Sushihunter
Active Member
http://www.canada.com/take+fishing+rights+away/4093923/story.html
Don't let DFO take fishing rights away
By Bryan Allen, Comox Valley Echo January 11, 2011
Thank you for exposing the current mess halibut sports anglers find themselves in as a result of the grossly unfair Fisheries and Oceans give-a-way of 88% of the annual halibut allowable catch to 436 commercial fishermen. Since 2003 sports fishing representatives have been fighting to change this flawed policy.
Your reporter did a good job of trying to give both the side of the recreational angler and that of the commercial halibut fishermen. However, some of the information from the commercial side is just plain wrong. To set the record straight, there is no conservation issue here. The Canadian allowable catch is set by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Its then up to Canadian DFO officials to allocate the fish between the Commercial and Recreational sectors.
And this is where the problem is - a flawed decision by DFO to GIFT (yes-free!) 88% of a public resource that belongs to ALL Canadians, to 436 commercial fishermen in perpetuity. They can sell or lease that portion of the quota they were given. Talk about hitting the lottery! This is not the first time that DFO has done this. There are Individual Transferable Quotas for other species too. But this time they were giving away a public resource that had become increasingly popular with 100,000 recreational anglers that fish halibut. Further--a number of what are now called "slipper skippers or "fish lords" sold or still lease the right to fish that quota they were given. They and their heirs are set for life at the expense of all Canadians.
In the article Dylan Hardie was quoted as saying that ..."First Nations stand to lose their food fish." That absolutely will NOT happen. First Nations have a special right that guarantees them, after conservation needs have been met, priority access to Canada's fisheries resources. Mr. Hardie also says that he feels that lodges and guides should buy quota and be treated like commercial fishermen as they take a large percentage of the 12% recreational allocation.
There is no parallel between guides/lodges and commercial fishermen. The lodges and guides are facilitators. It is the client that has a license to fish. The client lands the fish and the client takes the fish home to eat. So if these facilitators should be required to buy quota, where do you draw the line? How about BC Ferries and West Jet? They bring in anglers to go fishing halibut. Maybe the car rental companies, restaurants, motels and gas stations too? 75% of the lodge clients are Canadians who love to fish but don't have a boat that enables them to do so. The guides and lodges provide that service. They are not commercial fishing outfits.
From a personal perspective as a sport fisherman, I find it grossly unfair that my opportunity to fish for a halibut may be restricted while others, because of the largess of DFO will continue to fish. Please note that I said "Opportunity" because that is just as important to a sports fisher as the actual catching.
But that issue aside, recreational fishers have now realized that halibut allocation is the thin edge of the wedge. Right now, discussions between DFO and the fishing industry are taking place on privatizing crab and prawns. DFO is undoubtable eyeing other species as well. In English Common Law, dating back 800 years, the public has had the right to access marine fish resources. The government seems intent on destroying that principle. We can't let that happen. I hope others take the time to write DFO Minister Gail Shea and Prime Minister Stephen Harper to express their concerns.
Bryan Allen
Director, Courtenay and District Fish and Game Protective Association
© Copyright (c) Postmedia News
Don't let DFO take fishing rights away
By Bryan Allen, Comox Valley Echo January 11, 2011
Thank you for exposing the current mess halibut sports anglers find themselves in as a result of the grossly unfair Fisheries and Oceans give-a-way of 88% of the annual halibut allowable catch to 436 commercial fishermen. Since 2003 sports fishing representatives have been fighting to change this flawed policy.
Your reporter did a good job of trying to give both the side of the recreational angler and that of the commercial halibut fishermen. However, some of the information from the commercial side is just plain wrong. To set the record straight, there is no conservation issue here. The Canadian allowable catch is set by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Its then up to Canadian DFO officials to allocate the fish between the Commercial and Recreational sectors.
And this is where the problem is - a flawed decision by DFO to GIFT (yes-free!) 88% of a public resource that belongs to ALL Canadians, to 436 commercial fishermen in perpetuity. They can sell or lease that portion of the quota they were given. Talk about hitting the lottery! This is not the first time that DFO has done this. There are Individual Transferable Quotas for other species too. But this time they were giving away a public resource that had become increasingly popular with 100,000 recreational anglers that fish halibut. Further--a number of what are now called "slipper skippers or "fish lords" sold or still lease the right to fish that quota they were given. They and their heirs are set for life at the expense of all Canadians.
In the article Dylan Hardie was quoted as saying that ..."First Nations stand to lose their food fish." That absolutely will NOT happen. First Nations have a special right that guarantees them, after conservation needs have been met, priority access to Canada's fisheries resources. Mr. Hardie also says that he feels that lodges and guides should buy quota and be treated like commercial fishermen as they take a large percentage of the 12% recreational allocation.
There is no parallel between guides/lodges and commercial fishermen. The lodges and guides are facilitators. It is the client that has a license to fish. The client lands the fish and the client takes the fish home to eat. So if these facilitators should be required to buy quota, where do you draw the line? How about BC Ferries and West Jet? They bring in anglers to go fishing halibut. Maybe the car rental companies, restaurants, motels and gas stations too? 75% of the lodge clients are Canadians who love to fish but don't have a boat that enables them to do so. The guides and lodges provide that service. They are not commercial fishing outfits.
From a personal perspective as a sport fisherman, I find it grossly unfair that my opportunity to fish for a halibut may be restricted while others, because of the largess of DFO will continue to fish. Please note that I said "Opportunity" because that is just as important to a sports fisher as the actual catching.
But that issue aside, recreational fishers have now realized that halibut allocation is the thin edge of the wedge. Right now, discussions between DFO and the fishing industry are taking place on privatizing crab and prawns. DFO is undoubtable eyeing other species as well. In English Common Law, dating back 800 years, the public has had the right to access marine fish resources. The government seems intent on destroying that principle. We can't let that happen. I hope others take the time to write DFO Minister Gail Shea and Prime Minister Stephen Harper to express their concerns.
Bryan Allen
Director, Courtenay and District Fish and Game Protective Association
© Copyright (c) Postmedia News
