Posted by John M. on December 24, 2003 at 09:12:49:
In Reply to: Re: Mr. Sonke, if you please posted by Sonke on December 20, 2003 at 18:36:47:
you shouldn't be please that quickly, seahunt.
the proposed yearly catch limits on market squid in California (last I understood it) were 80,000, 118,000 or 125,000 tons (or no limit).
If you'll review the catch history, this is the equivalent of saying "take everything you can find" but we'll be able to tell people who aren't paying attention that there are actual limits. It's a sad joke... and we're the butt of it.
Meaningful limits would be a fraction of those proposed.
For catch history, see http://divebums.com/General/squid_fishery.html -- note that final November numbers are in fact in, but I'm in NY and won't be able to update this until January.
Note also: while the absolute dollars involved in any California commercial fishery are in fact peanuts (the ENTIRE California commercial fishery ex vessel value is $100M per year -- very very little compared to most things), the market squid fishery is the highest dollar commercial fishery in California -- so it's the big dog on the block in terms of trying to force unrealistic "controls"...
John
PS: the California Draft Market Squid Fisheries Management Plan can be found on http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/marketsquid/index.html