In the International Pacific Halibut Commission news release about the 2007 annual meeting, in the paragraph pertaining to the sport fishery, you will find the following statement: “These bag limit regulations will be effective until the implementation, by the U.S. Government, of domestic regulations to acheive halibut mortality reductions. ...”

What “halibut mortality reductions” are they referring to? Since “halibut mortality” is nonexistent in the sport fishery, one can only assume they are referring to the commercial fishery “halibut mortality.” Since the commercial fishery “halibut mortality” is about 14 million pounds a year, it will never be solved.

Why tie the bag limit to the commerical halibut mortality? Why is the bag limit not being tied to the sport fishery GHL, guideline harvest levels, so when the sport fishery catch falls below the GHL, the bag limit is dropped?

They are going to punish the sport fishery with a permanent bag-limit restriction for the “sins” of the commercial fishery halibut mortality problem.

If this proposal is implemented this year, Area 3A will get the same permanent one-fish bag limit restrictiction next year and forever after.

Bruce Warner