Last monthB次元官网网址檚 announcement of a shut-down of recreational fishing is terrible news for coastal communities.

Our company operates a number of businesses on the coast of British Columbia, including sports fishing resorts and marinas. Several of these businesses will be severely impacted by this closure.

Our employees will soon be dealing with guests that are unable to fulfill their plans to fish halibut, guests that in many cases travelled from great distances, at great expense, to have that experience.

WeB次元官网网址檙e also dealing with cancellations. WeB次元官网网址檒l no doubt be cutting back staffing levels accordingly, resulting in a ripple effect of lost economic activity for these communities where our employees live, work and spend money.

In difficult economic times, the results of Department of Fisheries and Oceans policy are completely contradictory to the government of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 attempts to provide economic stimulus.

ItB次元官网网址檚 quite simple. The recreational sector, based on its contribution to the economy of Canada, needs more than 12 per cent of the allowable catch.

We are by no means advocating higher catch limits than what is prescribed at the beginning of each fishing season for halibut. We just need a bigger slice of the pie to stay in business.

Our friends in the commercial sector will also argue that they need to make a living. We wholeheartedly agree. Unfortunately, what has occurred by the protection of this halibut quota is that the quota holders are literally making hundreds of thousands of dollars selling their quota (which was acquired for free) every year.

Less than one third of these quota holders actually fish.

So in truth, DFO is really protecting big business and quota traders, not the livelihoods of commercial fishermen.

If things donB次元官网网址檛 change, how could we interpret a perpetuation of the existing halibut allocation policy to be anything other than DFO being influenced more by big business and quota traders than by the economic and social needs of thousands in coastal communities?

Then thereB次元官网网址檚 DFOB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渆xperimental fishery,B次元官网网址� which is essentially the recreational sector paying big business and quota traders for a right to catch some of their B次元官网网址済iftedB次元官网网址� halibut quota.

Surely DFO canB次元官网网址檛 be serious?

Lanny Sawchuk

executive vice-president,

chief operations officer

Oak Bay Marine Group