By Rachel Stern - Nanaimo News Bulletin
Published: January 26, 2012 12:00 PM

The recreational fishing economy is hurting because of the delayed announcement on 2012 halibut fishery quotas.

Guides, fishing lodges and charter companies are trying to book customers, but aren’t getting any bites because nothing has been announced about the season, said Clyde Wicks, chairman of the Sport Fishing Advisory Committee Nanaimo branch.

“It’s devastating to guides,” he said.

Wayne Harling, a member of the B.C. Coalition of Salt Water Anglers, said the announcement was expected months ago.

“This has a very profound impact on some coastal communities,” said Harling, adding the effects are deeper for smaller communities more reliant on the recreational sector.

Recreational fishermen expected an announcement before the end of 2011, which was later extended to the end of this month.

Wicks said anglers are now being told the announcement could be made before the beginning of the 2012 halibut season, which has typically been in February, but can be as late as March.

Last spring, former Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea appointed parliamentary secretary Randy Kamp to develop options for the 2012 season that addressed concerns from stakeholders. He examined issues of conservation, economic prosperity and flexibility options to transfer allotments between the commercial and recreational sector.

Robert Alcock, president of the Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia, said the recreational sector was promised there would be changes made to the halibut allocation policy.

Recreational fishermen want their portion of the catch increased, while the commercial sector wants the allocation percentages to remain the same. The halibut fishery is split 88 to 12 per cent between the commercial and recreational fisheries. First Nations also receive a portion, which is allocated before the split.

Wicks said anglers want a percentage that will enable them to fish from the typical start of the season in February to the end of December and maintain a two halibut possession limit.

The International Pacific Halibut Commission, an international organization formed in 1923 by a convention between the Canadian and U.S. governments to research and manage Pacific halibut stocks, met this week in Anchorage, Ala. to determine each country’s total allowable catch for the year.

Last year’s total allowable catch was 7.6 million pounds. The recreation sector’s portion was 947,760 pounds and the commercial portion was about 6.7 million.

Tamee Karim, Department of Fisheries and Oceans manager of ground fish, said Canada first needs to know its total allowable catch for the season before announcing when the season will open. She added that determining total allowable catch limits is a separate issue from changes to the quotas.

She said any announcements regarding changes to the halibut fishery will come from Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield.

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