Halibut Coalition Visits D.C. To Request IPHC Funds
On November 14 and November 15, 2023, representatives from the Halibut Coalition met with members of Congress to try to secure supplemental funding for the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The IPHC is currently facing an estimated shortfall of $2.43 million, which may necessitate curtailing or eliminating its survey, sampling, and stock assessment program. Lacking timely data on which to base its management decisions will probably result in the IPHC taking a more cautious, conservative approach to minimize the possibility of overfishing the resource. This could have significant adverse consequences for commercial, charter, recreational and subsistence anglers and their communities.
The Halibut Coalition contingent consisted of the following members representing their corresponding organizations:
• Linda Behnken, Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association
• Jeff Kaufmann, Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association
• Heather McCarty, Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association
• Brian Ritchie, Alaska Charter Association and Homer Charter Association
• Peggy Parker, Halibut Association of North America
• Bob Alverson, Fishing Vessel Owners' Association, IPHC Commissioner
They had appointments with members of Alaska's Congressional delegation including Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, and Representative Peltola, as well as Senators Murray and Cantwell from Washington state, and Representatives Huffman (CA) and DelBene (WA). These members of Congress were presented with a letter, signed by representatives of an array of concerned organizations, requesting additional funding and urging State Department leadership involvement in asking for a similar contribution from Canada. The aim is to enable the IPHC to continue collecting much needed scientific data and to secure its long term ability to fulfill its mandate of managing halibut stocks in a sustainable manner.
$2.5 million shortfall? A couple of bombs or missiles worth, or a couple hours cost of running a trillion-dollar air carrier. Ask Ukraine to refund a teenie tiny bit. Draggers could pay out of the millions of lbs of baby halibut they waste every year.
ReplyDeleteHere's the letter presented to Congress.
ReplyDeleteNotably, the letter states: "In June 2023, the IPHC took painful workforce reduction steps to mitigate financial challenges."
https://www.pacificfishing.com/IPHC-Supplemental-Funding-6Nov2023.pdf
This is bullS#$t they can cut the IFQ quota 5 years in a row, can't slow the trawl bycatch can't or won't limit the charter fleets run away catches on lingcod, king salmon or yellow eye. But they can get away with not doing there jobs to survey the fish stocks! We need to remove federal over regulations that are killing our fisheries. If they can't manage it right then they need to step out!
ReplyDelete