By Yasmin Aboelsaud, Westerly Contributor January 26, 2012



A federal plan to retire chinook salmon licenses in the B.C. fishery is not popular with the local fishing community.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) sees the $28.5 million buyback program as a way to enhance the economic viability of the commercial chinook troll fishery of the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

"To an active fisherman like myself, it doesn't really mean much," says Ucluelet fisherman Doug Kimoto, who owns an Area G license for commercial troll fishing on the West Coast. "I'm not willing to sell my license for such a low price."

The buyback is the latest development under the Pacific Salmon Treaty. This 2009 treaty with the United States includes a 30 per cent reduction in catch for ten years for the West Coast area. The intent is for the American fishery to bounce back. Canada was compensated with cash.

Kimoto said the 30 per cent loss of catch has a huge impact on fishermen and coastal communities on the island.

"There are a lot of fishermen that would like to retire, or have health problems and want to get out of the industry, but right now they are not getting fair market value for their licenses."

By not allowing them to fish, Kimoto says DFO is driving down the value of licenses.

Ucluelet mayor Bill Irving agrees four years of cutbacks and constraints means questionable value for the licenses.

"They are not going to get what they would for a strong healthy licence," says Irving, adding that buyback programs undermine collaborative local effort.

"The communities, First Nations, and environmental groups all met and proposed to the government to not use buybacks," Irving said.

"There are the grocery stores, fishing docks, repair shops and restaurants. There's a huge part of the econ-omy that is affected by this."

Kimoto said an independent study valued a troll licence at $150,000, but he says the buyback will not offer that much.

"In the proper buyback, they should have considered buying the whole fishing enterprise; the boat, the gear and the licence."

Under this program, if a fishermen sells a licence they still have their boat and will need to pay moorage and maintenance costs.

A committee formed to consider the treaty, and Kimoto said it hoped that in the event of a buyback, licences would be put in a trust - or a licensing bank - so they could be accessible to future generations when stocks improve.

"We're discouraged because the federal government doesn't seem to have a vision promoting fisheries on the West Coast and supporting it," says Irving.

COMPENSATION MONEY

Included in the compensation or mitigation money from the 2009 treaty is $500,000 which was earmarked for economic development strategies in affected communities.

Irving says they are still in discussions on how to use the money most effectively.

According to a DFO media release, applications were mailed at the end of December to invite commercial salmon troll license holders to submit bids to the department for permanent retirement of licenses.

The first round of the license buyback is directed at the Area G West Coast commercial troll fishery. A second round in early March will be for all commercial troll licence holders (Areas F, G, H).

DFO states it has engaged an independent consultant to establish fair market value for licenses.

The Pacific Salmon Treaty was signed by the Conservatives in 2008 during the prorogued Parliament.

At the time of negotiations, Kimoto says the Area G trollers requested representation at the talks but were not included.

"It wasn't really very fair for the West Coast of Vancouver Island trollers," says Kimoto. "The northern trollers get to be included in the buyback even though they didn't lose any fish in the singing of the treaty. Gulf trollers (Area H) are also allowed to participate in this buyback."

"To me, it's not a very good situation for Area G trollers. They are just going to accept the lower bids that are put in."

Irving said they are still working with DFO.

"I believe a lot of them understand the impacts of this political decision," said Irving. "We're working with it. We made our arguments upfront, they disagreed with it and now they've made their choice."

It is each fishermen's decision whether to keep or sell a license to the government.

Kimoto sticks by his decision not to sell.

"We are providing food to the country and the world. It [salmon] is a highly valued commodity, but we're getting pushed right out of the industry."

reporter@westerlynews.ca with files from Glacier Media
© Copyright (c) Postmedia News

The government rarely listens to ANY advice that doesn't mesh exactly with their own Agenda.

The ONLY time they want to hear from the General Public is of course to vote for them, at which time they will promise Anything to entice that. All such "promises" are of course absolutely non-binding when they do realize election.



And that, EXACTLY is where the Agenda lies with the troll fleet. The Dino greatly prefers the over-capacity non-selective bag fleets, and is doing it's damnest to destroy the one fishery that is target selective, and proven to be manageable both in terms of avoiding stocks of concern, and capacity.

Further to the "compensation" funding from the US:
That funding was earmarked for the singular purpose of offsetting the quota reduction to ONE sector, the ONLY one to take a hit in this regard (Area G Troll). Of course The Dino saw this as a windfall of sorts, and has now gone so far as to take the matter to court to ensure that those affected will NOT receive direct compensation, and that they can do whatever they feel like with the funds. Typical. But fits well with the above noted Agenda.

As one of those affected by all this BS, I had better stop there. Describing my full feelings in details would get me banned from here...

For now you can simply sign me off: Disgusted. Once Again...
Nog

It is sad isn't it...........




The more I think about it..... DFO has to go..