The problem I see is that any way you look at it, its still a recreational cap. It may not have an immediate effect, but whats happens in 10 years when the quota is used up? You can also look at it from an opposite way, what happens if halibut stocks plumett. So now a few charter boats cant make it any more. They sell there shares to the commercials. Now the total recreational share goes down, and prices go up because of limited competition.

It does not surpize me that the the charter you talked to supports it, most of them do. They stand to gain equity in a public resource for nothing, its free money. They can go borrow against their quota and get cash.

The counsil very easily could have came up with a similar management plan that did not result in ownership. They just didn't, and thats why we are fighting it.

Oh, and one last problem with it, Its illegal. If a judge see's it a giving ownership of a public resource to charters, it is simply illegal.