Quote:
Originally Posted by big jay
I think Patrick's opinion is right on - not sure how I feel about it yet.
Charterboats are strange - not quite commercial, not quite rec. I can see the need for a separate category in alot of fisheries, but I also think that splitting up the user groups is how they are all weakend in the long run.
MMike is not all wrong about who's driving it - but its not so much a matter of eliminating compeition as a way to regain access. I've heard all sorts of debates on this one - and the names do not belong on the internet.
Any way you slice it - its a tough situation. And overall I think its ridiculous that rec/charter boats are fighting for access when the whole place is covered with freaking gillnets.
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Jay, Great Post, it is right on.
That being said I do think overall it would be a bad thing to split the fully rec and CHB catagories. I agree to regain access, however if a decision was made to let CHB start fishing fishing 3/15 and recs 4/15 that wouild not be right. The more ways the numbers are split they will get smaller. You are right charter boats can seem strange be they really are totally recreational in nature. The paying rec fishermen are just chartering a boat for 12 hours to take them to the fishing grounds. No sale (commercial) of fish. Only thing sold is boat time (charter). No different when 6 guys, non charter, go fishing and chip in for gas.
I just get discouraged when I read things like this because for myself working on and off as both mate or captain for various boats over the years and eventually hoping to use my own boat offshore (when it stretches out a bit)....that could disappear soon.
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