2010 halibut season in peril

Charlie · Dec 11, 2010

Members of Parliament (Current)
304 Members of Parliament

Hope this helps and the "links" work? "The text that you have entered is too long (16584 characters). Please shorten it to 10000 characters long." So, I guess you get this multible times?"

Member of Parliament
Constituency
Province/Territory
Caucus

Abbott, Jim (Hon.)
Kootenay—Columbia
British Columbia
Conservative

Atamanenko, Alex
British Columbia Southern Interior
British Columbia
NDP

Cadman, Dona
Surrey North
British Columbia
Conservative

Cannan, Ron
Kelowna—Lake Country
British Columbia
Conservative

Crowder, Jean
Nanaimo—Cowichan
British Columbia
NDP

Cullen, Nathan
Skeena—Bulkley Valley
British Columbia
NDP

Cummins, John
Delta—Richmond East
British Columbia
Conservative

Davies, Don
Vancouver Kingsway
British Columbia
NDP

Davies, Libby
Vancouver East
British Columbia
NDP

Day, Stockwell (Hon.)
Okanagan—Coquihalla
British Columbia
Conservative

Dhaliwal, Sukh
Newton—North Delta
British Columbia
Liberal

Donnelly, Fin
New Westminster—Coquitlam
British Columbia
NDP

Dosanjh, Ujjal (Hon.)
Vancouver South
British Columbia
Liberal

Duncan, John (Hon.)
Vancouver Island North
British Columbia
Conservative

Fast, Ed
Abbotsford
British Columbia
Conservative

Fry, Hedy (Hon.)
Vancouver Centre
British Columbia
Liberal

Grewal, Nina
Fleetwood—Port Kells
British Columbia
Conservative

Harris, Richard M.
Cariboo—Prince George
British Columbia
Conservative

Hiebert, Russ
South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale
British Columbia
Conservative

Charlie · Dec 11, 2010

IronNoggin · Dec 11, 2010

Letters being drafted. Public meetings are being scheduled and newspaper/magazine articles are starting to flow. GET INVOLVED! Attend the meetings, get your buddies to do the same! Write the letters and get them in. We MUST get the message out: We WILL NOT stand idly by and watch our access to common property fisheries be stripped away in favor of the already fat wallets of a handful of Fat Cat commercial harvesters!

http://www.canada.com/2010+halibut+season+peril/3955310/story.html

Nog

porcupine · Dec 11, 2010

A new SFI website dedicated to the halibut issue will be up Monday morning, December 13, 2010. The halibut site will have everything needed to understand and deal with the halibut situation. The new address will be www.sfibc.com

Derby · Dec 12, 2010

Hello;

As you all know the recreational sector's access to Pacific Coast Halibut
been shut down twice in the last three years. If held to the current 88/12
allocation in 2011, we face an even shorter season.

The Sport Fishing Institute, British Columbia Wildlife Federation and the
Southern Vancouver Island Anglers Association have formed an alliance and we
are on a mission to right the imbalance and unfair allocation of Canada's
share of halibut.

I urge you to visit www.sfibc.com and learn more about this injustice that
has 436 select people getting 88% of Canada's Natural Resource and profiting
all while extracting economic value from B.C. Furthermore I can't express
how important it is that you get involved and join the effort. It is vital!!

Please pass this website on to all your friends, family and customers. Ask
them to take a few minutes to read the documents. You don't have to be a
fisherman to realize that this is just not right. As a tax payer you will be
appalled.

You have to act. You have to write letters.
This is not the hill that we will choose to die on!

www.sfibc.com

Please ensure that copies of all letters are sent to the SFI as well. We
need to track our pressure.

Yours in Unity...

Rob Alcock
President - SFI

Hublocker · Dec 13, 2010

Where is the document from DFO that states the recreational halibut fishery will be halted in July?

Cuba Libre · Dec 13, 2010

Here are the options:

Halibut Allocation 2011– Update and Forecast

How did we get here?

• 1991 – DFO gifts shares of the common property Canadian Halibut resource to 435 commercial fishermen based on their previous catch history. This was done to remove safety concerns for fishermen and crews that arose from competitive “derby style” fisheries, and to stabilize the supply of halibut to the market.
• 2000 – These same commercial fishermen grow concerned over the “uncompensated reallocation of halibut from the commercial sector to the recreational sector”. It is worth noting that these quota holders never paid a penny for their quota when it was first gifted to them by DFO, and then they wanted to be compensated for providing this same halibut back to its rightful owners – the people of Canada. These cries for compensation for their gifted quota by the quota holders resulted in a series of allocation framework meetings which resulted in the current 2003 Halibut Allocation Policy.
• 2003 – The Thibault Allocation Policy has 3 main components:

- The Canadian TAC available to the commercial and recreational fisheries are split to provide 88% to the 435 original quota holders, and 12% to the 100,000 participants in the public fishery.
- “a 12 per cent recreational catch ‘ceiling’ will be allocated to the recreational sector until both parties can develop an acceptable mechanism that will allow for adjustment of the recreational share through acquisition of additional quota from the commercial sector”.
- “I have also made a commitment that there will be no closure of the sport fishery in-season”.
• It is generally agreed based on significant improvements in recreational fishery catch accounting methods over recent years that the recreational catch was underestimated at this time, and that the 12% allocation allowed for little to no growth.
• 2008 – A series of meetings between the commercial sector, recreational sector, BC Ministry of Environment, First Nations representatives, and DFO produced a consensus agreement between the commercial and recreational sectors on a mechanism to transfer quota. This agreement was then rejected by DFO as not meeting the requirements of the “User Fee Act”, and “ministerial authority” requirements under the “Fisheries Act”. It is the assertion of the BCSFC that the real reason for its rejection is simply lack of political will to find a solution.
• Nov 2008. The recreational sector is closed in season for the first time in clear contravention of the 2003 allocation policy.
• 2010 – The Halibut Allocation Transfer Mechanism committee is struck and tasked with finding a solution to what DFO clearly acknowledges is a serious problem with the 88\12 allocation formulae. It produces a series of options. (See page 2)
• Oct 2010 – the recreational fishery is again closed in-season causing serious economic damage to tackle manufacturers, lodges, charters, tackle stores, marinas campgrounds and other service providers to the recreational fishery again, in clear violation of the 2003 allocation policy.
• Nov – Dec 2010 Uncertainty and instability cause further damage to the recreational fishery as the message that “the recreational halibut fishery in BC is closed.”

The Problem:

• For 2011 season, if the recreational fishery was restricted to its current 12% allocation and based on similar catch rates to 2010, if the season was to start on Feb 1st, it would end:

- July 15th with bag limits of 2 per day, 3 possession
- Aug 1st with bag limits of 2 per day, 2 in possession
- August 20th with bag limits of 1 per day, 2 in possession

All of these dates represent the “peak season” for fishing in BC. This would potentially cause economic disaster to many small coastal communities as businesses fail, tourist dollars dry up, and lodges and charters close their doors early.

Remember – all of this could happen in order to ensure that less than 500 individuals continue to reap huge profits from a common property resource they never had to pay for in the first place!

• • The bare minimum considered acceptable to the recreational fishery for the 2011 season is clear:

2 halibut per day, 2 in possession.
Season start – Feb 1st, 2001
Season end – Dec 31st, 2011

Taken from the SFI report on halibut. There is much more-- if you want it, PM Derby or myself, and it will be sent.
Thanks
Bryan

sammyslabber · Dec 13, 2010

Thanks Derby for posting the email from Rob Alcock i also rec'd the email today & thought i would post it thanx again ....Sammy

Derby · Dec 13, 2010

Anything Bryan or myself can do or answer please just PM either one of us

Little Hawk · Dec 14, 2010

I sent Rob a copy of the letter I wrote to Duncan and my MLA. I also signed up for the SFI newsletters and such. Think I'm going to focus more on helping these people if I can, after all, I started the WSA to help the sportfisherman that we are.

OldBlackDog · Dec 14, 2010

Halibut fishermen decry early season closings
MARK HUME
VANCOUVER— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Dec. 13, 2010 8:52PM EST
Last updated Monday, Dec. 13, 2010 8:56PM EST
1 comment Email Print/License Decrease text size
Increase text size Using improved global positioning technology that allows them to go farther off shore, sport fishermen on the West Coast have been increasingly catching huge Pacific halibut, boosting the businesses of lodges and marinas in the process.

But the Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia says the future of the fishery, and of the wilderness resorts that charge anglers up to $8,000 a week, are in jeopardy because of unpredictable fishing season closings.

More related to this story
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•Is B.C.'s sockeye boom a one-off?
•B.C. halibut fishery gets eco-label
The halibut fishing season, which usually runs Feb. 1 to Dec. 31, was suddenly shut down by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in October because of “conservation concerns” – despite a promise made by the DFO in 2003 to never close the sport fishery in season. The fishery is allocated 12 per cent of the catch, while the commercial sector gets 88 per cent.

It is the second early closing in three years, with the 2008 sport season also cut short.

Rob Alcock, president of the Sport Fishing Institute, said the sport fishery could close as early as July next year, right in the middle of the summer season, which draws fishermen to B.C. from around the world.

He said the unpredictability is making it tough for guides and lodges to sell trips.

“Right now, guys are phoning up to book trips for next year and they want to know, can they fish? And we can’t guarantee anything,” Mr. Alcock said. “It’s very frustrating.”

In a recent letter to Fisheries Minister Gail Shea, Mr. Alcock said the blame for the closings is a policy the DFO adopted in 2003 that splits the annual total allowable catch, or TAC, between the 436 commercial licence holders and 100,000 sports anglers.

“In 2003, when the allocation policy was created, it was created with faulty data,” Mr. Alcock said. “They assumed the sports anglers were taking about 9 per cent of the TAC, and they awarded a 12-per-cent share, anticipating some growth in the sport. But in fact 12 per cent wasn’t enough from the start.”

And the sport has been growing since then, as guides increasingly use GPS equipment to pinpoint fishing hot spots far out to sea, where halibut that can weigh more than 180 kilograms are caught.

Mr. Alcock said the Sport Fishing Institute is asking the DFO to change the 2003 policy to give the sport sector a total fixed weight, allocated at the start of the year, rather than a percentage share.

“We’re asking that each year … they give the sports sector a small number off the top, and then divide the remainder up among the commercial fishermen,” Mr. Alcock said.

In effect, the sport anglers want to be first in line for the fish, with a catch level that is static, while the commercial catch would fluctuate, going up in years of halibut abundance and dropping in years when populations are low.

“In good years, the commercial fleet would benefit, but in weaker years they wouldn’t do as well. The sports sector would stay stable,” Mr. Alcock said, “and that would give us the consistency we need.”

In his letter to Ms. Shea, Mr. Alcock said the sport fishing closing was “short-sighted and unnecessary and cannot be justified.”

But Ms. Shea replied that the sport fishery was closed early “because in-season catch information indicated that the recreational sector had achieved, and possibly exceeded, its allocation for the 2010 fishing season.”

Although the commercial fleet had caught less than its limit at the time of the sport closing, Ms. Shea said reallocating fish in season from the commercial to the sport sector wasn’t possible under the International Pacific Halibut Commission treaty, which governs Canadian and U.S. fishing.

Ms. Shea said the DFO “is committed to continuing discussions with both the recreational and commercial sectors on the development of a long-term solution.”

Paul Ryall, acting director of program delivery for the DFO, said the government is “trying to come up with some management options … that would include an allocation transfer process between commercial and recreational.”

Chris Sporer, manager of the Pacific Halibut Management Association, which represents commercial halibut licence holders, said he’s hopeful talks will lead to a solution.

“DFO’s put a lot of work in and we are in the process of evaluating options. I will leave it at that,” he said.

But Mr. Alcock said he’s worried because the talks aren’t progressing much – and the 2011 halibut season is approaching fast.

Derby · Dec 14, 2010

The Island Courier is running a live poll. Should John Duncan step in and save the Halibut Fishery?

Go there and vote, send everyone you know……

http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/index.html

Aces · Dec 14, 2010

8 percent say no

wolf · Dec 14, 2010

Here is my ROUGH Draft to send to the minister but you get the theme and use whatever you want people to help with your letters and get everyone involved
Hon. Gail Shea PC. MP

Dear Minister I am writing to you to implore to make changes regarding halibut and salmon fishing for our area of the West Coast we call HOME.

The recent allocation of our fishery is unfair and discriminatory towards Canadians it has not worked in the last 3 yrs and I implore you to please change it as it is quite apparent it has failed not because of you. But the way it was implemented in 2003 but you can make a difference Mrs. Shea You already know all the numbers so I will not bore you with it but I will tell you how it will affect me and many of my friends and the many local communities.

The government which you are part of tells us and preaches “JOB GROWTH”.

With the current status of the situation it’s going to affect many many jobs coast wide, For instance I live in the town of Sooke B.C. area 19/20 there is probably close to 50 to 100 charter operators who work and fish this area year round area more in the spring and summer of course when WE all work steadily.
Tourism is the basis of this local community there is a huge trickle down effect with fishing.
: First the airlines getting people here, then there is the lodging of either the resorts and the brand new “PRESTIGE” hotel being built to the many B&B that operate in this area.
: The marina my boat lives at and their many staff that are employed at the resort.
: Then you have the local restaurants and grocery stores.
: The local tackle stores which supply Licenses bait, etc.
: The marine shop which helps maintain the boat
: The gas to operate my boat which I spend also to the car rentals all who rely on the tourists as you see it all trickles down even to the kid who sells coffee at the local coffee shop ALL of this from just sport fishing which support this wonderful place we call “HOME”

I am only 1 guide among many and I know I personally bring about 400 people a year here to fish and spend time and shop go to tourists stops etc here with an estimated amount of them each spending $1000 to $3000 dollars while staying here yes that’s only about $4000 to $12.000 but multiply that by all the charter operators then throw in what we all spend to run our businesses and you have over a 1 million dollars. If not way more being pumped into the community and I am sure the number is even higher and that’s just the charters then you have to factor in all the sport fisherman that come to Sooke to fish. But I am being "conservative" with that.
I am sure you don’t want to see people become unemployed just by a simple thing as closing it down not for conservation but an allocation issue. Only you can make a change and I implore you to please help us make it happen. And use the Fisheries Act the way it was intended for the people of Canada.

Thank You
Roy Carver
O/O bluewolfcharters

Sushihunter · Dec 14, 2010

Wolf: Excellent letter.

Just a note: "The liberal government which you are part..." - It's actually a Consvervative government that she is a Minister in.

Rob H · Dec 14, 2010

Wolf: Check your math out re: tourist contribution to the economy. Your 400 people @ $1000 to $3000 each would bring in $400,000 to $1.2 million dollars from your contribution alone.

...Rob

wolf · Dec 14, 2010

Thats Why I said Over a million bucks.
thanks sushi

Wolf

sammyslabber · Dec 14, 2010

derby; tried to find the hali poll on the courrier site can not locate it on the site?... Thanx Sammy

Derby · Dec 14, 2010

Hello everyone,

The Island Courier is taking an online poll as to whether or not John Duncan
should step in to help save the 2011

Halibut season. (John Duncan is the MP for Vancouver Island North.)

Would you please consider taking 2 minutes to visit their website and vote
in their poll?

Visit: http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/index.html

Thanks,

Alison

It was on the right hand side of the page-I'll find out what up

sammyslabber · Dec 14, 2010

Derby yea i saw that it said poll for coast guard replacement for race pt. voted anyways will check later thanx ...SS

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