Options that NMFS will be looking at for 2007 season:
Greetings from your advisory panel member, Tina McNamee
Here is a quick update for your information on what has been happening recently with regard to Alaskan charter halibut fishing.
2007 season halibut bag limits
The one-fish daily bag limit for guided halibut charters in Southeast and South Central Alaska which was recommended by the International Pacific Halibut Commission in January, has been rejected by congress and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
An emergency order (EO) will be issued for 2007 by NMFS which will implement other tools that will have a "comparable harvest reduction" while preserving the two daily bag limit as well as avoid any season closures. This EO will go through the regular NMFS public review process, and likely be conducted very soon.
At this time, these are the options that NMFS will be looking at for 2007 season:
(SE Alaska)
Two fish daily bag limit with a minimum size limit of 32"
First fish at any size with a second trophy fish of 40, 45 or 50"
One fish at any size and one fish below 32"
(Southcentral Alaska)
No captain or crew retention
Limiting number of lines per paying customer
North Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting - week of March 26, 2007 in Anchorage at the Hilton Hotel
Charter fishing topics on the agenda are as follows:
Final action on charter halibut moratorium
State/Federal management - review discussion paper
Review discussion paper on sport fish discard mortality
Initial review of analysis of GHL measures
Discussion on halibut allocations, action as necessary
Report on ADF&G logbook data (Science & Statistical Committee only)
If you have any comments to provide me regarding these agenda items, please feel free to email me at this address with the topic of your interest in the subject line. info@islandviewcharters.com
If you wish to provide your feedback for council members to consider, written comments must be received at the council office by 5PM on Wednesday, March 21. These must be submitted by mail or fax at 605 W 4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501 or FAX 907-271-2817. For more information, go to the council website: http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/
2 comments:
My invite has expired and I can comment but not post. I assume everyone is in the same boat, on this. Just wanted to say about yesterday's radio show broadcast that with a payed-by-Penny guy and two others with a combined industry experience of less than any one of three of my past four deckhands, nay, less than my youngest daughter, hell, less than my cat, talking about our future, I don't feel particularly well represented. Give me a f'ing break - Rex Murphy has a plan! And the call-in obviously by a new captain's friend; " I tink da crew shud be a ble to keep der fish." What a carnival this has become!
Kathy Hanson did a good job, by the way. Smart lady.
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