Prime Minister of Canada
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca

Mr  Prime Minister

I write to you in regards to the current DFO Halibut Allocation Policy.  The Halibut Policy allocating 88% of Canada's Halibut Stocks to 436 Commercial License holders and the remaining 12% to the rest of the Canadian population who are potentially Recreation Anglers is wrong.  The Recreational Sector represents the majority of Canadians and should be allocated fair access to this Canadian Common Resource.  

The Recreation Sector also contributes millions of dollars to Local, Provincial and Federal Economies. In these troubled economic times the current Halibut Allocation Policy will have a devastating and far reaching negative impact on the Canadian economy.

I was born in Kitimat in 1980 and I chosen to live and work in Kitimat .  I have fished for Halibut for 15 years.  Fishing for Halibut is not only a Sport but it is also an integral part of my way of life.  I have chosen to live in Kitimat to enjoy the Douglas Channel and to fish for Halibut with friends and family.  I also harvest Halibut for food and sustenance.  There is a sense of satisfaction from eating the food that you catch yourself,  I would also like to preserve the rights of my Kids and Grandchildren to fish for Halibut.  My  friends and relatives from all over BC  like to fish with me for Halibut.  I also worked full time in a Tackle Store in Kitimat.  Full time hours has been reduced to part time and may be illuminated all together because of your Government's policy.

It is reprehensible to think that only 140 of the 436 Commercial License holders actually fish for Halibut.  The majority of the Commercial License Holders lease out their quota and sit at home profiting from leasing out a Canadian Common Resource.  THE CANADIAN PEOPLE OWN THE RESOURCE not the Commercial License holders who were gifted their allocation for FREE!.

The reference to these Commercial License Holders coined by the Sport Fishing Institute, "Slipper Skippers" is both accurate and disturbing.

It is intolerable to think that my job, my way of life and my right to fish for Halibut has been reduced because your DFO Minister who has mismanaged our Halibut Stocks.

I  find it appalling that the current DFO Halibut Policy will prohibit me and all other Recreation Anglers from fishing for Halibut in August 2011 unless I lease quota from a Commercial Allocation holder.   Your policy serves the interest of a select few but compromises the rights of all Canadians who wish to fish for Halibut.  Feb 15th, DFO Minister Shea announced that Recreation Anglers will have to lease allocation from a Commercial Allocation holder.  All Canadians own this Canadian Common resource and your Conservative policy requires Canadians to lease allocation to fish for a resource we already collectively own.  I can not believe that the Conservative Government has allowed the DFO Minister to make an unfair allocation policy even worse.  This policy has reduced my confidence in the Conservative Government.  I will not vote for the Conservative Government in the next election unless you change this grossly unfair Halibut Allocation policy.  I also intend to tell everyone in my contact list in my phone and on my computer not to vote for your Government as well.

As a Canadian Citizen that is being affected by your decisions I urge you to intervene.  The DFO Minister has the Authority under the Fisheries Act to allocate a fair and equitable share of Halibut Stocks to the Recreation Sector.  In the interests of all Canadians you must instruct her to change the DFO Halibut Allocation Policy or resign.

I would appreciate it if you respond to me directly since your Government as put my job at risk I believe you owe me this consideration. 

Sincerely,

Justin Lowes
6 Chilko St
Kitimat B.C.
Canada V8C 1Y5