On Sept. 5, recreational halibut fishers will be storing their rods and calling it a day.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has announced the closure of the halibut fishery on Sept. 5 much to the dismay of some and the relief of others.
B次元官网网址淭he DFO has deemed that recreational fishermen have reached their quota,B次元官网网址� said Mike Hicks, a charter fishing operator and strong advocate for halibut as a common property resource. Hicks is also the director for the Juan de Fuca electoral area.
B次元官网网址淚t means a lot to a lot of people, charter boat operators, fishing lodges,B次元官网网址� Hicks said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 absolute devastation in their industry. ItB次元官网网址檚 not just missing a few days of fishing.B次元官网网址�
What it translates to is a short halibut fishing season with cancelled reservations for charter boat operators all across Vancouver Island, and insecurity for next year.
B次元官网网址淭his is when the locals get a crack at halibut,B次元官网网址� Hicks said. B次元官网网址淭he next two months are primo for Sooke.B次元官网网址�
The federal government deemed enough halibut has been caught by recreational fishers and cut the season short.
Commercial fishers get 88 per cent of the quota with the remaining 12 per cent allocated to recreational fishers.
Fishing guide Steve Arnett says, B次元官网网址淚t sucks. WhatB次元官网网址檚 the reason for it? It is putting these guys out of business. When the commercial guys can keep fishing, it is hard on a place like Port Renfrew. They only have a four month window. ItB次元官网网址檚 politics and that sucks.B次元官网网址�
Hicks expects coastal communities will be severely affected as they are dependent on fisheries. He plans to convince the mayors and councils along the coast to support a resolution he will be bringing forward at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference this month.
Hicks said the resolution would advocate that in years of low halibut abundance the federal government should lease some of the quota from the commercial sector back to the Canadian recreational fishers to ensure fishermen have the basic bottom line access to one halibut per day, and ensure a 11 month season for fishing.
Hicks said halibut should be treated as a common property resource, available to all. Public rights have been sold to private industry, he added.
B次元官网网址淭hey are going to privatize it just like on the East Coast, next it will be crab and salmon,B次元官网网址� Hicks said.
He said he is extremely disappointed in our federal representatives and they should be screaming.
B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 understand the issue, and itB次元官网网址檚 falling apart at the seams.B次元官网网址�
He said he will keep on this issue until B次元官网网址渢hey tear the halibut rod from my cold, dead hands.B次元官网网址�
Commercial halibut fishers say halibut stocks are the worst in 20 years. The commercial fishery will remain open until Nov. 18. In 2010, the wholesale halibut market in B.C. was valued at $132 million.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
