Here is an email from Chris Bos, our South Island rep for SFAB:
Hello All,
As promised at our last meeting, I would keep you all appraised of any developments relating to Halibut angling for 2009. I have recently shared an email letter thread, where DFO has responded that recreational halibut will not open as usual on February 1st 2009. It will in fact remain closed "until further notice" (I consider this poor wording by DFO as it broadcasts a negative message, "delayed" would have been less shocking). However, there is some more news to report ...
In 2008 our recreational 12% allocation portion was 1,080,000 lbs of halibut; as you remember we landed approximately 1,500,000 lbs before we were shut down at the end of October. At the end of last week, the International Pacific Halibut Commission confirmed the 2009 Canadian (Comm and Recr) Total Allowable Catch (TAC) will be 7, 630,000 lbs of which the recreational catch at 12% will amount to 918,350 lbs. Note the Cdn TAC is down from 9 million lbs in 2008. While it is helpful to have a solid number to work with, I am still concerned as to what measures will be forthcoming from DFO fisheries management around our 2009 season and how those measures will affect us. We are effectively short by 600,000 lbs for our normal 2009 needs as a sector (based on a similar catch from 2008) and have as yet, to my knowledge, not resolved the 325,000 unaccounted over catch from 2008.
The importance around our local halibut fishing, the uncertainty about the allocation issue in general and growing concerns I have about 2009 Chinook management measures needs us, as a committee, to meet and discuss the issues in person. The Main Board SFAB meet at the end of this month and I will have news from that meeting to share. Therefore, I am calling a meeting of the Victoria SFAB Committee very soon to discuss the emerging issues on Halibut and Salmon fishing for 2009. Tentatively, I have chosen Tuesday February 3rd at 7:00 PM as the date and time for this proposed meeting, so please add this to your calendars.
Kindest regards,
I think it's important that EVERYONE who fishes show up for this meeting in February. It's our only voice.
Last Chance Fishing Adventures
www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com
Hello All,
As promised at our last meeting, I would keep you all appraised of any developments relating to Halibut angling for 2009. I have recently shared an email letter thread, where DFO has responded that recreational halibut will not open as usual on February 1st 2009. It will in fact remain closed "until further notice" (I consider this poor wording by DFO as it broadcasts a negative message, "delayed" would have been less shocking). However, there is some more news to report ...
In 2008 our recreational 12% allocation portion was 1,080,000 lbs of halibut; as you remember we landed approximately 1,500,000 lbs before we were shut down at the end of October. At the end of last week, the International Pacific Halibut Commission confirmed the 2009 Canadian (Comm and Recr) Total Allowable Catch (TAC) will be 7, 630,000 lbs of which the recreational catch at 12% will amount to 918,350 lbs. Note the Cdn TAC is down from 9 million lbs in 2008. While it is helpful to have a solid number to work with, I am still concerned as to what measures will be forthcoming from DFO fisheries management around our 2009 season and how those measures will affect us. We are effectively short by 600,000 lbs for our normal 2009 needs as a sector (based on a similar catch from 2008) and have as yet, to my knowledge, not resolved the 325,000 unaccounted over catch from 2008.
The importance around our local halibut fishing, the uncertainty about the allocation issue in general and growing concerns I have about 2009 Chinook management measures needs us, as a committee, to meet and discuss the issues in person. The Main Board SFAB meet at the end of this month and I will have news from that meeting to share. Therefore, I am calling a meeting of the Victoria SFAB Committee very soon to discuss the emerging issues on Halibut and Salmon fishing for 2009. Tentatively, I have chosen Tuesday February 3rd at 7:00 PM as the date and time for this proposed meeting, so please add this to your calendars.
Kindest regards,
I think it's important that EVERYONE who fishes show up for this meeting in February. It's our only voice.
Last Chance Fishing Adventures
www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com