News for September 2008

Your First Season depends on your Second Season:

“What do you do with yourself in the offseason?”

How many of you have heard that question from people who assume you’ve got nothing but time from September until May? They don’t realize what it takes to get all the ducks in a row to make a season work. And trust me, this year your second season will be the most critical you’ve ever experienced. There are all the usual: you have to recover from nearly working yourself to death all summer. Then you attack the big lists: maintenance of equipment, boats, and lodging; employee relations and hiring for the next season; traveling to shows and countless other marketing exercises.

But here’s the critical new factor: For the “second season” of 2008/2009, you’d better add something to the list: political action.

This fall we face regulatory changes that will determine the viability of your business for the foreseeable future. In the first week of October the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) will set our permanent halibut allocation and determine whether or not leasing fish from the commercial IFQ shareholders is part of our solution. In February, the Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) will act on charter regulations for every fish other than halibut.

The world is run by those who show up. It’s that simple. If we don’t show up, if we don’t make our views known to elected officials, board and council members, as well as state and federal regulators, they will assume we like things like a one-per-day halibut limit, and king closures (or 48-inch minimums) during our season. This summer, you got a bitter taste of bad regulations. It’s time for each of us to fund political action and to show up, or else you’ll have to live with that bitter taste in your mouth a long time.

Action items:

  • Attend the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Anchorage – Key dates are September 30 through October 4.
  • Support SEAGO
  • Support the Charter Halibut Task Force
  • Attend the Board of Fisheries Meeting in Sitka – February 17 -26. (Free lodging will be available on a first-come first-served basis from Angling Unlimited and other concerned Sitka operators.)
  • Write elected officials and engage your customers to do the same: Governor Palin wants everyone’s vote in November – not just Alaska residents. Contact Governor Palin and her fisheries advisor:
    • Governor Sarah Palin, (907) 269-7450; governor@gov.state.ak.us
    • Cora Crome, Office of the Governor, Fisheries Policy Advisor, (907) 465-3500; cora_chrome@gov.state.ak.us

2008 – a very tough year

How did it go for you in 2008?

As if a tough economy and rapidly rising fuel prices weren’t enough, we endured moving target regulations just as the season got underway. The halibut regulations were headed for one per day, but we were saved by the terrific efforts of the Charter Halibut Task Force which fronted most of the money and all of the effort to save our two-fish daily bag for this season. Everyone needs to thank these people and send money for their continued efforts.  You can contact them through their web site http://charterhalibut.org/

As if a lack of certainty for halibut regulations weren’t problem enough for customer relations, we got hit with very challenging king regulations. The one-per-day, one-per-year with a minimum 48-inch rule became a de facto catch and release rule. Most of us were able to convey the conservation motivation behind this regulation, but how many customers will drop out for 2009 as a result?  Even for those that are hanging in for 2009, what will they do if this kind of restraint on king retention comes again? How many will book when you tell them you’re uncertain as to what will happen in 2009?

The ultimate question all of us need to ask is, how much regulatory uncertainty can you deal with and still attract customers?

Help Build the Organization You Know We Need

If you’re like us, you’ve attended enough meetings of the NPFMC and BOF to know that relying on volunteer efforts by a select few in our industry just isn’t enough – especially these days. You know that to be heard and heeded we need a well-funded organization with real professional talent.

SEAGO was founded by charter and lodge operators throughout Southeast Alaska to become the highly-effective organization representing our interests we must have if we are to build and sustain successful businesses.

We’re also a work in progress – and we need your help with the effort.  We have an executive director and a temporary board. We have initial funding, but we must grow to stay alive and to be effective. So, we welcome your input on how to build SEAGO!  We are looking for members and for active board members.

You are invited to SEAGO’s first annual meeting, in Anchorage during the NPFMC meeting, on Thursday evening, October 2 at 7:30 PM. The location will be posted on our web site along with a call-in number for those of you who can’t attend in person. Go to http://www.seagoalaska.org  for details on the annual meeting and a good look at what, with your support, we are building.

We’re aware that we tread in challenging territory. It’s difficult to organize people, especially the independent types that start our kind of businesses. We are asking people who often compete with each other and, let’s be honest, sometimes don’t like each other, to check their differences at the door and unite around our mission: To promote the tradition of sport fishing in Southeast Alaska through reasonable regulations that ensure the long-term sustainability of our businesses and fish resources.