/Directeur régionale

Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch / Direction des pêches et de l'aquaculture

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pêches et Océans Canada

200-401 Burrard Street / 401, rue Burrard, bureau 200

Vancouver, BC/CB V6C 3S4

Office / Téléphone 604-666-0753

 

[the fog ducker]

RS

Good on ya !! Appreciate the voice , from all the boy's in Van.

Cheers , FD...