A battle has been underway for months between commercial and recreational Pacific halibut fishermen about sharing of the reduced B.C. halibut quota. The recreational sector had been fighting for a bigger share of B.C.'s total allowable halibut catch. The group represents individual anglers and groups like charter boat owners and fishing lodges. Fisheries Minister Shea announced that the commercial fleet will keep  88 per cent of the catch in 2011 and the sports fishery 12 per cent. She threw the recreational group a bone by allowing them to lease quota from the commercial sector at market rates.But the recreational sector is not pleased by her failure to address their concerns.

TAGS: Pacific halibut, TAC, quota, sustainable, fisheries, fishing

According to a new edition of the State of the World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture,published by FAO, fish consumption has reached an all-time high but global fish stocks have not improved.  The contribution of fish to global diets has reached a record of almost 17 kilograms per person on average, supplying over three billion people with at least 15 per cent of their average animal protein intake. Fish products trade was worth a record $102 billion in 2008, up nine per cent from 2007. The overall percentage of overexploited, depleted or recovering fish stocks in the world’s oceans has not dropped and is estimated to be slightly higher than in 2006. About 32 per cent of world fish stocks are estimated to be overexploited, depleted or recovering and need to be urgently rebuilt.

TAGS: sustainable, fisheries, fishing, state of fish stocks and fisheries, FAO, fish consumption, overexploitation, overfishing

We have long been puzzled by the haste with which the Harper government sold out Canadian fisheries interests to secure a deal on NAFO with the EU. There was no apparent gain for Canada and considerable long-term loss. For the EU on the other hand the deal removed a long-standing irritant in bilateral relations. Now we learn that a Free Trade Agreement with the EU is imminent  This raises the question: did the Harper government sell out on the NAFO issue in order to faciltate reaching the FTA with the EU? If the answer is Yes, then Atlantic Canadians, and Newfoundlanders in particular, should be outraged. And so should Parliament where the majority of MPs voted in December to reject the NAFO Amendments, only to have the government announce the very next day that Canada would ratify the Amendments, exercising complete contempt for the role and will of Parliament.

TAGS: NAFO, Atlantic fisheries, overfishing, sustainable, fisheries, Harper government, Canada- EU Free Trade Agreement

Retiring NMFS Chief Scientist Steve Murawski was quoted recently in several news articles as saying that US overfishing has ended. He stated that for the first time in at least a century, U.S. fishermen won't be overfishing any species in the sea.This means that for the first time  US fishermen won't take too much of any species from the sea.

This is a rather bold assertion. While I have a lot of respect for Steve Murawski, I for one remain unconvinced that this claim is accurate.

If someone wishes to debate this proposition, I would be happy to publish views under the Opinion section of this website.

TAGS: overfishing, USA fisheries, Steve Murawski, sustainable, fisheries, fishing