The Future of Fishing?

I feel that we need to have more respect for our sport.  We are
going to lose Ocean Salmon (maybe for 2 yrs) and maybe have a partial Rockcod season.  Even, if this Salmon thing is a water, climate issue.  We lose the party boats,  bait shops, and even more things connected to fishing. 

The bunny huggers are out there in force. They want you to get all your fish from Safeway.

I think it looks bad if we says we caught 8 to 18 stripers in a day.  Even if it C&R.


I been hunting for a long time and it is a dieing sport.  Because, now hunting is
a "bad word" and if your a hunter you are not going to be look at in a
good way.  They (bunny huggers) split the hunters from the target shooters and the AK-47 guys. Strength in numbers....divide and we fall.  They (bunny huggers) have cut the head off of hunting and just waiting
it for it to die.  Very few new hunters are being made.  The kids now a days are to much into computers and video games.

Fishing is only one less step away from hunting.  We still kill.

That is just IMO.  Ken kickfish

"The bunny huggers are out there in force. They want you to get all your fish from Safeway."

I've never encountered people like that - you sure you're not just imagining them?

The "bunny huggers" and "greens" aren't the problem.  It's the "money huggers" and the "greeds" that do things to disrupt habitat, water supplies...etc., and often it's the "conservative" redneck crowd that supports them the most.

The regulation changes that we've seen are a result of science and direct observation of how the resources have been impacted by our activities.

As for hunting, I don't think you're on the mark there either.  Thanks for sharing your opinion, but it sounds a lot like your last babble-thread...

lets not do this again....

Look, everyone is to blame.. us (fishermen), them (bunny huggers), me (republican) wrong people (democrats) LOL! JUST KIDDING!

fishermen overfished, environmentalist are too extreme (blame us for everything it sometimes seems), the government screwed up the resources over the last century.  All this combined with the fact that safeway sells SALMON in NEBRASKA... TALK ABOUT UNNATURAL... I'm very very very sad to say it, but the future of this sport is in other states.  California is an almost lost cause.  If the water was still here, the fish would be too... But the watersheds are screwed, and so are the fish.  You could nuke all the dams and that would help the fish, but cause mass famine because all the crops in the central valley would dry up and die. (TOO MANY PEOPLE, TOO LITTLE WATER) liquid gold gentlemen.. someday water will cost more than gasoline.

It is not an us vs. them kind of problem.  It is an us vs. us kind of problem.  Mankind is to blame for this sh@t. sorry fellas, we are all to blame. (some more than others)

OK... here we go again. 

All babblings aside, a big part of the Anglers Caucus at Long Beach was about encouraging recreational anglers to do the following:

1.  Speak up and get involved to preserve the fisheries (kill the apathy)
2.  Demand a scientific and well reasoned approach to fisheries management
3.  Realize that we ARE Conservationists... and to start letting people know and see that in our actions.

The Partnership for Sustainable Oceans was established as a way to get recreational anglers aligned on the Conservation front... which I think is a really good move. 

Now... if you want to criticize someone for posting that they caught too many fish... go over to Bloody Decks and heckle them a little.  NCKA is the least of the problem as far as I'm concerned.

EK

Examples of conservation combined with hunting/fishing that have worked wonderfully:

Ducks Unlimited
Trout unlimited

if you drive a car, buy your food anywhere other than where it was grown, have purchased anything that wasn't made within human powered (walking, biking, etc) distance, or have ever purchased anything then YOU are the problem and why we are in this mess.

at this time i can get RF year round, i can also shoot Cabezon year round. Certain months i cant get abalone, lobster or lingcod but for the most part I am not feeling like much is taken away from how I fish. If you spearfish your fishing season in the ocean is longer and you wont feel so oppressed.

oh well, my wife fishes from a kayak and she feels the pain. seems like fishing from a vessel isnt ever going to come this year 

diving for fish make fishing feel more like a year round sport for those who fish in the ocean. besides that you can see how the fish live, choose what you get and show those people who frown on fishing that you can follow the rules and you still dont have to buy fish at a store. fresh fish tastes better. The DFG will never ban fishing or hunting altogether because with each tag and license its income to them.

i also practice conservation when i fish, if i can see that a fish is spawning i'll pass on them. if a fish is guarding eggs i'll also pass on them. i guess im an activist at heart. i can get 10 rf a day but i just take a few sometimes none.

john

at this time i can get RF year round, i can also shoot Cabezon year round. Certain months i cant get abalone, lobster or lingcod but for the most part I am not feeling like much is taken away from how I fish. If you spearfish your fishing season in the ocean is longer and you wont feel so oppressed.

oh well, my wife fishes from a kayak and she feels the pain. seems like fishing from a vessel isnt ever going to come this year 

diving for fish make fishing feel more like a year round sport for those who fish in the ocean. besides that you can see how the fish live, choose what you get and show those people who frown on fishing that you can follow the rules and you still dont have to buy fish at a store. fresh fish tastes better. The DFG will never ban fishing or hunting altogether because with each tag and license its income to them.

i also practice conservation when i fish, if i can see that a fish is spawning i'll pass on them. if a fish is guarding eggs i'll also pass on them. i guess im an activist at heart. i can get 10 rf a day but i just take a few sometimes none.

john

WTG, John.   

well put john... and steve, thank you for reiterating what I said about us all being at fault in at least some small way.  To your short list you can add things like drinking wine or purchasing any other unnecessary products that require water to be produced.  I know that sounds way way way over the top, and it is, but that is what I mean when I say we are all in at least some way responsible for this... I hate to be the one to say it, but there are too damn many people in this state... Kinda like squawfish (LOL) what we need is a little population control.

erik, i hope I didn't come off as apathetic.. I'm not.  I'm just disgruntled.  I feel all to often that the outcome of these things is predetermined by whomever is the highest bidder.  That and the damn public meetings in the middle of the day during the work week, WTF... seriously WTF?

Kickfish,

I think you're a little off base on this one. Things that don't get me excited and wanting to help are posts like you have posted here. Don't point your finger at me and say "you are bad", because you don't know my fishing habits or my stance on almost anything.

You may have been better off at starting your opinion thread with "I" instead on "We", unless you're talking about a mouse you have in your pocket. Bottom line is, next time please don't include me in your opinion without knowing me better. I am a very conservative person, but I make my own mind up based on the information I receive.

CHEERS!

In recent weeks, I have not been one to refrain from kicking Ken Kickfish around in this forum, but this time I'm ready to stand by him.  While I may not agree with his choice of words, I tend to agree with what I feel is the underlying theme of what he is saying.  It is irrelevant if you are conservative or a conservationist or whatever.... fishing closures put the screws to all fishermen... not just the enviro-rapists masquerading as "fishermen".  I don't fish to kill.. I fish to have fun.. to relax.. and sometimes to eat.  But I could be seeing my right to fish slip away just the same as some prick who sells his abalone in chinatown.  Ken is right in spirit... I dont really give a rats @ss who is to blame, I just want the problem solved so WE can keep on fishing.  And by WE I mean us here (not the abalone poaching prick) LOL

Examples of conservation combined with hunting/fishing that have worked wonderfully:

Ducks Unlimited
Trout unlimited

Don't forget the Turkey and Elk here in CA as well. Those of us who hunt, fish or just get out to enjoy the great outdoors should have a deep respect for conservation. Ultimately, it is our responsibility to protect the wildlife, fish, plants and other natural elements that are so important to maintain a balance in our environment and sustain our quality of life.

Although it may seem like a waste of time, it is very important to get involved with the decision makers. There are times when your presence, especially in numbers can make a difference. That being said, we all know many decisions are based on political reasons and not on facts. Very difficult to accept. One more thing, if you enjoy your sport whether it be hunting or fishing, talk it up. I guarantee, those who act offended will be the first in line for a "MAN DOG" 

Thanks Sean for being there for all of us. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Ben

I feel that we need to have more respect for our sport.

Then maybe you should get more involved with the Politics of fishing. Perhaps attend a MLPA meeting and voice your opinions and make a difference. Talk is cheap my friend.

That is just IMO. Samoa

Kickfish,

I think you're a little off base on this one. Things that don't get me excited and wanting to help are posts like you have posted here. Don't point your finger at me and say "you are bad", because you don't know my fishing habits or my stance on almost anything.

You may have been better off at starting your opinion thread with "I" instead on "We", unless you're talking about a mouse you have in your pocket. Bottom line is, next time please don't include me in your opinion without knowing me better. I am a very conservative person, but I make my own mind up based on the information I receive.

CHEERS!

Well said Dan I totally agree, It's hard to take someone seriously that assumes so much, and tries to put words in others mouths. Especially from someone who posts pictures of bloody albacore, trout sawed in half and posted that he illegally caught fish for other people. I hear what you are saying but let's see some action so we can take your posts seriously.

I belong to UD (Ducks Unlimited) and used to be a member on the NRA and Calif. Waterfowl. What the Huggers don't care about is "We the hunters" made the refuges that they use for a few dollars a day to take photos and look at the ducks and geese.  While they eat their fine steaks and leather shoes, wallets, handbags and belts.

It is the water that the problem with salmon.  But, they huggers are out there and waiting for thier "Decade in the Sun".  They talk about saving the "fur, whales, and what ever else".  2 years without Ocean salmon and if Ocean is banded.  Then, rivers will be also.

Rockcod maybe 120 ft and not 180 ft.

Guys, words are words.  But, if it reaches and makes one think?  Then, it does help.

Ken kickfish

Heck, they are triying to pass a law that you can not own a handgun in Wash. DC.

And, you got to remember....what you say on many post is going to be there for a long time.

The best available science is definitely not at work here.  In all terrestrial (and freshwater) hunting, farming and fishing, proper management involves significant human aid to the species involved, in the form of stocking, feeding, habitat enhancement, predator control, food control...  Somehow the marine environment has folks thinking the best way to manage it is to leave it to it's own devices to cope with the pressure of fishing and various habitat challenges. 

MPAs are not habitat enhancement, there's nothing wrong with the habitat itself.  The Pajaro pipeline is habitat enhancement - a poor ecosystem was made into a vibrant and productive one.  Reducing the slot limit on sturgeon will not help the sturgeon in the long run, sturgeon hatcheries will.  The 'bunny-huggers' are why such solutions, in common use in freshwater (with spectacular success), are taboo in the ocean. 

If we cared for fisheries in the same way that we care for our other heavily utilized natural resources, we could have resilient fisheries, great fishing, jobs in the 'fishery enhancement' sector, and reasonable access to fresh water at the same time. 

I remember a year or two ago one of the guys at coastside (Bob?) suggested that the only solution for fishermen to the ongoing salmon fiasco was 100% fin-clipping of hatchery fish.  Then while the water-wars go on for the next millenia we can say 'EF y'all, we have our own fish and we're going fishing!'.   That's starting to look like 'best available science' to me.  How about fin-clipped sturgeon too before it's too late....

And everyone remember, this is the grouchy season for fisherfolk.  Here's hoping for good conditions for the abalone opener, there's at least one fishery that isn't fubar this year.