tpbrady
Guru
Three days ago in Clarence Strait, we were boarded by NOAA. Their boarding included the typical checking of licenses and gear and fish on board. They asked to look in the freezer we had on the upper deck. Since I didn't have any halibut on board, I didn't question why they wanted to look in the freezer. I knew why and it deals with the Federal Rules on halibut in Alaska waters. The specific provision in the rules is detailed below:
"No person shall possess on board a vessel, including charter vessels and pleasure craft used for fishing, Pacific halibut that have been filleted, mutilated, or otherwise disfigured in any manner, except that each Pacific halibut may be cut into no more than 2 ventral pieces, 2 dorsal pieces, and 2 cheek pieces, with a patch of skin on each piece, naturally attached."
If you want to read more here is the complete list of rules: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/recreational-fishing/unguided-sport-fishing-halibut-alaska. These rules are the product of the North Pacific Halibut Commission probably combined with a few government employees who have never left the beltway. As a liveaboard, I don't really know how to comply fully with these rules. For example if I have eaten some of the four fillets off each halibut, am I in compliance. I don't salvage the cheeks on small halibut, there simply is nothing to salvage. If the cheeks are missing, am I in compliance. If I want to keep an 80lb halibut, how do I preserve it since the freezer has the space only if it is cut into pieces.
I have always wondered about the mission of NOAA Fisheries. Stopping pleasure boats on inland waters to look for fish seems pretty low on the priority list. I thought their primary mission was commercial fisheries in the US territorial waters. Why are they spending $250,000 on boats only suitable for enforcement on inland waters? I understand the object is to protect halibut stocks, but stopping liveaboard pleasure boats (not charters) to inspect freezers which at most can hold 50lbs of fish doesn't seem to being reaching that goal, when three shore based self guided anglers in a good week can take 300lbs of halibut south with them as checked luggage.
All I ask is a rule I can deal with. The current rule is unworkable. Since the halibut take is measured in pounds, tell many how many pounds I can have on board for each angler. That at least allows for consumption.
Tom
"No person shall possess on board a vessel, including charter vessels and pleasure craft used for fishing, Pacific halibut that have been filleted, mutilated, or otherwise disfigured in any manner, except that each Pacific halibut may be cut into no more than 2 ventral pieces, 2 dorsal pieces, and 2 cheek pieces, with a patch of skin on each piece, naturally attached."
If you want to read more here is the complete list of rules: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/recreational-fishing/unguided-sport-fishing-halibut-alaska. These rules are the product of the North Pacific Halibut Commission probably combined with a few government employees who have never left the beltway. As a liveaboard, I don't really know how to comply fully with these rules. For example if I have eaten some of the four fillets off each halibut, am I in compliance. I don't salvage the cheeks on small halibut, there simply is nothing to salvage. If the cheeks are missing, am I in compliance. If I want to keep an 80lb halibut, how do I preserve it since the freezer has the space only if it is cut into pieces.
I have always wondered about the mission of NOAA Fisheries. Stopping pleasure boats on inland waters to look for fish seems pretty low on the priority list. I thought their primary mission was commercial fisheries in the US territorial waters. Why are they spending $250,000 on boats only suitable for enforcement on inland waters? I understand the object is to protect halibut stocks, but stopping liveaboard pleasure boats (not charters) to inspect freezers which at most can hold 50lbs of fish doesn't seem to being reaching that goal, when three shore based self guided anglers in a good week can take 300lbs of halibut south with them as checked luggage.
All I ask is a rule I can deal with. The current rule is unworkable. Since the halibut take is measured in pounds, tell many how many pounds I can have on board for each angler. That at least allows for consumption.
Tom
