By Joel McKay
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced last week a new licensing system to placate recreational halibut fishermen, but the move has enraged them further.
“Our response is that it’s absolutely disgusting, and it’s a complete disgrace to the people of Canada,” said George Cuthbert, president of fishing tour operator West Coast Resorts.
The problem revolves around the quota system divided between commercial and recreational, or sport, halibut fishermen (see “B.C. flatfish fight heats up” – issue 1112; February 15-21).
Since 2003, commercial fishermen have been allotted 88% of B.C.’s total annual allowable halibut catch.
That’s left 12% for sport fishermen, an amount they say is too small and hurts tourism businesses that rely on clientele who pay top dollar for halibut expeditions.
Recreational fishermen have steadily lobbied the federal government to shift a larger percentage of the quota their way, gathering under the banner of the new BC Sportfishing Coalition.
Matters were made worse when the recreational fishery was kept closed after February 1, which sport fishermen say is the day the fishery usually opens.
DFO said last week the fishery would open March 1, but Fisheries Minister Gail Shea added that quota talks between Ottawa, commercial fishermen and sport anglers fell through.
As a result, Shea announced new “experimental” licences that allow recreational fishermen to lease quota above and beyond the 12% limit from commercial fishermen.
Nadia Bouffard, DFO director-general of fisheries and aboriginal policy, told Business in Vancouver the licence would be free to recreational fishermen.
But individual sport and commercial fishermen need to agree on how much halibut will be bought and sold before DFO will issue a licence. Bouffard said the licences are an experiment because the federal government doesn’t know how well the new transfer system will work for both sides.
“We need to test out whether that’s going to work well in the context of a sector that’s got a variety of users from the individual angler to tour guides,” Bouffard said.
Rob Alcock, a spokesman for the coalition, said new licence system doesn’t solve quota problems for recreational fishermen.
He believes the system places a public, natural resource in the hands of the private sector.