Dear editor,
In recent weeks there has been considerable discussion on the issue of halibut allocation. I would like to clarify my position on this issue.
Concerned anglers want to ensure that they maintain their access to a public resource. As a recreational fisher, this is a position that I strongly support.
There have been many developments in recent years that have influenced the management of and pressures on B.C.’s halibut stocks.
For example, B.C.’s commercial halibut fishery changed to 100 per cent monitoring using camera technology in 2006, and has become integrated with the ground fishery. The design of this fishery has ended bycatch waste and depoliticized the allocation of the resource within the commercial sector.
At the same time, the commercial sector of the recreational halibut fishery (guides and lodges) has grown dramatically to become an important contributor to our economy, but has also increased pressure on the recreational allocation.
We are currently in a cyclical decline in halibut abundance on the West Coast, to the point that the current total allowable catch is about half of what it was four years ago.
This obviously puts pressure on all users of the resource as they try to maintain their livelihoods and recreational pursuits in the face of decreasing catch. In response to this, it is understandable that people are focusing on who gets access to the fish.
The key concern that we must focus on, however, is the sustainability of the resource.
Management of this fishery, including allocation decisions, should be based on science, thorough monitoring and good management principles. There are many examples historically to demonstrate that decisions based on politics rather than science rarely yield the best result for the fishery.
A lasting and equitable solution will require all of the parties to work together in good faith and with the best interest of the resource in mind. Our primary concern must remain the health and sustainability of the fishery, and any change must provide a fair balance between the unique West Coast requirements of the First Nation, recreation and commercial sectors.
John Duncan
Editor’s note: John Duncan is the Vancouver Island North MP and minister of Indian affairs.
