By Jan Beecher, Westcoaster.ca

http://www.westcoaster.ca/news/vancouver_island/10879-Halibut-Sport-Fishing-Continues-Suffer.html

Recreational and sport halibut fishermen say they are upset with a Tuesday annoucement that will allow them to purchase licences and lease quota off commercial harvesters.

Department of Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea also announced today the distribution of the Pacific halibut harvest will continue to be 88 per cent to commercial fishermen and 12 per cent to recreation fishermen.

“It’s a very, very upsetting announcement for us,” said Rob Alcock, spokesperson for the B.C. Sports Fishing Coalition. “She’s abandoned the recreational angler again and left it at the same distribution.”

Alcock suggested that by saying recreational fishing resorts have to buy a licence, the ministry is basically promoting the privatization of our natural resources.

The coalition spent much of 2009 trying to educate the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that the sport fishing industry is a valuable economic resource.

“We thought we’d made a clear message to the minister,” said Alcock. “They don’t seem to see the value of the recreational fishing industry. For her to come out with an 88 and 12 distribution again just proves that.”

According to Alcock, recreational fisheries in Washington state and Alaska receive 36 and 37 per cent allocations, respectively.

Shea’s announcement included the appointment of Parliamentary secretary Randy Kamp, member of Parliament from Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission, to work with the DFO and develop some options for her to consider prior to the start of the 2012 halibut season.

This is just more bad news in Alcock’s opinion.

“We’re not very optimistic about having Kamp. To date he’s shown no interest in recreational fisheries. Kamp is a gentleman that for many years has supported the commercial fishery and has ignored recreational fishing.”

Alcock said that Kamp won’t return calls or attend meetings when invited by the coalition.

Brian Clarkson, manager of the Canadian Princess Resort in Ucluelet, was also upset by the announcement.

“That’s the worst news we could have heard. We shouldn’t have to buy what is ours.”

Clarkson entered into correspondence with the government in January 2009, writing a letter to both the prime minister and to Shea, asking the halibut distribution and quotas for recreational fishing be reconsidered.

He heard back from Stephen Harper’s office, which told him the government agreed that his concerns were legitimate and Minister Shea would be informed that the issue should be attended to.

Clarkson is extremely disappointed with this turn of events.

An international halibut treaty allows Canada a certain quota of fish, he explained. First Nations get their allotment off the top and the remaining is distributed between commercial and recreational fisheries.

Recreational fishing includes individuals and guests at resorts and lodges as well as those who take guided fishing trips.

The distribution since 2003 has been 88 per cent to commercial and 12 per cent to recreational.

The limit for halibut catch to the recreational angler is one per day, with a maximum of two in possession.

“Once we start buying licenses, we’re commercial and should be entitled to that 88 per cent,” said Clarkson.

Tuesday’s announcement was just bad news in his opinion.

“We’re fighting to have a more fair distribution of this resource,” he said. He and other recreational fishing businesses are hoping to see something in the range of 20-25 per cent.

Recreational fishing is far reaching in towns like Ucluelet, Clarkson explained. Tourists come into town to fish, but they buy gas, groceries and eat at local restaurants.

“If we don’t have support, a lot of people are going to go broke. Sport fishing in Ucluelet is like the auto industry in Windsor.”

Clarkson pointed out that his industry has also been hit hard by the HST, something that commercial fisheries are not subjected to.

The Canadian Princess used to operate for five months of the year, now they only open for three.

Clarkson said he knows of at least resorts that won’t open at all this year. They’ve gone out of business.