Earlier this month, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard appointed two new commissioners to the International Pacific Halibut Commission temporarily. The commission regulates commercial and sport fishing for Pacific halibut in Canada and the U.S.
Robert Day and Neil Davis will replace Jake Vanderheide and Ted Assu. Both commissioners’ terms expired earlier this year.
Day directs Fisheries and Oceans’ International Fisheries Management Headquarters in Ottawa and Davis is a resource management director for the department.
According to a department spokesperson, Davis and Day are expected to step down when permanent commissioners are announced later this year.
This follows year of contention on the commission. Canadian and U.S. commissioners failed to agree on commercial catch limits in January. Commissioners are also in the midst of informal negotiations over how the total allowable catch is split between U.S. and Canadian fishermen.
