Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Sport Fish Guide Services Board !!

In late-November 2007, the Sport Fish Guide Limited Entry Task Force recommended that the creation of a Sport Fish Guide Services Board (similar to the Big Game Commercial Services Board) would be an appropriate first step to limiting sport fishing guide activities in Alaska, rather than a limited entry system. This recommendation was based on potential legal issues associated with the issuance of limited entry permits to the business owners rather than the guides (fishermen), as initially recommended by the task force.
The creation of a Sport Fish Guide Services Board would not raise constitutional issues, but would require legislation and regulation to implement. This type of program would categorize and professionally license the charter industry as guides, outfitters or transporters and would provide an opportunity to gather accounting information on levels of participation and of fish being harvested within each of these groups. Participants believed this approach would increase professional standards within the industry and as a result may serve to reduce entry over time in the sport fish guide industry. Participants also felt this was a necessary first step towards developing a more formal limited entry or concessionaire program for the sport fish guide industry.
Participants also felt it was necessary to develop workable definitions for guiding and related activities such as outfitting and transporting. In discussing definitions, the group discussed the different types of businesses models and definitions for the various types of activities. Draft definitions were developed which will be further reviewed at the group's next meeting in January. Participants felt it was necessary to develop workable definitions for all guide related activities before any legislation is introduced. A sport fish guide representative of the Limited Entry Task Force met with ADF&G to draft statutory language modeled after AS 08.54.591 which establishes the Big Game Commercial Services Board. If Commissioner Lloyd approves the task force's recommendation to pursue the creation of a Sport Fish Guide Services Board as a first step towards a limited entry program, task force members will be provided a copy of the draft statutory language for review and discussion during their meeting January 8-9, 2008.
The timeline for implementing this initiative would likely remain as originally proposed, with appropriate legislation introduced during the 2009 Legislative Session. Steps previously proposed under the recommendation of a limited entry approach would apply as well.

12 comments:

Flatfish said...

Present Task Force Members: Chaco Pearman, Reed Morisky, Reuben Hanke, Stan Malcom, Nanci Morris, Greg Befus.
Present ADF&G staff: Doug Vincent-Lang, Kelly Hepler, Rob Bentz, Dora Sigurdsson, Tom Vania.

Who the hell are these people. They will have your customer list through the log book, they will have your guide license # and they will have your business license #. They will run your life from now on. TIt is a power grab by the state and they will be at your door with a warrant if you do not file your paper work in a orederly fashion. They will know almost to the penny what your gross income is. BEWARE big mother will be watching. The commercial bias will govern. Sarah will have your ass.

Anonymous said...

Hi there Homer, I ( Andy Mezirow - how the hell do you get a user name and ID on this thing???)am on that task force too, along with Seth Bone, Kathy Hansen and a few others. Chaco is from Kodiak, Reed from the interior, Ruben from the Kenai River (Harry Gaines)Nanci Morris is from Naknek and Greg is from some where else.

If you guys oppose limited entry for the charter industry, I am more than happy to report that back to this group when we meet in April.
I am not that invested in this process to a point that I am afriad to let the task force know that you long time guides in Homer are opposed to limited entry.

After talking to the Dept. Of Law and the rest of the State folks, it looks like this is the only way to begin the process of limiting entry into specific areas where there are too many guides.

Without this, the door will be wide open for new charters to continue targeting lingcod,rockfish, Sharks and salmon even after the NPFMC limits halibut charters. My thought is that the more new charters after the halibut moritorium the more guys to cry foul over the moritorium later....

I will print out the comments from this blog along with those from other forums and emails that I get to bring to the next meeting. If the industry opposes it, I will pass the word and close the door on this process. That many less volunteer trips to Anchorage.

The make up of this proposed board would be almost entirely of guides. I guess I would rather have a group of guides deciding on regulations instead of Fish and Game.

mark said...

Mr Mezirow, How's the view from the fence and how's fishing in Seward? Better than Homer?
And why are you putting words in our mouths?! I WANT LIMITED ENTRY but the state has bungled everything they have ever touched ( I can almost throw a stone to dozens of state failures from where I sit ) and I don't want TWO-BIT GUIDES being my legal equal. The limited businesses that survive this whole thing will need some hired captains. Guide, well, guide your ideas about guides right up your task force asses.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mark,

The view from the fence has been good!I think I have done enough work for both camps so that If I stayed home for the last 14 years we would still be exactly where we are now. Thanks for asking. Have we ever met? I have been going to these meetings for a long time and I do think I have ever talked to you.
As far as your comment about the fishing, I have always said it is good in both places. As a matter of fact I just sent two charters to Pete Wedin for April yesterday. I did change my website to be more positive about both areas after receiving some justified feedback from a few operators in Homer. Honestly I do not write the content for most of the website and I should have looked it over more carfully. The content is written a certain way to take advanatage of the searches. If you look around the internet you will find that same exact content on three other websites. I try to be reasonable, I made the web guru change it and that is all there is to that.

Finally the Guide board, Mark I really am not comfortable telling them to stick the guide program up teir collective asses. I for one do not like anything stuck in my ass. However it you or any of one from your group wants to point about why this program sucks, I will bring that back to the group.
That way if the State decides to stick with this program you can atleast have some say on what the program is before it is jamed up all of our asses like every other regulation.

We did discuss having a master guide status that operators with over 20 years experience could hold. Like the master hunting guide. This would give operators like you a different classifcation that newer guides. It would seem like to be on the guide board then you must be a master guide...

Whatever any of you want brought out, I will bring it to them.

If you want me to just say no to all of it from your group, I am fine with that too.


AM

Flatfish said...

AM Thanks for the input. I am Gary Ault and I have Inlet Charters in Homer. I believe we have chatted a few times in the halls of the Hilton. All of us in homer are not of the same view as myself and a few others. We do like to stir the pot however and see what surfaces. As far as logging in goes, you need a google account which you can get to from the sign in page of this blog or go to Googles search page. From there you can log in to this blog or start your own. I would like for you to be able to post your info or thoughts as well as your comments. Any way thanks agin for the input and am looking forward to the council meeting next week, I think.
I will try to keep on top of this blog and post info as we gather it.

CaptBob said...

Like I reported to Andy a few days ago, timing is not good for any of this. When you are on your way to the gallows having a friend tell you he will take care of your wife is not what you want to hear. This comes at a time that some are a little worked up and I for 1 am having my questions about if we need this or not. The state will not keep the fleet to a reasonable size so the other species will be managed to smaller bag limits soon no matter what happens at the council. This fear by the state that the charters will target the other species happened several years ago,and will continue and when the bag limits are too small to justify the cost of the charter the issue will be resolved. Some charters will always add on the other species to their advantage but that won't create any greater need for managing the fleet by the state. There is just too much all directed at us right now and some of this will play out and some of it will show that it needs to be implemented. Let some time pass and like the state always does, manage by crisis if needed and we have no crisis yet. Revenue generators we do not need either, we and our customers are paying their way without needing more fees. When we see the kind of problems that justify putting a program like this in action we will probably all support it but for now I think it is premature.

mark said...

I do not speak for my "group". Yes, we met at the Hilton in '05 but you probably don't remember as you were busy eating WAFFLES. I've got $1,000 that says I drag a bigger halibut (certified) up off a day trip than you this year - in fact, I've got one hundred that says i get a bigger certified day trip charter halibut than SEWARD. Is fishing good enough for you to take those bets?

Anonymous said...

Hey Thanks for the input Mark, Gary and Bob,

I will bring back the message/

I can't say it is DOA but I will let them know that we most of the saltwater guides feel like we have had so many new regulations and battles being jammed down our throat this year, that no one can really give this concept the work it needs to be worthwhile.

I will suggest that they get a couple of more saltwater guides from each area to work on this as well. I am not comfortable being the only saltwater guide in 3A on the task force.

I for one belive that if entry is limited on fish species then it needs to be limited for all species.

Again thanks for the input and have a good season.

I will get a log on to this thing some time soon.

Regards from the fence

Andy Mezirow

Anonymous said...

Mark,

You sound like a guy that needs to work out some issues.

After all the years you have in the business you shouldn't have anything to prove.

I certainly feel like I don't need to.

I am signing off this thing now.

You have a great season and have some fun out there!

mark said...

Kinda thot that's the way it would go.

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