The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is recommending federal regulators move ahead with a controversial halibut catch sharing plan in Southeast Alaska (Area 2C), but not in Southcentral (Area 3A).
"We are not suggesting permanently postponing implementation of the CSP in Area 3A, but do think a more comprehensive review that is informed by current conditions and the proposed CSP management structure is appropriate at this time," Fish and Game Deputy Commissioner David Bedford writes in this eight-page letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The catch sharing plan would allocate halibut between the competing commercial and charter boat fleets.
In Area 3A, which takes in the flagship halibut port of Homer, the catch sharing plan has sparked controversy for its potential to cut the bag limit for charter anglers from two fish per day to one.
NMFS took public comments on the catch sharing plan through Sept. 21, and received hundreds of comments by the deadline. The Fish and Game letter was among the comments received.
To read comments online, click here.
Typical and predictable. Vote pandering.
ReplyDeleteWait and see or the back burner approach is always the safest according to current trends of Fish and Game management.
ReplyDeleteThis is the same plan ADF&G originally voted for. The State of Alaska's favorite footwear apparently is the flip flop. If you want people to invest in fishing, there needs to be some long term consistency to management; policy should not change every time the wind blows (or a poll comes out).
ReplyDelete