If halibut is a public resource, why is the public resource given to the commercial fishing fleet, so that the public has to buy it back?
“It is important to hear directly from people concerned about this topic,” Lubchenco said. “We’re in the middle of the public comment period, and I’m sure you have submitted comments, but it is important for me to hear directly. Homer is important to Alaska, and Alaska is important to the rest of the country.”
Davis dove into a lengthy list of questions on the topic of the newly passed draft plan by North Pacific Fisheries Management Council. Many related to questions on how the potential economic impact figures into any ultimate decision, and why it wasn’t considered in the first draft proposal.
The catch sharing plan would give the guided halibut charter fleet a set percentage of the overall allowable catch determined annually by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Depending on how many millions of pounds of halibut the charter fleet receives, charter fishermen would be allowed one fish a day, two fish with one less fish than 32-inches long, or two fish of any size, which is the current allowable catch. The allocations could be different for Area 2C, Southeast Alaska, and Area 3A, the central Gulf of Alaska including Cook Inlet and Homer.
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