Topwater,
Inside the straight is a totally separate quota and will not reflect on the coastal quota. If memory serves me correctly, it is a pretty big quota. That is why I think it would help take the pressure of Neah Bay. At the rate of the recreational charters sharp increase, this cannot hold up for long. The season in 2000 was 35 days and was a smaller quota. It was 14 days last year and had an added 25% over 2000. I don’t think Neah Bay is going to have a problem filling charters any more. At our PSA meetings, we have about 120 eager people wanting to know where, how, and when on the halibut meetings we have with guest speakers. There are a lot of very interested first timers every year. I think those days are over, worrying about NB losing money, with fishing on the rise. My idea is that if sporties go out and get a few bigger halibut out of the straight, they might not need to go to NB? This could lengthen the season for NB. I think this could be beneficial to other towns on the straight. Sekiu, PA, PT, Sequim, etc. I do care about Neah Bay and the charters. Last year was the first year I missed Neah Bay in many, many years. I spend two weeks a year there the beginning of July. This started out as when the second halibut opener used to be and the opener of King season. I kept this yearly date even though the halibut opener is not there any more. My brother in law flies in every year from Texas and we spend our vacations there. Last year at one of our PSA meetings, a member came up and told us about the Big Salmon incident against the charters. I called Mike from Jambos and Tom Young immediately. We took a vote and the club wanted to boycott Neah Bay to support the charters. Big Salmon was increasing your moorage and getting a cut off of every head that goes on your boat, up front. So we moved to LaPush. My brother-in-law and I spend about $2000+ each going to NB in July. We had about 20-30 people total that went to LaPush instead. This had to be over easily $10,000 that went to LaPush and not Neah Bay. This was wrong for the rest of the community. I do have some Sporty friends out there that were telling about the meeting at Forks. I couldn’t make it and think the meetings should be better advertised. The Jan 6 meeting is not advertised on the commission website.
As for the annual limit, I don’t think this is worth voting on. I only know of a couple of people that might get 5 a year. Possibly the locals? Most go home after a couple of days on the opener. I don’t fish US much any more and when we do we usually limit. A couple of days we go home with a couple of fish each. I like the idea of getting a big halibut off of the Hot Spot and want to see it continue to be open. In 2003 it didn’t produce big fish on the opener worth a darn. One 40 and a 20 for two people on one day. I through back the first 20 wanting bigger. I only saw one guy with any fish of any size. Last year I heard was better.
I would like to see this inside the straights opener revised with some backing of the charters. I personally would fish it and not go to Neah Bay in May. I have been in some of the nastiest storms out at Neah Bay in May and June.