7/11 PM

[dgax65]

While I will release unwanted fish, I don't deliberately go out for a day of catch and release. If I catch it, I want to eat it, or share with others. I don't go over the limits, I'm not on the water that often and I'm not a great fisherman. I can honestly say that my fishing practices are legal and ethical. I know that it is important to remind people that we have to work at keeping fish stocks healthy, but as long as we obey the law we should be allowed to keep what we catch. If there is too much pressure on a particular species, I would think that lobbying for more restrictive limits would be just as, if not more important, than flaming on a person who is fishing legally. If we are going to be outraged by anything, I would save it for the practices of the commercial fishing fleets. The impact of anglers pales in comparison to the damage wrought by commercial fishing. The amount of bycatch that is wasted for each fish that goes to market is staggering. Legally catching fish for my family and friends doesn't bother me; buying fish at the market does. Maybe we should channel our energy towards solving that problem.