400kg whopper sparks debate

http://www.tourismportdouglas.com.au/400kg-whopper-sparks-debate-NEWSPORT.8432.0.html

The capture of 400.5kg black marlin in Port Douglass outraged do gooders.

There has been a relentless ant-fishing campaign over the last 20 years and its time we as anglers stop pandering to them in an futile attempt to appease them, they will never be happy until they are successful in totally restricting what we do. This anti-fishing campaign has been brutal, not only greatly influencing the general public but a great deal of angler as well, with their propaganda and lies.

Not only is recreational fishing if managed properly sustainable, has fantastic health benefits to those participating, has been responsible in providing vital information on species like the Marlin, fundamental in understanding and ensuring the survival of these species, but as a food source few other food sources would be able to compete with recreational fishing, on sustainability, lack of environmental impact and the carbon and water footprint.

Here in Australia we are just about to impose marine parks on our Coral Sea, the Black Marlin area. While the government and all the advocates agree that recreational fishing in the area is only a very small activity, and that the area is in pristine condition. They still chose to restrict us, while totally ignoring the real threats that the area faces today. We have had 300 marine scientist sign a document that included the request to not encourage catch and release fishing in the area, for marine scientist to be against catch and release fishing, a tool vital in their work, shows that this is a political statement not a scientific one, but more importantly shows what we are up against. The great danger is not that they will restrict us but that this anti-fishing campaign has distracted not only the advocates but the public at large from the real threats our marine environment faces.

The real threats that our marine species face including the Back Marlin are not from recreational fishing, the Black Marlin nursery area is in the Great Barrier Reef lagoons, close to shore the very area being decimated by coastal development, unless this relentless anti-fishing campaign is stopped it will all be too late, misinformation informing the general public that recreational fishing is the biggest threat to our marine species is doing a great disservice to the true conservation of these very species.

Yes the opinion of the general non fishing public is important, but we must stop being reactive and start be proactive, if we want our kids and future generations to enjoy what we enjoy, otherwise we will compromise ourselves into a position were fishing is seen as an activity of the past. We should be proud of what we do and not ashamed of it, and in this ever increasing online world, full of people that require no more than 3 sec to hit the like button in an attempt to somehow appease there conscious, armed with not even the basic information on the issue, we are up against it, but if we start compromising for their benefit then it’s already all over.

We should not be so keen to unnecessarily restrict what we do our selves, others will do that for us soon enough!


http://www.sportfishingmag.com/blogs/top-shots/hang-em-high#comment-8466