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| No | 18% | 66 votes | Total: 376 votes | |
| Yes | 82% | 310 votes |
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Add to FavoritesBeing from the South where fishing and hunting are big sport, I cannot agree with the catch-and-release law but, do abide by it, since I live out west where the law is in effect in most places.
The southern part of the United States, as everyone knows, is virtually swamp land and lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds and bayous are everywhere you turn.
In the summer, fishermen line the banks of these bodies of water, and take home enough caught for a fish-fry, that can feed a neighborhood and usually do.
Not only, can fishermen be found on the banks. There are many boats that are taken out during the day and many southerners enjoy the pleasures of fishing, swimming, skiing, or just lounging on the boat. At night, in a camping area where sometimes, it is overcrowded, the fish are cleaned, cooked and eaten and the merriment continues way into the night.
During the depression, the TVA was established. It provided jobs for men who somehow did not serve in the military. Bridges. roads and public parks were built by these men. The lakes, rivers and streams were stocked with fish. I have heard some people remark that today, we really don't know what is in those waters. But, I have seen some of the gigantic fish that have been caught.
Some fish are caught and tagged. These are prize fish for the tournaments that are held and people come from several states to participate and there is big money for the winner. Needless to say, this fish is taken to the taxidermist and now graces his den wall.
However, I have seen fish that have been caught that have swallowed hook, line and sinker and it had to be cut from the poor thing. Throwing this fish back into the water would only mean food for a big snake or other predator, or it would end up floating on top of the water dead and swollen. Then, there are ones that are snagged in the eye or the jaw or side. I imagine myself in his position.
People love to eat fish and there is an abundancy of it in the waters in the south. There is also a price you have to pay for a license to fish or an even huger price if you are caught without one. So, I would think this would take care of one meal, at least, or several meals if you catch enough to freeze some for later meals.
Belzoni, Mississippi is the catfish capital of the world. These people raise and sell fish for a profit to make a living. Catfish is one of the favorites of many people but, heaven help you if you catch one, with the intentions of eating it. First of all, you have to get if off the line. This is not done without a fight from the fish and you end up with finned, bleeding fingers if you don't really know how to do it. Second, they do not have scales so you have to hammer them to a tree and skin them. At least, that's what my granddaddy showed me. I'd just rather not catch one as to have to go through all of that.
The water in the west is scarce. Where does that leave the fish? In a dried up, drained lake? How are they to survive?
Fish is better for you, anyday, rather than red meat. Of course, there is tuna from the ocean but, what happens if the catch-and-release law expands?
Learn more about this author, VOLECIA PLAFCAN.
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Yes
I am honestly not sure why this issue is in question. Of course catch-and-release fishing should be legal. I don't see anything wrong with it. Fishing is a fun activity, though I will admit that its slow nature takes some getting used to. I am fortunate enough to be able to fish for about two weeks in the summer in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. Most of what I do is catch-and-release. Often this is because I can't seem to catch the larger fish, but that's beside the point. There are no grounds for this method of fishing to be against the law. I can see problems with keeping every single fish caught because it can cause a shortage of fish in the water (which happens to be a global issue right now), but catching fish and then putting them right back into the water should be no problem.
On the whole, releasing the fish that a person catches does not harm anything. One could argue that catch-and-release fishing is good and healthy for the people fishing and for the body of water in which they choose to fish. With more experience they learn the proper way to reel in fish, to handle them when caught, and to either keep them for a meal or to let them back into the water. And if the person fishing is using live bait such as worms, minnows, leeches, etc., the fish get fed. So actually, we fishers are helping to support the ecosystem and the world as a whole. The fish are relatively low on the overall food chain, but they still have a great importance to their surrounding area. What we do is fun and exciting for us, but it also does not damage or risk the wellbeing of the fish.
I will say that exceptions should be made when using the catch-and-release method. If, for example, an angler hooks a fish the wrong way or the fish swallows a hook (it can happen to anyone), and the fish has no chance for survival, then it would be wrong to throw it back into the water because dead fish in bodies of water don't help anything. On the contrary, I imagine that the decaying process is harmful to other water dwellers, not to mention it's disgusting.
So there, that is my only exception when deal with catch-and-release fishing. When the fish caught is injured beyond repair, it should not be released back into the water. But in general, catching fish, experiencing the excitement and thrill of a good haul, and releasing the fish back into their habitat is a great way to relax and enjoy one's time and should not be illegal.
Learn more about this author, Steve Kallenberg.
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