Alaska Goundfish team says there are too many halibut in the sea

Kodiak, Alaska

By John Finley

The North Pacific Council Bering Sea and Aleutian Island Groundfish Plan Team just wound up a three-day confab and the halibut news is a whopper. Bill Clark of the International Pacific Halibut Commission revealed data showing there's way too many small halibut out there for their food source.

It appears there's two ways to confront the problem: Let them starve to death or lower the size limit to 28 inches. If the latter is done, it would mean a 10 to 15 percent increase in the poundage IFQ owners are allowed to catch.

If we knew how many pounds of IFQ shares are owned by Kodiak residents, we could easily compute the economic impact of the latter choice. I believe halibut IFQ shares are one of the largest pools of productive capital on Kodiak Island. The impact would be a large and very welcome uptick in fish revenue.

I can't imagine why all those brainy people of the NPCBSAIGPT ended up deciding on the first alternative. They plan to let them starve. I don't like to catch small halibut; but if it means a 15 percent increase in my income, I'm all for rescuing those poor little dears from a painful and lingering death.

I heard that the way they left the topic was: "This is the way we're going to do it, unless the industry convinces us otherwise." I would hope we convince them otherwise.

The local news is hotter. The City Council may be starting to stand up on fisheries issues. If the city should start protecting the rights of its citizens, can the borough be far behind?

All The Best

John Finley
Box 3849
Kodiak AK 99615