Monday, December 5, 2011

More on halibut

Here is the official press release from last week's International Pacific Halibut Commission meeting in Seattle, where the scientific staff recommended catch limits for the 2012 season.

Evidently, at least one prominent Alaskan, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, was none too pleased with the proceedings and issued this statement:

"It is disappointing to hear further reductions are likely, and that the IPHC is suggesting potentially drastic model changes may be needed that would cause steeper reductions. Whether the changes are incorporated this year or in future years, the discussion creates more uncertainty for the commercial fishing industry, sport charter businesses, and Alaska's fishing communities that have already taken a serious economic hit from reduced harvest levels and changing management measures.

"I'm also concerned at the manner the commission staff presented its findings and data. Conflicting information, lack of clear recommendations, topped off by an abrupt end to the public portion of the meeting combined to leave important questions unanswered about the crucial steps needed to ensure the health of our halibut resource and fisheries."

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Our esteemed Senator is way out of her league here. She knows not what she is discussing. Maybe, UFA can come with another pro "fisher" that can advise her on fishing related matters, though make sure he is not an "Arnie"!

Anonymous said...

Agreed. Out of her depth? Hard aground is more like it. Management should be as free of politics as possible.

Anonymous said...

And hopefully Lisa will show up at the Annual Meeting and speak, with her complete circle of imbeciles in tow.

The biomass in her office also needs a scientific study related to genetic makeup.

Lisa's Fishin for Tuition, is a lifetime mission.

Anonymous said...

Who wrote Lisa's comments? No way did she, or her staff attend or even pay attention to the IPHC.

Must be a big contributor in the woodwork.

Anonymous said...

thats exactly whats wrong with just about all the fisheries. you've got to keep the politics out of management. politicians really have no idea how to manage fisheries, they can barely manage themselves

Anonymous said...

Can we get Arnie, to stop by at the Annual Meeting, Lisa' could bring him along, and then we could have a few Canadian Members of the IPHC, ask a few question of how these criminals are promoted to the Congress and UFA?

Stock Assessment, a genetic defect at the UFA and Lisa's Office, just like Daddy Franks, where legislation n the congress is always about another outhouse, a bridge in Ketchikan, and a paved driveway on the Kenai.

UFA, I Vote Scab!

http://www.iphc.int/presentations/SA2010-HANA.pdf

Anonymous said...

A record breaking Confederate Queen, how do you spell MurkeyWaters? Queen of the Year at UFA!

Fuglov's, Democrats from Petersburg, forever!

In the buildup to his historic 1954 victory as a write-in candidate for the Senate, South Carolina's Strom Thurmond(D) distributed signature pencils with his name clearly etched on the side.

Anonymous said...

Keep the politics out of this and leave it up to the scientists.
The bycatch issues must be finally addressed

Anonymous said...

Seems like an exaggerated attempt
to win back the hearts and minds of
Alaska's fisherman.This is her first bold fisheries statement since her Fuglvog scandal began.A bit over the
top, and against the protectors of the
Fishery. What campaign contributing
groups info would she like us to use.
Maybe their info is flawed, why doesn't
she get them the funding they need to make it accurate. IF she really cares
why not look into all the hundreds of
accusations that the Draggers could be
responsible for many of our Halibut
problems.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like it was a typical politico meeting. What's she bitchin' about? Isn't that her style, just somebody else's flavor.

Anonymous said...

As a halibut fisherman Lisa's press release worries me.

What is she saying? Because the IPHC's 100 years of successful management are not working, due to unexplained sub legal mortality, we should not take the proposed cuts?

Is she worried that charter boats might be asked to share in the conservation???

Yeah, there are important ?'s that need to be answered but they are ?'s that the NPFMC has deliberately put aside not the IPHC.

So does this mean she is trying to deflect blame onto the IPHC away from her good old boy network, big trawl and processing interests???

Anonymous said...

There will be no saving the draggers. Even their money and power will not be able to hide the bycatch problems. Everyones by catch and hygrading should be put on the table and it eventually will.

Anonymous said...

Can that really be Lisa Murkowski
(Arne's boss) being critical of another
offices staff performance."They also had
conflicting information, and left
important information unanswered."
Where have I heard this before?
Her fisheries Advisor falsified his
landing reports and helped manipulate
biomass information, and she's telling
them they suck at their job's....
She thanked Arne for his years of service

Anonymous said...

lisa's comments are spot on the iphc's behind the curtain decision making process has run it's course their own mistakes, made in the privacy of their closed door process, have seriously damaged their reputation as a sound scientific body the halibut resource would benefit from open public review of the internal iphc assessment process the iphc itself would benefit from it too

Anonymous said...

why did she include the charter fleet's intrest in her statement?they are a recreational fishery and at times such as these where the commercial fishing fleet is being hit so hard by cutbacks and regulation they should be on hook and realease!i will state this point again the charter boys can still make a living even on hook and release providing an adventure for the out of state tourist to come to alaska to pull one of those big fish off the botttom get ther pics and let them go!now if they want to advertise come to alaska and take halibut home along with the adventure there seems to me that a line has been crossed that changes the whole idea of tourism the low impact industry!working familys who have relied on the commercil halibut fisheries for the last 100 years here in alaska,long befor tourism are the only real losers in this charade called bottom fish management!i call on lisa mark and don to finaly take a stand on an issue one way or the other.hopefully on the side of the familys who truly rely on the fishery,the commercial halibut fishermen.

Anonymous said...

And the difference between a Sport Boat, and a Commercial Version?

November 24, 1787, just in case that big word Commerce #11, is so confused?

The AFU=UFA spelled backwards!

"But in a state of disunion, these combinations might exist and might operate with success. It would be in the power of the maritime nations, availing themselves of our universal impotence, to prescribe the conditions of our political existence; and as they have a common interest in being our carriers, and still more in preventing our becoming theirs, they would in all probability combine to embarrass our navigation in such a manner as would in effect destroy it, and confine us to a PASSIVE COMMERCE. We should then be compelled to content ourselves with the first price of our commodities, and to see the profits of our trade snatched from us to enrich our enemies and p rsecutors. That unequaled spirit of enterprise, which signalizes the genius of the American merchants and navigators, and which is in itself an inexhaustible mine of national wealth, would be stifled and lost, and poverty and disgrace would overspread a country which, with wisdom, might make herself the admiration and envy of the world.

There are rights of great moment to the trade of America which are rights of the Union -- I allude to the fisheries, to the navigation of the Western lakes, and to that of the Mississippi. The dissolution of the Confederacy would give room for delicate questions concerning the future existence of these rights; which the interest of more powerful partners would hardly fail to solve to our disadvantage. The disposition of Spain with regard to the Mississippi needs no comment. France and Britain are concerned with us in the fisheries, and view them as of the utmost moment to their navigation. They, of course, would hardly remain long indifferent to that decided mastery, of which experience has shown us to be possessed in this valuable branch of traffic, and by which we are able to undersell those nations in their own markets. What more natural than that they should be disposed to exclude from the lists such dangerous competitors???"

Anonymous said...

Jesus dude would you give it a rest? No one even understands your point, so why type it?

Anonymous said...

I'm not quite sure why she released this statement. It doesn't say that much outside of being disappointed in the IPHC staff recommendations (and who isn't?).

The rest isn't anything that long liners haven't been saying, either. The curtain has been pulled back on the IPHC, like the wizard of Oz, and lo and behold we see they don't know shiite about what's going on with the stocks, really.

Anonymous said...

Between the Draggers and the Killer whales there wont be a Halibut left to worry about

Anonymous said...

Lisa,

Please stop making a fool of yourself. If a few of your close friends are pissed because their quotas are diminishing go roll a little pork into some ramdom legislation and make them whole. You are good at that. Our halibut resource is struggling at best. Leave your misguided, political agenda out of it and go to anothe rxmass, cocktail party.

Anonymous said...

The new and improved Lisa Murkowski!

Attending Willamette U Law, go boobyt!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_political_corruption_probe