I would like to see a percentage of the quota to be written up with the buyout. For example, if we are buying out 15% of the fleet then 15% of the quota should go over to the sportsfishers side and not kept in the commercial quota. Nor the tribes be able to use it. I know the tribes can take what we don't use, but there has to be a point where bigger, faster, better commercial boats don't replace the ones that still have the licenses. Lets say in 10 years fish are rebounding, prices are back up and big canneries are building bigger boats and buying out the existing licenses. They can still wipe out the fishery with bigger nets. The huge mother ship in Neah Bay infuriates me every time I see it out there.
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Join the Puget Sound Anglers Sno-King Chapter. Meets second Thursday of every month at the SCS Center, 220 Railroad Ave. Edmonds, WA 98020 at 6:30pm Two buildings south of the Edmonds Ferry on the beach.