Comment on FR Doc # E7-25407_c016_beeson

I wish the Secretary of Commerce to implement the management measures as recommended by the Council. I do not believe there should be any increase of charter fisheries in 2C as the charter sector has proposed. I have been a commercial fisherman, as an owner and operator for over 40 fishing seasons. I have been involved in many changes over the years, all for the purpose of healthy maintenance of a profitable and sustainable fishery. I believe the strict control of the halibut fishery now in place is needed and should be followed. The implementation of the quota system is working. I have started implementation of changes to improve fish quality on my vessel based on the security of the quota system. The 2C charter harvest and fishery does not seem to be under the same rigid control as I am. The 2C charter fishery has exceeded the GHL for the past three years. In the past 2 years, during the time the charter fishery has exceeded their fishery, I have had to fish more days ( which means higher cost and less profits) to catch my quota. While they have been exceeding their quota, I lost last year 20% of my quota. This year the projection is that I will lose another 27%. I would expect that all sectors need be managed to remain within their allocations and not even be considered for an increase. Effective charter harvest control measures are long overdue. Again, I urge the Secretary to approve and implement the one fish bag daily and four fish annual limit in 2008 for the charter fishery. Only this one fish bag limit will achieve the necessary reduction in charter halibut harvest to prevent the 2008 GHL of .931 million pounds from again being exceeded. If I were to exceed my quota, I would not get the opportunity to catch that much more the next year, but actually lose that amount of pounds and income the next year.