The International Pacific Halibut Commission's annual meeting in Portland ended in a stalemate.
"The IPHC did not agree on new Pacific halibut catch limits for 2018, and therefore the catch limits adopted by the IPHC in 2017 remain in place," says this commission news release.
The United States and Canada now say they'll each pursue lower catch limits on their own.
WTF !!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a first.
What will happen now? Issue temporary quotas, until such time as new numbers come out, just to have them changed later? THANKS ALOT LINDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm thankful Canada made a Stand. Bottom line is 2C took a bigger cut than 3A......Makes no sense. Why should Area 2 Keep taking the bulk of the cuts?
ReplyDeleteThe iphc has lost its direction & credibility. They’re science & conclusions are flawed, which is obvious to anyone fishing in area 2c. Or even sifting thru they’re own data. 2c is always sold down the river in favor of areas of areas further west. This wrangling over quota every year is micro-management/bureaucracy at its finest! We should only be wrangling over quotas every three to five years. If they were to stay the same for a multiple year period there would be the ability to see trends. Making it easier to decide wether a cut/increase was warranted in each given area. It also would add a certain amount of stability to the ifq market & allow better business plans to be laid out by ifq holders. I don’t think the iphc needs to get any bigger or expand they’re mission any farther. I seriously question they’re need to conduct/harvest as many fish as they are in set-line surveys. That data can be collected from our mandatory log books. The iphc needs to be accountable & answerable to us the ifq holders. Not a fiefdom onto themselves,
ReplyDeleteWhat a waste of everyone's time and OUR money. The neglect of duty among these 6 commissioners is unconscionable.
ReplyDeleteWe appoint them to accomplish only two essential tasks: form basic regulations for how we fish, and develop catch limits for how much we catch. The mix of personalities on this commission prevented them from doing even that very basic job.
There is no question that a different mix of persons would have been able to rationally work through their differences. The only honorable option that remains for this group is to collectively admit their incompetence and for each of them to resign from the commission.
If they stopped changing there model ever other minute then maybe there would be some consistency.
ReplyDeleteNeed to go back to closed area management
ReplyDeleteLots of halibut in the freezers. Too bad for the dummies that bought in at $70.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part about this whole process is the EACH SIDE diverged from the science then tried to take the high road about why they did it.
ReplyDeleteThe US couldn't suck up to the reductions that were called for, and Canada could suck up to how they were apportioned.
I do not recommend listening to the tapes of the meeting. They will make you sick.
The grey cod have also disappeared in Southeast. Maybe the halibut will be gone now also.
ReplyDelete