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DFO must fix halibut controversy now  

BY D.C. REID, TIMES COLONIST JANUARY 11, 2011 

All saltwater anglers should come to the meeting Wednesday about this season's halibut problems

and let the DFO know you are not happy.

This is one with a long history of problems all caused by DFO -- it gave out the public's own halibut for 

free, called Individual Vessel Quota to commercial fishermen in the 1990s. Quickly the zero value

quota gained six-figure value for each of the 436 boat owners. Rationalized over the years, only 140

boats fish halibut against 300,000 sport fishing public.

Two reports have hobbled the process. An economist suggested a split of 88 per cent commercial, 12

per cent public in the Pearce Report. This was not science. A few years later the next report,

overseen by a judge, noted the two earlier values. Since then, DFO digs in its heels and says 88/12 is

"scientific" proof, even though in Alaska the public share is 20 per cent and in Washington, 36 per cent.

A few years ago, the DFO economists came up with the catchy phrase: a market mechanism; this

meant that sport fishers could lease quota from the commercial industry and use it to keep fishing for 

halibut. Well, the quota owners at first bought up some sport fish, when we fished below the 12 per 

cent, and put the money in a fund. But when we came calling to lease back our fish, they bumped the

price up for the fish we were obliged to buy and laid out conditions on the purchase. Needless to say,

the sport delegation refused.

The DFO was asked to hold the money. They said no because it placed them in a legally responsible

position. So it was suggested the DFO put a halibut stamp on our licences. The commercial,

recreational and aboriginal stakeholders signed off, but it was canned on the desk of a particular 

assistant deputy minister without a reason.

In 2010, however, when the sport sector came up to the 12 per cent boundary, DFO closed the

fishery on Oct. 18. Halibut typically opens Feb 1, in this case 2011. In our area, a lot of halibut is

caught in the spring, so this is important to us. But the DFO has also said: when 12 per cent is

reached, the sport fishery will close, and estimated it will be July 15, 2011.

The early closure results in huge problems for sport lodges who do most of their business from mid

June to early September. They do their booking from summer clients and into early December when

most fishing shows are run. But with a one halibut daily catch limit, and one possession limit and

fishing cut off before the season is half over, a good chunk of the $500-million sector -- higher than

the commercial sector -- is lost.

The B.C. Sport Fishing Coalition is hosting a meeting on Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the Four Points

Sheraton Hotel (829 McCallum Rd., Langford).

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

 

2011-01-11 DFO must fix halibut controversy now

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