Halibut Bag limits... What's your take?

[Admin_Don]

Halibut bag limits for sport charter fishermen are going down in much of Alaska... Charter boat operators are being limited. what is your take?

[tommyt]

I am a tourist to Alaska and I do not like it. One of the ways I can convince the old lady is by bringing home lots of fish so the cost of the trip is repaid at least in part in food. If I get to keep less fish then I have a less chance of selling the mrs. on even taking a trip.

I think I will fish out of Homer next time, where the limit is still 2.

[calimike]

I agree. THIS SUCKS. I think that they should limit the commercial fleet first, and guys like us last. If I take out a guide I spend hundreds of dollars for 2 fish. Those same 2 fish only get about 1/3 the price if some guy catches them and sells them to the processor. Which one is a better use of the fish?

[Halibutt]

If I take out a guide I spend hundreds of dollars for 2 fish. Those same 2 fish only get about 1/3 the price if some guy catches them and sells them to the processor. Which one is a better use of the fish?

You would think that kind of common sense argument would hold weight, but the feds don't care about that because the commercial guys lobby harder and donate to campaigns.

I am not advocating shutting down the commercial harvest, but cutting the sport harvest for the benefit of the commercial guys seems to me like shooting yourself in the foot. 

[Haines Fisherman]

If I take out a guide I spend hundreds of dollars for 2 fish. Those same 2 fish only get about 1/3 the price if some guy catches them and sells them to the processor. Which one is a better use of the fish?

That's the real problem here. Per pound of fish caught sports fishing brings WAY WAY WAY more money into Alaska. If you have a declining resource it only makes sense for the state to sell it to the highest price. Sport fishing is a better value for the people and the state because the money comes into and often stays in the small communities.

Imagine if anything else was sold the same way. It would be criminal.

[Halibutt]

You want my real take... I think they suck!