Commercial sports fishers
By Al Newton, Comox Valley Echo February 8, 2011
After reading many letters in the local papers about the ongoing halibut allocation issues, I am starting to see what is really happening to this resource.
For many years now the quota has been divided 88% to the commercial sector and 12% for the sport sector. The problem now is that the 12% allocated to the "recreational sports fishers" is being infringed upon by the "commercial sport fishery" such as fishing lodges, guided charters etc.
These are commercial businesses that are providing services to clients from all over the world. The key word here is "BUSINESS".
They are a commercial business out there to make a profit off of the halibut allocated to the recreational sector. As a commercial venture they should be required to obtain their own quota to run these ventures just like any other commercial halibut fisher has to do.
If you want to see just how many charter outfits and fishing lodges there are out there reaping a profit off the backs of the sport sectors allocation, just go on the internet and search under fishing guides and lodges. There are hundreds of them all up and down the coast.
I wonder if all the true "sport fishers" realize that all these charter fishing businesses and lodges are trying to make a living off of their (the true sport fishers) halibut allocation.
Like any other commercial business they should have to garner their own halibut quota to supply their clients with fish and not take it out of the true recreational fisher's allocation.
Al Newton
By Al Newton, Comox Valley Echo February 8, 2011
After reading many letters in the local papers about the ongoing halibut allocation issues, I am starting to see what is really happening to this resource.
For many years now the quota has been divided 88% to the commercial sector and 12% for the sport sector. The problem now is that the 12% allocated to the "recreational sports fishers" is being infringed upon by the "commercial sport fishery" such as fishing lodges, guided charters etc.
These are commercial businesses that are providing services to clients from all over the world. The key word here is "BUSINESS".
They are a commercial business out there to make a profit off of the halibut allocated to the recreational sector. As a commercial venture they should be required to obtain their own quota to run these ventures just like any other commercial halibut fisher has to do.
If you want to see just how many charter outfits and fishing lodges there are out there reaping a profit off the backs of the sport sectors allocation, just go on the internet and search under fishing guides and lodges. There are hundreds of them all up and down the coast.
I wonder if all the true "sport fishers" realize that all these charter fishing businesses and lodges are trying to make a living off of their (the true sport fishers) halibut allocation.
Like any other commercial business they should have to garner their own halibut quota to supply their clients with fish and not take it out of the true recreational fisher's allocation.
Al Newton