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Northern
www.northernsentinel.com
Volume 58 No. 08
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
1.34 INCLUDES TAX
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Halibut decision draws reactions Cameron Orr Recreational fishers will get to keep halibut under 83 cm and another only up to a maximum of 27 kg (60 lbs) and 126 cm. Also, the halibut season will open later this year, on March 15. That was the proposal backed by the Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which comprise recreational anglers and guides who come from north and south coasts of Canada. Kitimat Adventures fishing guide Tracey Hittel is a member of the board and explains the decision came from a desire to keep the halibut fishery open longer into the year. “[The plan’s] ruffled a few feathers but we want to fish beyond September,” he said. He said without taking the option they did, everyone would be off the water in August. “What it does is people that have this dream of catching this big fish, they won’t have this opportunity anymore and there’s not much we can do about that,” he said. But he added that the larger halibut are female spawners and they’re not good for food anyway. Last year’s allocation, he said, allowed for one halibut over and under 83 cm, but that plan forced an early closure of the season on September 6. The North Coast sub-committee had initially wanted to see one fish a day with one in possession, or one fish a day and two in possession depending on the time of year, however that was voted down by the south coast sub-committee, he said. Hittel said voting at the main SFAB was tough and went to 6 p.m. one day and continued into the morning. But this also isn’t the permanent solution and there will be opportunities to see how next year will go. “It’s a one year thing, it’s not like it’s carved in stone.” These changes have rattled some, including operator of Eagle Edge Ocean Charters and Guiding, David Wahl. Wahl takes issue with the way halibut is being allocated. These latest changes both impact the direct marketing side of the business but also speaks to a larger issue of the commercial allotment. As well, he said it would be impossible to accurately measure a halibut while you have it on the line, making these size limits questionable as to their effectiveness. “Tourism is the number one employer in British Columbia right now,” said Wahl. “Of tourism, fishing is the number one reason to move people.” Continued on page 2
Louie Quinn sticks his tongue out after a bean bag toss at the Kitimat Public Library. The library welcomed youth on B.C.’s first Family Day holiday, where they held a carnival full of games and activities. Cameron Orr photo
Two months to refinery answers When newspaper mogul David Black meets with people over breakfast at a Chamber of Commerce conference in Vancouver March 6 he’ll hopefully have a stronger sense on where stakeholders stand on his proposed oil refinery for the Kitimat Valley. The president of Kitimat Clean said in about two months, or 60 days, he expects to have heard back from the majority of people regarding his refinery dream and will have an idea on how feasible it is. “[I thought] in two months I should have everything together,” he said. That includes feedback from potential financiers and customers. But he’s still feeling optimistic about
the whole thing. When the Sentinel last spoke to Black — who also doubles as the chairman of Black Press — he had just concluded a tour in Asia meeting with potential partners and customers in the venture. Meetings continued through the winter here in Canada and he said that no one ever said they wouldn’t take a refined fuel, one of the many criticisms of the project. “There’s a lot of interest,” he said. “We will have the most competitive refinery on the whole Pacific basin.” The Edmonton Journal first reported on Black’s 60 day countdown last week. Their story included comments from a University of Alberta professor who suggested future prices of bitumen may
make Black’s refinery unfeasible in the next five or so years. But speaking to the Sentinel, Black responded that he’s not at all worried about future prices. He said that as long as bitumen remains well under the price of a barrel from the Middle East, right now about $115 a barrel, he should be okay. “As long as we’re substantially underneath in Alberta, and they are…we’re going to be super competitive,” he said. Black still knows there’s lots of work to do, especially with an oil industry that’s very cautious of new refineries, but is pleased with what he’s accomplished so far. Continued on page 2
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Council wants a camp policy ... page 3