Halibut - Coastwide Closure

[yammy5]

Alright, who told them halibut fishing has been good? Shhh.

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Fin Fish (Other than Salmon)

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0806-Halibut: Coastwide Closure

Effective 00:01 hours October 31, 2008 until 23:59 hours December 31, 2008,
fishing for halibut recreationally is closed.

This action is necessary due to the recreational fishery for halibut exceeding
the recreational allowable catch. Although the recreational fishery is
generally managed on the basis of a pre-season plan and post season review,
there are instances in the fishery where in-season changes are required. The
department will continue to manage the recreational fishery in general to meet
opportunity and expectations based on pre-season plans. As those plans
improve, the necessity for in-season management actions will decrease. The
department will be reviewing catch figures and fishing patterns in preparation
for consultation on a pre-season management plan for the 2009 halibut fishery.

Rockfish Conservation Areas are currently in effect and are closed to all fin
fishing. Descriptions of these closures, and other recreational fishing
information, can be found on the Internet at:

www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call
the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line
at (800) 465-4336.

For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at (866) 431-
FISH.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact the Regional coordinators office for groundfish or recreational
fisheries at 604-666-3271 or 604-666-9033.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0806
Sent October 23, 2008 at 10:48
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

[bee15]

i never give any information about fishing to dfo the more information dfo gets the worse off sports fishing is. i f you dont catch fish they figure there is no fish if you catch some your catching to many, were closed to halibut . why,? so more for longliner?. the fish lose anyway. i say never give info to creel survey ever.

 

[likwit]

wow. that's all i can really say...

 

[scott craven]

That really sucks !

 

[godeep]

this just showed up in my in box, obviously people are &*(&) off!
This is just the beginning of a battle over what is our common fishery resources that is for all canadians not just the 400 plus commercial guys.


News Release
Sport Fising Insitute of British Columbia
October 24, 2008
For Immediate Release
SFI SLAMS HALIBUT CLOSURE
VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia today slammed Fisheries and Oceans Canada over its unprecedented decision to close the public halibut fishery despite an explicit promise from the Fisheries Minister not to do so. “This decision represents the complete failure of government’s halibut allocation policy in that recreational anglers are being told to stay home while commercial fishers will continue to harvest halibut.” said SFI President Rob Alcock. “Make no mistake, this decision will not conserve halibut, it will only further the interests of a small group of wealthy commercial licence holders.” he added.
In 2003, Liberal Fisheries Minister Robert Thibault established an interim halibut allocation policy under which British Columbia’s 430 commercial halibut fishers were awarded 88 per cent of the annual halibut harvest while the province’s 300,000 recreational anglers were given access to 12 per cent of the catch. Thibault also promised that the allocation would remain in effect until DFO was able to acilitate the transfer of quota between the sectors through an “acceptable mechanism”. Thibault further committed that the department would not make inseason adjustments to the fishery. DFO says that Thibault’s policy remains official department policy
“The SFI and other sport fishing advocates have worked with DFO for more than three years to develop a quota transfer system. In short, it failed because DFO’s allocation policy is flawed beyond repair.” said Alcock. “The result is that family fishing trips and fishing charters will be cancelled and many in the public fishery will suffer because DFO insists on clinging to a nonsensical and unworkable policy.”
-30-
Backgrounders attached
For more information contact:
Marilyn Murphy
Executive Director
_____________________________________

Halibut Backgrounder #1
• More than 300,000 individuals purchase Pacific tidal angling licenses every year in
British Columbia. Under DFO’s allocation policy, they are entitled to access up to 12
per cent of Canada’s annual allowable Pacific halibut catch. By contrast, Canada’s 430
commercial halibut licence holders are entitled to harvest 88 per cent of the catch.
• In 2008, Canada was entitled to catch up to 9 million pounds of Pacific halibut. First Nations were allocated 300,000 pounds for food, social and ceremonial purposes. Commercial licence holders were allocated 7,915,800 pounds, and recreational anglers
were allocated 1,082,280 pounds.
• It is estimated that fewer than half of the 430 current commercial halibut licence holders actually fish for halibut. The other half get paid for leasing their access to Canada’s halibut to other commercial fishers.
• DFO estimates that if the public halibut fishery remained open for the remainder of 2008, recreational anglers would catch less than 10,000 pounds of halibut coastwide.By contrast, DFO estimates that commercial halibut fishers will be permitted to catch an additional 1,300,000 pounds during the same period.
• The closure is not conservation-based. Canada is still entitled to catch up to an additional 1,300,000 pounds of halibut in 2008, and DFO expects that Canada’s 430 commercial licence holders will harvest the full amount.
• The 2003 policy upon which DFO is basing this closure was established as an interim step “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.” The 2003 policy also committed that
“there will be no closure of the sport fishery in-season.”
• Between 2003 and 2008, recreational anglers, the commercial sector and DFO Pacific Region staff have worked to develop such a mechanism. The parties developed a consensus plan that would have allowed for such a transfer to occur. DFO subsequently
rejected the plan, and as a result, made the establishment of a transfer mechanism impossible.
• The closure violates the original commitment upon which the 2003 allocation policy was based.
_________________________________________________
Home > Media Room > Archives > News Releases 2003
Minister Thibault Announces Pacific Halibut Allocation
Framework
October 27, 2003
VANCOUVER – The Honourable Robert G. Thibault, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced an allocation framework between the commercial and recreational sectors in the Pacific halibut 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.
“The Pacific halibut allocation framework balances the interests of both the commercial and recreational sectors,” said Minister Thibault. “This framework provides certainty and stability for the
commercial sector and allows for future growth of the recreational sector. I have also made a commitment that there will be no closure of the sport fishery in-season.”

A growing recreational sector in the mid to late 1990s prompted commercial interests to seek the establishment of shares for each sector. Work on developing an allocation framework in the Pacific halibut fishery began in 2000. The department hired a facilitator, Dr. Edwin Blewett, to work with stakeholders to develop an allocation framework. The sectors agreed on several principles, but were unable to reach agreement on key elements of an allocation arrangement. In 2002, Stephen Kelleher was retained to provide independent advice on initial allocations and recommendations on how allocations could be adjusted over time. Since Mr. Kelleher’s report was completed, representatives from the department have made numerous attempts to achieve a consensus with both sectors with no success.
Mr. Kelleher’s report concluded the existing system is unfair, given the absence of an official allocation scheme. He also indicated that, during his review of the situation with both sectors, that
neither party presented reasonable positions, requiring a third option. The decision to set a 12 percent catch ceiling for the recreational sector, three percent above Mr. Kelleher’s recommendation,does not represent a significant gain for either group. The department will focus on improving recreational catch estimates and allow time for both sectors to develop a suitable market-based mechanism for future allocation adjustments, as per Mr. Kelleher’s recommendation.Current daily and possession limits will not be increased to ensure that growth is achieved through increased participation, rather than higher catches by existing anglers. Like the commercial sector, the recreational allocation will vary with stock abundance. However, if abundance levels decline or the angling effort increases during this time, DFO will implement alternative measures such asrestricting the bag limit in order to avoid any in-season closures.- 30 -
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Michelle Imbeau
Communications
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Vancouver
(604) 666-2872
Caroline Quinn, Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa
(613) 992-3474

 

[TheBigGuy]

Sounds to me like the DFO is planning on introducing another surcharge onto the annual sportfishing licence. Can you say, "Halibut Stamp". The money generated from the stamp could then be used to buy a larger portion of the commercial TAC.[xx(][xx(][xx(]

 

[victoriaboater]

<--- Stunned!@

 

[scott craven]

I can understand how DFO get the weight quota from the commercial sector, as there are observer's who record the stats.
How the heck do they know how much halibut the recreational sector
takes ??
The creel people can't possibly provide an accurate measure.
Crystal ball maybe ?

 

[Yote]

It makes it an even harder pill to swallow that I got skunked yesterday. While there may have only been two boats out where you were, there were eight out at constance yesterday and everyone that was out was enjoying a great day on the water. Here I was looking forward to another chance in a week and a half when the tides are nice again...I guess not. What a **** off!!!! This is a joke!

 

[Tailspin]

Oh how very nice, blame the sporty for to much and give another slice of the pie to the commercial sector. Amazingly the commercial guys can still buy quota off smaller less seaworthy boats with allocation remaining, and fish into November with larger boats. I am all for future conservation and "appropriate" managment, yet these select user group closures are tough to swallow, period! They have no clue how many hali were caught out of even Pedder this season, croc of ****!

Creel surveys will see nothing from me from now on, not a word. I will politly explain my reason, thats it!

I can just imagine what is in store for the Spring Hali fishery and Winter Springs. Perhaps another slot limit and wild closure? Tough time s and decisions to be made for Charters and sporties with big boats sitting idle in an area renowed for Year round fishing.

www.tailspincharters.com

 

[bananas]

Yuk had feeling that would happen i guess that mnakes 3 months in a row because it's always closed in jan and i bet feb will be closed again as well.

 

[fah cups]

This just is plain Bulls&*t. Not happy haly sport fisherman!!!!

 

[chris73]

Brain amputated DFO morons! Let's boycott creel from now on! Even though I know that's not how they come up with the rec catch number. I hope you all express your feelings with your local SFAB reps who will then pass it on to the above titled people...

 

[wolf]

HHHMMMMM well I knew that was going to come but didnt expect it to come that quick!!!!!!!!!! IT is going to get worse boys like trev said not 2 months but 4 and ill put money down they will keep it closed now till june because if you look last year they "gave us 1 fish" until june 1st then you were allowed 2.

Do you really think they care about the sport sector???it is quite apparent NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So when there is a meeting if they will hold one("can you say dictatorship") we here as sportfisherman/woman we better show up in numbers to voice our concerns and why we are pissed off.If we dont and we just biry our head in the sand we will loose alot more be prepared for our salmon fishing as well this is just the tip of the iceberg its going to get ugly.

From what I have heard as the buzz is the commercial sector is going to have to reduce there catch by 10% and guess where that is going to come from?????????? this is a sad day!!!


Wolf

Blue Wolf Charters
www.bluewolfcharters.com

 

[kngfsh7]

Get used to it. The intent is to truncate the season to a summer months fishery to accommodate the commercial recreational sector who take the lion's share of the recreational quota. The resident angler who fishes in the shoulder seasons will get screwed.

 

[godeep]

I heard that CFAX is going to cover the story at 5:15. Anyone know if you can listen on the internet.

 

[TenMile]

Cfax1070.com and click listen live.

How about this...first weekend after Oct 31st -- every sportfisherman from Victoria takes his boat and anchors off (Clover, Constance, Breakwall -- pick your place, but all of us should be in the same spot). Call the news media and make it a "fish-in protest".

IMHO, I have absolutely no problem giving up Halibut fishing from Nov to Feb, but want to see the commercial fishery give it up too.

 

[gyper]

I just told my wife about this latest ridiculous move by D.F.O. to which she informed me that the remaining butt in my freezer will NOT be given to my parents.
Don't tell her, but parents are parents,they WILL be getting what I promised. She's going to have to go buy some for herself. It's all good ,just trying to lighten the mood up a bit.

 

[highlights]

.

 

[highlights]

quote:Originally posted by TenMile

Cfax1070.com and click listen live.

How about this...first weekend after Oct 31st -- every sportfisherman from Victoria takes his boat and anchors off (Clover, Constance, Breakwall -- pick your place, but all of us should be in the same spot). Call the news media and make it a "fish-in protest".

IMHO, I have absolutely no problem giving up Halibut fishing from Nov to Feb, but want to see the commercial fishery give it up too.

Lets do it!