CITY OF HOMER

HOMER, ALASKA

Shadle

RESOLUTION 07-27

 

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA ENCOURAGING THE INTERNATIONAL PACIFIC HALIBUT COMMISSION (IPHC) AND NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (NPFMC) TO ADOPT THE CHARTER LICENSE LIMITATION PROGRAM TO BRING THE SPORT HARVEST INTO COMPLIANCE IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT DISENFRANCHISE LOCAL RESIDENTS FROM ACCESS TO HALIBUT RESOURCES.

 

            WHEREAS, Coastal nations of the world are implementing programs to curtail unrestricted access to seafood resources in an increasingly mobile world; and

 

            WHEREAS, These coastal nations have placed a high priority on the local public's access to seafood resources around their communities; and

 

            WHEREAS, Coastal nations have recognized that vessels who catch large quantities of product and vessels that bring paying customers access to the resource for a living are both commercial industries that impact local access to the resource; and

 

            WHEREAS, That recognition has lead to these industries being restricted around the world because they impact local public access to the resource; and

 

            WHEREAS, The local public has no authority to regulate the halibut fishery; and

 

            WHEREAS, The local public has an interest in seeing that the halibut regulatory authority impose reasonable limits on businesses that make a living from that resource; and

 

            WHEREAS, A license limitation plan exists for the commercial long line industry and has been proposed and nearly adopted for the charter boat industry; and

 

            WHEREAS, Adoption of that limited participation plan for charter vessels is essential to making sure local resident access to the halibut resource is not unduly curtailed.

 

            NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the City of Homer encourages the IPHC and NPFMC to adopt the charter license limitation program that will bring the sport harvest into compliance with traditional allocations in a manner that does not disenfranchise local residents from sufficient access to halibut resources for personal consumption.

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, And documented in a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, that the City of Homer does not support the one a day bag limit imposed for a two week duration on local residents who should not have to bear the burden for the MPFMC failure to adopt and implement the program they developed for licensure restrictions on the Charter boat industry.

           

            PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council on this 12th day of February, 2007.

 

                                                                        CITY OF HOMER

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    _____________________________

                                                                        JAMES C. HORNADAY, MAYOR

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

_____________________________________

JO JOHNSON, CMC, CITY CLERK

 

 

Fiscal Note: N/A