By Don Hoff, Jr. February 09, 2011
I did for one season operate a Charter boat service in Ketchikan with a partner. It's not as easy as I thought, but as always, I didn't make any money, so I quit doing that. I also purse seined, power trolled, hand trolled and gill netted in my younger days out of Ketchikan. Again, I never made any real money. So, I quit doing that. With that said, I am just a good Sports fisherman and Subsistence fisherman. I am in support of no fishing commercially for five years or ten years. Let the stocks come back if they come back at all. Let's take the Unuk River Ooglian fishery. There is none. Wiped out. It was the Ooligan Capital of the World years ago. I asked the State of Alaska Fish and Game to look into it and they told me, Ooligans have no commercial value. Wow. What kind of attitude is that? It makes me sick to see all the herring being harvested for their roe. Herring is the most important food for whales, seals, birds, and salmon. Stop! Greed is only factor I see in this dilemma. Halibut quota, I have no problem with that. I personally think they should stop all the commercial harvest of halibut, except for personal use only. Exploitation of our fisheries has gone on too long. To extinction? Is that what you folks want? I am Indigenous to Ketchikan and all the lands as far as you see. My Tribe has been exploited since the purchase of Alaska and Statehood of all our Lands and all our natural resources! It is very difficult for me to feel sorry for the few greedy people taking our resources and pushing my people out. I can hear it now 'I have boat payments, or We create jobs, or People will lose Jobs , etc'. It might be time to change your career? Fishing is almost dead, just like the Timber Industry in Sitka and Ketchikan Pulp Mill closing. People just found other things to do or get a new career doing something different. I did. I am in support of No Commercial fishing and No Charter Boat fishing and have a ban for at the very least five years for halibut, herring, ooligans, salmon, king crab, sea cumbers. Who said that? I said that! This is only my opinion shared by others. Don Hoff Jr.
About: Past: Received February 08, 2011 - Published February 09, 2011
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