wish i could make the meeting.

changes are going to have to be made to lengthen the halibut seasons. for years, the proposals enacted have had the result of shortening seasons for halibut.

restoring the historic opening day is a great first step to adding probably one week (5 days) back to the season.

the weekly and yearly bag limits, although not on the table for 2005, would have a dramatic impact on the individual fisherman on the north coast. i think it wouldn't be a bad idea, although it would have some impacts on the economy of the north coast (although lengthening the seasons would probably make up for it).

if i could be at the meeting, i would definetely bring up getting rid of the separate opener in june. i believe we'd get more fishing days (which means more opportunity) if we ran may 1 through end of quota.

of course, if the north coast halibut fishery could be separated from s. washingtonand oregon to reflect that the north coast halibut habitat and biomass is more in line with british columbia... we could work on getting a larger quota and having stable fishing seasons.... but that just isn't going to happen.

good luck to all that make it to the meeting. i hope you truly work for longer seasons and not short-sighted goals that work for one individual, group, or port ... but hurt the viability of the sportfishing economy of the north coast.

chris