Originally Posted by JimInAK
Originally Posted by Sitka deer
Originally Posted by MontanaCreekHunter
Originally Posted by Calvin
It’s a complex issue.


VERY! And a lot on the line for both sides financially, as well as the state.

One of the biggest mistakes was going to IFQ's. You know the saying, "The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Grease"? Well the squeaky wheel got it, just not how those pushing it had envisioned it would be.

Trawling should be banned in all North American waters for every fishery. Actually I will say that they should be banned worldwide!

Big fish are breeders, but you need little fish to grow into big fish!

As for the commercial side of Halibut fishing as in Longlining they should go back to a modified Derby days. I know, I know, I know it cost the boats more money. Well something has to give and if it means costing a little more than that's what it needs to be.

As for Sport fishing Guides and Lodges need to be capped. Grandfather all lodges and guides as of Today. No more new lodges or guides. You must buy out an existing guide or lodge. Figure out a workable quota for the existing Guides and Lodges. They have to be able to provided their clients with fish!

I am sure anyone on either side of this can shoot holes in my opinion. But at least it is a start in the right direction.

I think the IFQs are exactly what the planners were trying to make then into. They dropped the various rules preventing accumulation of quota so fast they proved they had no intention of following the rules from the get go.

I disagree completely on the notion fishing guides are a problem. They provide access to people from everywhere to a public resource allocated by law to users first, not rapists and pillagers selling the resource. After the people get their fish the longliners should get theirs.

I believe a set aside of at least 50:1 for every killed and wasted halibut by the draggers would clean up the industry overnight. The bycatch exceeds the subsistence, personal use, sport, and charter catch combined by a multiplier of about three... Hard to accept the sports guys as the problem.


I generally agree with Art on this too.

My thoughts are to make the draggers retain the bycatch in salable order until they return it to the docks and then donated to worthy charities. Dumping bycatch seems to be a direct violation of wanton waste laws (yes, I understand the intent of current regs.). More bycatch in holds, less salable fish to send to market.

Probably a few regs/laws to maneuver to make it happen, if even plausible. Point being, dumping bycatch costs the fleet little. Make a dent in their pocketbook and they will find a way to comply.



I agree with your comments but the critical point on retaining all halibut bycatch is to count it. It is obvious only a small segment is reported and seeing the real numbers would shock everyone... probably even the draggers.

Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.