WHEREAS the recreational and sport fishing industry is an essential economic driver for many communities along the coast of British Columbia; AND WHEREAS the federal government changed the quota system in 2003 requiring the recreation fishing industry to rely on a fixed percentage of the annual catch; AND WHEREAS the allocation between recreational and commercial sectors in the Canadian halibut fishery during years of low abundance will destroy the economic viability of coastal communities and deny Canadian citizens access to the common property resource of halibut; AND WHEREAS a base guaranteed limit is a more fair and equitable approach that would allow the recreation and commercial fishing industries to survive during years of low annual quotas: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the federal government purchase or lease the required commercial halibut quota to establish a permanent annual guaranteed base limit and season for recreational fishermen of 1 halibut per day 2 in their possession, February 1 to December 31 of each year.
