Do you support compulsory catch and release?

[Steve Coppolo]

We all know what catch and release is. Most of us already practice it to varying degrees on a voluntary basis. We all have our opinions on whether practicing it is good for fish stocks, or not. We also have our own opinions on whether it will be good for angling's image, or whether it could be used against angling on the grounds of animal cruelty.

 

Just a yes or no answer for the poll, please, but any comments welcome on the thread.

 

Cheers.

[Jaffa]

We all know what catch and release is. Most of us already practice it to varying degrees on a voluntary basis. We all have our opinions on whether practicing it is good for fish stocks, or not. We also have our own opinions on whether it will be good for angling's image, or whether it could be used against angling on the grounds of animal cruelty.

 

Just a yes or no answer for the poll, please, but any comments welcome on the thread.

 

Cheers.

 

It should be an individual choice unless there is overwhelming evidence to suggest a stock is endangered.

 

Despite all the money and hype from all the commercials, the supermarkets, and the greens, not a single species of seafish has become extinct in my lifetime. The term "endangered" has taken on a media life of its own.

 

We are currently being bombarded by a dying print media, who can only sell by through fear, and politicians that cling to that because they are unsure where to go; so they go with whats easy and cheap (for the papers anyway - costs the rest of us a fortune).

 

No more than a handful of our politicians have a clue about fisheries while loads of them have been educated in media, so thats what they react to.

 

F**k em all - life might not be as planned by others, but those magic moments floating in the crystal clear kelp beds inshore, or seeing the last of a baitball from a 13ft kayak while a mile and and a half ashore is bloody good.

 

Heaven for me is hearing a pod of bottlenoses dolphins through the hull of me yak while i watch them hunt.

 

These peeps with all the conections but zero understanding of other peeps lives have no right whatsoever to dictate what is right and wrong.

 

Chris

[Worms]

It should be an individual choice unless there is overwhelming evidence to suggest a stock is endangered.

Can't say more than that!

[papiskMUSE]

I totally support idea that when you catch it you should release it.

 

Lets think logically for a moment.

 

Taking fish will make inpact on the stock, remember that if chain is broken, the whole cycle will fall.

And saying that it would'nt make a difference is WRONG!

 

Each year fishing, do you catch more than the last?

Ofcourse no!

Its because these little things like taking fish make an impact on the stock, it not might be huge, but little by little and it ads up.

 

Primary sector is decreasing because we are using earth's resources too quickly.

And because of that secondary sector is decreasing too! which leads to bigger prices because people are willing to pay more just to get it first before anyone else and because less and less of it left.

 

If you are a real fishermen, who is surviving from fishing then its logicall to take fish home, because thats how you survive, but for those which fishing its just a hobby or a nice time out leting fish back wount hurt anyone. At the end of the day its just for the joy, and why not let it back when you might catch the same one few years later

 

Don't think about the situation now, think about the future, think about you're kids and grandchildren, what will happen when they will go fishing.

 

Will they strugle to catch?

or enjoy fishing because there are some left.

 

Remember its all in ours hands

[Davy Holt]

Hiya,

 

as usual the choice should be down to the individual, unless there is rock solid proof that a stock needs total protection.

 

I'm pretty certain the majority of anglers feel the same way, in fact I would put money on the only anglers that vote for Compulsory C&R will be Bass anglers.

[wurzel]

It should be an individual choice unless there is overwhelming evidence to suggest a stock is endangered.

 

Chris

 

The problem is all the fish species that are considered endangered e.g. cod, thornback ray, spur dog, and eels can be caught by RSA in high numbers which suggests to me that they are not endangered at all, yet management claim there is overwhelming evidence to suggest these stocks are endangered.

It should be an individual choice and that's it.

[ColinW]

I'd support it ONLY as part of a system that hugely limits the activities of commercial fishermen. There's been a New Zealand TV angling series showing on Quest recently and what stands out is the sheer number and size of fish available to anglers when you get 15,000 miles away from European commercial fishermen and the Common Fisheries Policy.

[Brian Carragher]

I totally support idea that when you catch it you should release it.

 

Lets think logically for a moment.

 

Taking fish will make inpact on the stock, remember that if chain is broken, the whole cycle will fall.

And saying that it would'nt make a difference is WRONG!

 

Each year fishing, do you catch more than the last?

Ofcourse no!

Its because these little things like taking fish make an impact on the stock, it not might be huge, but little by little and it ads up.

 

Primary sector is decreasing because we are using earth's resources too quickly.

And because of that secondary sector is decreasing too! which leads to bigger prices because people are willing to pay more just to get it first before anyone else and because less and less of it left.

 

If you are a real fishermen, who is surviving from fishing then its logicall to take fish home, because thats how you survive, but for those which fishing its just a hobby or a nice time out leting fish back wount hurt anyone. At the end of the day its just for the joy, and why not let it back when you might catch the same one few years later

 

Don't think about the situation now, think about the future, think about you're kids and grandchildren, what will happen when they will go fishing.

 

Will they strugle to catch?

or enjoy fishing because there are some left.

 

Remember its all in ours hands

 

Spoken like someone who's never had a rod in their hands

[Worms]

I totally support idea that when you catch it you should release it.

 

Lets think logically for a moment.

 

Taking fish will make inpact on the stock, remember that if chain is broken, the whole cycle will fall.

And saying that it would'nt make a difference is WRONG!

 

Each year fishing, do you catch more than the last?

Ofcourse no!

Its because these little things like taking fish make an impact on the stock, it not might be huge, but little by little and it ads up.

 

Primary sector is decreasing because we are using earth's resources too quickly.

And because of that secondary sector is decreasing too! which leads to bigger prices because people are willing to pay more just to get it first before anyone else and because less and less of it left.

 

If you are a real fishermen, who is surviving from fishing then its logicall to take fish home, because thats how you survive, but for those which fishing its just a hobby or a nice time out leting fish back wount hurt anyone. At the end of the day its just for the joy, and why not let it back when you might catch the same one few years later

 

Don't think about the situation now, think about the future, think about you're kids and grandchildren, what will happen when they will go fishing.

 

Will they strugle to catch?

or enjoy fishing because there are some left.

 

Remember its all in ours hands

Just remind me what otters, mink, herons, cormorants, kingfishers, goosanders, mergansers, pike, perch, zander etc. eat!

 

And the occasional fish taken by some anglers will make a difference will it? If so, why is it acceptable to catch them to eat if you are a "real fisherman"? Surely that will deplete the stocks just as quickly, or quicker, regardless of your motives.

[barry luxton]

I totally support idea that when you catch it you should release it.

 

Lets think logically for a moment.

 

Taking fish will make inpact on the stock, remember that if chain is broken, the whole cycle will fall.

And saying that it would'nt make a difference is WRONG!

 

Each year fishing, do you catch more than the last?

Ofcourse no!

Its because these little things like taking fish make an impact on the stock, it not might be huge, but little by little and it ads up.

 

Primary sector is decreasing because we are using earth's resources too quickly.

And because of that secondary sector is decreasing too! which leads to bigger prices because people are willing to pay more just to get it first before anyone else and because less and less of it left.

 

If you are a real fishermen, who is surviving from fishing then its logicall to take fish home, because thats how you survive, but for those which fishing its just a hobby or a nice time out leting fish back wount hurt anyone. At the end of the day its just for the joy, and why not let it back when you might catch the same one few years later

 

Don't think about the situation now, think about the future, think about you're kids and grandchildren, what will happen when they will go fishing.

 

Will they strugle to catch?

or enjoy fishing because there are some left.

 

Remember its all in ours hands

 

Hi, welcome to the lions den. Tell me what is the total take of the rsa compared with commercial landings and discard. Have you an idea. If you have you would understand that what you are saying will not have any impact at all. Have you ever been out wreck fishing in over 250' of water, if you have, you will understand why your statement won't have any impact on the stock.

 

We are anglers, or most of us are on anglers net, have a look at my signiture, i don't have anyone dictating to me what i need to do to enjoy my sport. If i want to take some home, i will, if i wish to release some, again i will, anything wrong with that? Have you really eaten fresh fish? If you are a rsa you may well have done. If you buy fish off a fishmonger, you proberbly never have.

 

and Arnoldas, just found out your name on another topic, please come back to this side of the forum again and don't be put off with us old codgers, well done in having a go.

Edited January 24, 2010 by barry luxton