Halibut updates

[Johnnybear]

This ones a little old Jan. '09 but thought it was worth posting.

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=114918&ID=recreational

Anyone got any more info on the Halibut fishery for '09.

[ratherbefishin]

From what I heard,they determined the sports catch by flying over the area and counting the boats-and multiplying that by an assumed catch-there was no actual creel count or dockside verification.I don't know-that seems rather unscientific to me ,there's a lot of times I';ve sat off Jordon river and soaked bait without so much as a nibble,so determining catch limits and openings based simply on boat numbers seems very questionable to me

[Sitkaspruce]

Johnnybear

There is apparently going to be an update by dfo on FEB 20th, so we will wait and see. The rumour is a shortened season and maybe a one fish per day/possession limit. Buy that is just rumours. The shortened season is a for sure as it is closed right now....:frown:

If I here anyhting more, I will post it up on here.

Cheers

SS

[Mr. Dean]

%&%$!

From what I have learned from CRAMMING data of the IPHC, there was a somewhat concern for a one or two (?) fish age class. But there's an over abundance of smaller fish that will fill the void, if they're permitted to live.

Last year there was a reduction in TAC that reflected this.
Last year we sporties also took about a 33% hit on retention, in order to keep the commercial fishery afloat - It was claimed that the 'we' were historically over fishing our allotment and needed to be curtailed. The "magic" number that we were presumably over fishing was shifted over to the commercial interests.

WTF??? is about all that I can say.


The common people entrusted the commercial fishery AND the DFO to sustain our stocks. If any conservation measures are needed in doing so, it should come from the users that caused the problem - I maintain that IF there wasn't a commercial fishery on OUR common property, we wouldn't have conservation issues to begin with. That simple.

If the rumour of being reduced to 1 fish becomes gospel, that'll be a 70+ percent reduction of retention in just 2 years for sporties. I fairly think it should be the other way around... After all, this is a Common Property that is owned by all Canadians. We shouldn't be bending over so easily.


Another note. The hali spotfishery is just a minuscule drop in the bucket. We could close our season down completely and it wouldn't do squat for conservation concerns. All it would do is buy a little more fishing time for other users. BIG DEAL.

If the reduced TAC of last year, combined with the GROSS fiasco of taking food from Average Joe's family mouths wasn't enough, well then, **** you DFO! We want OUR fishery back. You're fired!


If people can't tell, I'm REALLY pizzed.... Not absolutely sure with whom though - MANY people don't take the time to learn just 'how' DFO dreams this shit up. I also have a hard time swallowing that it's good for us who like to self-sustain, go hungry,,, yet it's OK to ship the same product world freaking wide.

Guess I'm mad at a lot of people. :sad:

[Johnnybear]

I feel the anger fella. I'm choked as well. I know you have done a ton of research on the matter and it is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks for that post.

[thunderheart]

alot of this has to do with the americans and their TAC and where their numbers come in .. its across the table/across the line negotiations ..i am not saying the commercial fleets are not to blame but i know the shit that the commercial boys have to go thru when dealing with individual boat quotas ..in the 1970's there was major damage done to the stocks via the way the hali was fished .. shot gun openings .. mass destruction of the species and then the halibut commission was started and quotas evoked from previous catches ..even now if a vessel has 10000 lb quota it is reduced by the percentage that the commission decides... 40% reduction means 6000 lbs ..big chunk of a lively hood , that goes for guides too . i have always thought that guiders should be licensed under the commercial dfo mandates

dont get me wrong i agree with Mr Dean .. it is bull that the sport fleet always seems to takes the hit

[ratherbefishin]

I would just like to know how they VERIFIED the number of halibut the sports fleet were supposed to have taken if they didn't do an actual creel count.Flying around in an airplane and counting boats with a scotchman out and extrapolating numbers of halibut caught from that seems highly inaccurate-especially if they are going to bring in restrictions based on mere supposition.Last year I caught three halibut,in the 20-30 lb range-hardly decimating the species

[Krico]

Mr. Dean - I couldn't agree more.

What a boatload of b.s.

[fireonethree]

Up here the locals are talking about 1/1 this year from DFO. Of course, this is not verified yet, but it is looking like a reality.

Thunderheart, you mentioned that it might be a good idea for the guides to be licensed as well. I agree. Proper certification (training, safety, Transport Canada, etc) would all help bring a level of professionalism to the industry.

My worry is that licensing the honest folk will come at a cost - nothing with DFO is free, and it might push the fly-by-night operators underground so that they would still do charters, but not declare it to anyone. Once this happens, it is virtually impossible to enforce and prove, and it will damage the industry.

-F13

[thunderheart]

you mentioned that it might be a good idea for the guides to be licensed as well. I agree. Proper certification (training, safety, Transport Canada, etc) would all help bring a level of professionalism to the industry.

My worry is that licensing the honest folk will come at a cost - nothing with DFO is free, and it might push the fly-by-night operators underground so that they would still do charters, but not declare it to anyone. Once this happens, it is virtually impossible to enforce and prove, and it will damage the industry.

-F13

that has always been a concern for sure...personally i hate all the paper work ,fees licensing /logging and hailing in and out bs that dfo has come up with .. but it sure has help cut down on the poaching end of things, the sneaking in those few... shall we call it by catches ie 20 or 30 hali and red cod a trip etc... we have done it to ourselves really imo

along with the guides being licensed comes fuel breaks/moorage/ tax breaks/write offs etc, just like the commercial fleet ..lets face it, hunting guides,wilderness outfitters all have to be licensed ,loggers, miners,cant just go take .... i feel that if you are going to make money off of harvesting, for profit, our natural resources, then there should be licensing/accountability in place ..

.. IF and thats a big word ..if the guides were to be licensed under dfo
then at least there could be some standards and regulations .. large license numbers on the vessels not unlike the commercial fleet would have to be displayed, resulting in the ability to monitor better the commercial guide end of it .. then the boys would at least be able to semi police the operation them selves , (RAPP) just like the commercial fleet is supposed to do .. then fines and penalties BIG TIME need to be imposed ....its not a perfect world for sure. I do not like that the few make it impossible for the many to enjoy our resources.
i guess its all supposition really .. its sad

nice website btw ..professional looking

[ratherbefishin]

Last year was a lousy year for spring salmon,but we picked up 3 ''chicken'' halibut,so all in all not too bad.I love getting out-but some fresh fish is nice too.You just can't expect people to shell out $300 to $400 for a charter if they don't THINK they have a chance at getting a fish or two.I don't know[nor do I want to] what the price per pound I'm paying for my ''free'' fish-but its a heck of a lot more than the highest price I could pay in the fish market.
Funny-the federal government is bending over backwards to support the auto industry[with my tax dollars] -but doesn't seem to pay much attention to the fishing and forestry industry in BC....

[Sitkaspruce]

Here is a link to what the minister has said about the quota. Read the actual letter about half way down.

No anouncement on when and what we will be able to keep, might be tomorrow or maybe.............????

DFO is a lost cause on this one and many others.

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11535

Cheers

SS

[ratherbefishin]

But how do they know how many halibut were caught by recreational anglers with any degree of accuracy if they didn't even conduct a creel survey?Did they just pull figures out of the air?I have NEVER been checked either on the water or at the dock.All we have ever seen is a plane fly over us-is that a ''scientific'' survey?A couple of years ago we saw a long line off Jordan river which was supposed to be a ''test'' fishery-but did they keep the halibut or release them?[chances are the long line caught more halibut than the whole recreational fishery combined]

[goatdancer]

Are those 'fly-over scientific counts' able to determine how many people in the boat are fishing? Or even how many people are in the boat? DFO needs to put more people in the field and less in the big HQ building in Ontario or Quebec (wherever it is).

[Mr. Dean]

If ya ever get a chance to see just one halibut boat (long-liner) emptying out its holds, the picture is definitely well painted. It's a sickening sight.

And we haven't even scratched wasted tonnage yet.


I'm sick and tired of being 'expected', to take it up the chute and having to give up MY rights just to pleasure/sustain another's. Common Property should not be limited to the Common People. We (sport-fishers) should be the ones that regulation protects, not hamper. Stick the limitations up the "chute" of the user group that causes the problems, and make it 'their' call on being accountable and fish sustainably.

After all, whats the point in having regulations?


The guide debate doesn't fly with me either. These guys supply service and access for Common People to our Common Property (like a Taxi gets you to the store). Besides, it doesn't matter how you divide the pie when there's only so much of it to go around.

Instead, we need to take a good look at the root of the evil. As it works now, Guide catch is rec. catch.... It's still a minuscule portion of the TAC. Lumping them as Commercial won't do a thing for conservation, just likely restrict a few more Common Folk. :wink:

[Sitkaspruce]

But how do they know how many halibut were caught by recreational anglers with any degree of accuracy if they didn't even conduct a creel survey?Did they just pull figures out of the air?I have NEVER been checked either on the water or at the dock.All we have ever seen is a plane fly over us-is that a ''scientific'' survey?A couple of years ago we saw a long line off Jordan river which was supposed to be a ''test'' fishery-but did they keep the halibut or release them?[chances are the long line caught more halibut than the whole recreational fishery combined]

I guess you must be fishing in an area that is secret:wink::p

I was checked 7 times last year in Port Mcneill and Port Hardy at the wharf, and was only on the water 16 times. They asked all the usual stuff and took measurements of all the fish, including scale samples and such. My guess they use the wharf info and extrapolate it with the boats seen fishing in an area. Was also flown over a lot as well.

When I talked to the creel gal, she said there was three people who did it for the north island alone, and that the lodges had to submit their own info to DFO.

I have mixed feeling about the creel info, a part of me wants to tell them I caught no fish, and another part of me wants to let them see the fish and take the info. At no time did I, nor should any of us, ever come down on them for what they are doing. Some of the stuff I have seen them have to deal with from other fishers makes me shake my head. They are just doing a job to pay the bills and keep food on the table. They do not work for DFO, they work for a company called Archipeligo Marine Research.

I remember when all this allocation stuff was being discussed that there was very little info on recreational catch of hali's, while there was tons from the commercial sector. DFO went with what they had at the time and have been screwing us ever since.

I fully agree with Mr. Dean, that we are going to get IT again and again until someone wakes up and see's the economic downfall that this creates with smaller communities, the smaller places on the coast will soon become less attractive to tourists and fisherpersons.

Stay tuned.....

SS

[ratherbefishin]

I fish out of Sooke Harbour,we run up to Jordan,Sombrio and Lost Creek-only ONCE in 15 years have I been checked on the water and maybe a couple of times at the dock.How can they POSSABLY extrapolate recreational halibut catch with so little verifiable data-much less formulate catch limits and seasons?Lets say they DID happen to check me on a day when I had 2 halibut-but if they take that day as an example-they are making a huge assumption-I sat and soaked bait MANY more times and came up with zero-and that is with Guide too.I'd be very happy to accept the same quota as spring salmon-20 fish,dated and detailed where I caught them.I'd even send my old licence in at the end of the year if the data would help-that at least would be better than guessing.

[thunderheart]

If ya ever get a chance to see just one halibut boat (long-liner) emptying out its holds, the picture is definitely well painted. It's a sickening sight.

And we haven't even scratched wasted tonnage yet.



lol . what would you say that is ..lol

[Mr. Dean]

lol . what would you say that is ..lol

It's the nature of the beast. Commercial fishing isn't pretty.


For detailed info on ALL aspects of the Halibut Fishery, google IPHC then grab a couple bottles of wine and start making notes. Then take that data and start drawing lines; It makes for real groovy pictures once all the wine has been consumed.


Wastage covers everthing from lost gear ----> fish that over 'soaked', and predation while on the hook soaking.

[thunderheart]

the wine helps tho hmmm?

[Mr. Dean]

the wine helps tho hmmm?

Necessity.


Narcotics are even better, when/if available - It's a lot of real "dry" reading; one needs to be motivated in order to absorb it.

[Mr. Dean]

For your reading pleasure:



http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Letter_from_Minister_Page_1.jpg


http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Letter_from_Minister_Page_2.jpg


Contains some very interesting statements.... :mad:

I especially like the that goes:
poses difficult financial and legal risks for the department


No Kidding! :roll:

But instead of 'dealing' with it, DFO tries to sweep it aside????

[ratherbefishin]

well at least they are honest in saying where their priorities lie-''financial and legal risks for the DEPARTMENT''

[Mr. Dean]

As for trying to come up with the BEST comment for the thread title, "Halibut Updates".................. Absurd, at best. :roll:


For any wanting to know, I'm an enthusiast only - I don't sit on any boards and I don't Guide. I'm a guy that likes to take his family out for a week of targeting halibut for the freezer and will extend an invite out to 'newbs' (1 or 2 friends) to join us for a weekend of that same week. Last year, the changes that were purposed would've broken our desires and between what was proposed, and what became reality, kept us 'in'. But BARELY.

It was when the rumours of last season started to surface and the speculation began (conservation issues vs. power struggles), I started sifting numbers, reading papers and writing letters, in order to form my own sound opinion.

Soooo, I sit here now and honestly wonder if we'll be making this trip any longer. I just can't see, me and the MANY more of the like, that could any longer justify making this one time annual journey if any more restrictions are placed. Ocean fishing takes great sacrifice and dedication ( I personally worked 2 full-time jobs just to pay for a sea worthy boat) that is only compounded if one doesn't live on the beach (read: has limited access). When added up, the costs are absolutely silly.


IMHO, the Allocations of this resource should mirror how our 'land-based' critters are divied up - The Common People (Hunters/Fisherman) GET what they demonstrate need for, and the allocation transfer begins ---> Not the other way around!!

Last year, the quota reduction that was placed on the entire fishery was supposed to be more than enough medicine to sustain the stocks... It's time to face reality and make the 88% takers of the resource (lease holders) accountable for their fishing practices.


DFO; It may be HIGH TIME to stop giving away our resource. You have Common, sustainable Folk, demonstrating through need that they require MORE access to the resource, yet you continue on with letting this resource go to waste with practises that aren't sustainable..... WHY would you do that?

I really don't 'get it'.

And then you somehow *think* that in placing "Heavy Handed" restrictions on a sustainable 12% user group, is going to be the Holy Grail of answers to your problems, when in actuality, it'll just push members of this group out entirely...... Could this be your real wisdom? Elimination of one group in order to sustain the other?? Just because the minority will make less fuss for you, and your "Department" will have less fires to put out???

As said earlier; Absurd, at best.



Now where's my %$@*^& narc's. :mad:

[Johnnybear]

As for trying to come up with the BEST comment for the thread title, "Halibut Updates".................. Absurd, at best. :roll:


For any wanting to know, I'm an enthusiast only - I don't sit on any boards and I don't Guide. I'm a guy that likes to take his family out for a week of targeting halibut for the freezer and will extend an invite out to 'newbs' (1 or 2 friends) to join us for a weekend of that same week. Last year, the changes that were purposed would've broken our desires and between what was proposed, and what became reality, kept us 'in'. But BARELY.

It was when the rumours of last season started to surface and the speculation began (conservation issues vs. power struggles), I started sifting numbers, reading papers and writing letters, in order to form my own sound opinion.

Soooo, I sit here now and honestly wonder if we'll be making this trip any longer. I just can't see, me and the MANY more of the like, that could any longer justify making this one time annual journey if any more restrictions are placed. Ocean fishing takes great sacrifice and dedication ( I personally worked 2 full-time jobs just to pay for a sea worthy boat) that is only compounded if one doesn't live on the beach (read: has limited access). When added up, the costs are absolutely silly.


IMHO, the Allocations of this resource should mirror how our 'land-based' critters are divied up - The Common People (Hunters/Fisherman) GET what they demonstrate need for, and the allocation transfer begins ---> Not the other way around!!

Last year, the quota reduction that was placed on the entire fishery was supposed to be more than enough medicine to sustain the stocks... It's time to face reality and make the 88% takers of the resource (lease holders) accountable for their fishing practices.


DFO; It may be HIGH TIME to stop giving away our resource. You have Common, sustainable Folk, demonstrating through need that they require MORE access to the resource, yet you continue on with letting this resource go to waste with practises that aren't sustainable..... WHY would you do that?

I really don't 'get it'.

And then you somehow *think* that in placing "Heavy Handed" restrictions on a sustainable 12% user group, is going to be the Holy Grail of answers to your problems, when in actuality, it'll just push members of this group out entirely...... Could this be your real wisdom? Elimination of one group in order to sustain the other?? Just because the minority will make less fuss for you, and your "Department" will have less fires to put out???

As said earlier; Absurd, at best.



Now where's my %$@*^& narc's. :mad:


Stand. Clap, clap, clap, clap.

[fireonethree]

that has always been a concern for sure...personally i hate all the paper work ,fees licensing /logging and hailing in and out bs that dfo has come up with .. but it sure has help cut down on the poaching end of things, the sneaking in those few... shall we call it by catches ie 20 or 30 hali and red cod a trip etc... we have done it to ourselves really imo

along with the guides being licensed comes fuel breaks/moorage/ tax breaks/write offs etc, just like the commercial fleet ..lets face it, hunting guides,wilderness outfitters all have to be licensed ,loggers, miners,cant just go take .... i feel that if you are going to make money off of harvesting, for profit, our natural resources, then there should be licensing/accountability in place ..

.. IF and thats a big word ..if the guides were to be licensed under dfo
then at least there could be some standards and regulations .. large license numbers on the vessels not unlike the commercial fleet would have to be displayed, resulting in the ability to monitor better the commercial guide end of it .. then the boys would at least be able to semi police the operation them selves , (RAPP) just like the commercial fleet is supposed to do .. then fines and penalties BIG TIME need to be imposed ....its not a perfect world for sure. I do not like that the few make it impossible for the many to enjoy our resources.
i guess its all supposition really .. its sad

nice website btw ..professional looking


I used to commercial fish halibut, and I hear you the on bs that DFO continues to dream up. Some of it works in the real world and I think has helped in the accountability, but I am sure some of it was dreamed up at an Ottawa office by people that have no idea about halibut fishing.

If the sporties switch to be regulated by DFO, I would hate to see the additional costs downloaded onto the operators like they have done with the commercial guys. Cameras, observers and dockside validation are great ideas fo accountability, but not so good when the fishers are paying for these incredible fees to Archipelego as such.

Maybe you are onto something by assigning CFV numbers to charter operators, as long as the fees were realistic. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of faith in DFO anymore. It would be nice to see better enforcement on the waters with tougher penalties. Heck, I would even consider regional licenses or residency requirements. Locally, a lot of our 'fly-by-night' operators come in for a few months each summer from out of province. I know they are not all bad, but they do seem to attract the attention of enforcement.

Thanks for the kudos on the site!

-F13

[thunderheart]

but I am sure some of it was dreamed up at an Ottawa office by people that have no idea about halibut fishing.



i always say that the dfo is run by farm kids from manitoba that have never seen a real fish except suckers and trout... i think there are very few that have faith in dfo anymore. Very difficult for a fishermen to make sound business decisions based on dfo's inability to manage properly..
hope you have agreat season:smile:..is rupert still a hussle bussle place in the summer? ..lol i miss the buzz

[fireonethree]

I know my old skipper is pulling his hair out with the halibut cutbacks and policies. His arguments are sound and, really, common sense...something that the 'politicals' seem to have bred out of their gene pool.

Both sides are getting it (sporties and commercial), save the Alaskans who probably have a long term plan for this (backed with their scientific data).

I am glad to be out of the commercial sector, but maybe I just changed pots.:shock:

Rupert is still busy in the summer, although not as crazy as it was a decade ago. I think the hay-day is over, and we are into a different time. No more seiner crews walking around with wads of cash, but it can still get exciting during the evenings! The summer is ramping well, even with the big downturn.

-F13

[Piperdown]

Halibut opens March 1st, limits to be announced on Wed. Feb 25th. Talk is one a day till June 30th then 2 a day for July and August.

[thunderheart]

I know my old skipper is pulling his hair out with the halibut cutbacks and policies. His arguments are sound and, really, common sense...something that the 'politicals' seem to have bred out of their gene pool.

Both sides are getting it (sporties and commercial), save the Alaskans who probably have a long term plan for this (backed with their scientific data).

I am glad to be out of the commercial sector, but maybe I just changed pots.:shock:

Rupert is still busy in the summer, although not as crazy as it was a decade ago. I think the hay-day is over, and we are into a different time. No more seiner crews walking around with wads of cash, but it can still get exciting during the evenings! The summer is ramping well, even with the big downturn.

-F13 I cant quite remember, wasnt it the alaskans that had over fished horribly in the 70's and thats what almost put an end to the halibut fishing period. ? Back when there were shot gun openings .no policing at all to the industry? no quotas or monitoring of anykind? i think so .. lol long time ago .. i was just a green horn wandering the docks looking for a "chance " to join an industry i thought would make a great life choice...

I have friends that make there living fishing hali .. they are all struggling with the decrease in their quotas and you can see real concern on their faces.

I raised a family on fishing income, we gambled and bought boats and licences, home schooled the kids while we struggled to stay in the industry, but it was good life, honest work....back then if you worked hard you had a darn good chance of making a go of it.. lots of sweat and lots of hrs and come mid winter you had another season under your belt..... i really feel for these guys now trying to make payments on what they had considered a viable industry.. ie boats, gear, insurance, quota, cameras, and monitors not to mention time away from their families.. not like it was 25 or 30 yrs ago

the sporties have certainly taken their hit too ..its to bad really, i mean i love to go out and jig my share, nothing better than a 40 or 50 lber.. mmmm

ah well life is changing everywhere we look .. these are trying times for sure for the sports fishermen and the commercial sector

i sure do miss the rush of salmon season .. the excitement . the sights and sounds, the smell of the net sheds, the laughter of the crews as they all talk about what they will do with ther crew share .. maybe just maybe if they have a good yr they will buy there own boats .. lol and rupert was such a big part of that.. the long run up from vancouver island.. the drone that the engine left in your head as you wandered thru town .. ahhhh

sorry was reminiscing with smile on my face there for a moment..

[ratherbefishin]

A halibut charter is going to run you pretty close to $500[6 hrs@$80 per hour]and if you pick up a couple of chickens to take home its a good day.Lots of days I've just soaked bait-so imposing a 1 fish limit is pretty harsh on the days when they ARE biting.I'd be happy with a 2 fish per day 10 fish limit for the season-thats a lot of halibut for a family-besides they;re better fresh than frozen so I generally give most of it away as a special treat.

I know its the perenial arguement with huge vested interests on each side but I still say the economics of the sport fleet return a way higher dollar per fish to the economy than the commercial long line fleet,even if you just looked at the charter boats.Assuming I did get my 2 fish limit-EVERY TRIP OUT I'm still paying $250 per fish.....and lots of days I've come home with just a good boat ride-no fish at all.Last year was my best year-two trips -3 halibut and it made up for one of the poorest salmon seasons in a while -only 5 springs on my card last summer[I've never filled it]I generally get out about 6 trips in the spring/summer for halibut and salmon and 2 or 3 in the winter for winter springs.

[BlacktailStalker]

Yeah thats pretty sad and thats what it comes down to, is it worth the gas $ to travel, gas $ to get to the hali grounds for "x" amount of meat ?
I think they're going to be finding a lot of the big "breeders" coming in whereas before a lot of hardcores will make sure those ones swim free.
Lb for lb lots of guys wont justify the cake for a 40lb chicken.

[thunderheart]

Yeah thats pretty sad and thats what it comes down to, is it worth the gas $ to travel, gas $ to get to the hali grounds for "x" amount of meat ?
Lb for lb lots of guys wont justify the cake for a 40lb chicken.


honestly tho is it not the hunt/the trip/ the what ifs that make it all worth it .. some folks spend hellacious amounts of money on guided hunts ..only to bring home a rack and cape.....just thoughts ..:D

[BlacktailStalker]

Yeah I think hali fishing is more of a "purpose" fishery but I hear ya.

[Mr. Dean]

I think that for the vast people that need to travel, Hali fishing encompasses a bit of both. I like meat in my freezer and I like the chance of hooking a behemoth.

The reduction of 3 ---> 2 last year meant that the shipping costs would be more expensive for a weeks turn. If a size limit ever enters the equation, I would be out, hands down,,, without a doubt.

With a 2 fish retention though, I'm swinging. 6 fish seemed to do us "good" for the year (family of 2) and I have a hard time telling a family of 4 or 6 that two fish is all that they "require", unless they're willing too take on additional hardship/co$ts.


It shouldn't be against the law to self-sustain ones family. Especially to preserve someone a meal in a foreign country.

I saw a notice that we'll be able to keep 2 fish for July and August, the rest of the season is limited to 1. Didn't see any size restrictions. I think this is goin to hurt....

[Johnnybear]

Halibut opens March 1st, limits to be announced on Wed. Feb 25th. Talk is one a day till June 30th then 2 a day for July and August.

Thanks Piperdown. I will be looking at DFO's website on the 25th for the update. Doesn't sound too bad for the folks that live on the coast and fish for multi species in a single day.

[ratherbefishin]

A 1 fish limit is going to hurt the charter business-not a lot of people are going to want to shell out close to $500 to maybe catch 1 halibut.....the other thing I worry about is people keeping on fishing,releasing fish that might not survive.Sure-they may come home with their 1 halibut-but how many more did they kill?

[jtark6]

I am a commercial fisherman and i fish out of prince rupert.. The amount of halibut and salmon caught by sports fishermen there is absurd. I have never seen any fisheries officer at any of the three main wharfs there, i have to agree that there absolutely no scientific data on sports caught fish. As a commercial fisherman we are accountable for every fish of any species we catch and it is impossible to fudge the numbers, as we are on camera 24/7. And all of our tapes are reviewed. It really pisses me off how sports fisherman are whining about getting a bigger quota when it makes no difference when the numbers are not being kept in any record...

[Johnnybear]

Here's the update from DFO's site FWIW.

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=115450&ID=recreational

Looks like it's opening and we can expect in season changes.