Quote:
Originally Posted by dannyplug1
To the commercials its just money pure and simple to the rest of us who dont sell our catch its a way of life. I have spent the best parts of my life fishing for bass. I live where I live to fish I work the job I have to be able to fish often and hard. Beside my family bass fishing is the best part of my life. To you it is just a fish but to me it is a part of my soul. I know it sounds hokey or corney but it is the truth.
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I'm glad you love it so much, as I too can't imagine my life without fishing. I would say it's wrong to suggest that comm fisherman don't love it as much as you do. You can't get
good enough to make money on Stripers without loving to fish for them first. The only difference between you and myself and all of the comms I happen to know is that we also make a few bucks living the life you describe above. I doubt many people comm fish because it's the
only way for them to make money. They do it because they love the ocean, love to fish, and are good enough at it that someone values their skill enough to buy fish from them. Again, I ask, what is wrong for being paid for something you love? Should a working existance be defined through misery?
If folks want to split hairs about who should get all the fish, remember there's plenty of people who can't or don't fish that have just as much of a "right" to those as any other US citizen. Many of those folks like to eat fish and will buy them at a market. It's interesting that there's a lot of statements that suggest that comm's are taking all of the resources for themselves, but by creating a rec only fishery, aren't the rec's doing the same? And if you think that getting rid of comm fishing will end overharvesting of Stripers, just look at the illegal take in all states. If there's a market for it, there will be people providing it, regardless of legality. Best thing about the commecial fishery is that it allows for a legal, recordable take of fish. Right now it's the only accurate means of recording fish mortality that we have.
I'm far from thinking that we should fish for them until the ocean is empty, and I'm rec fishing 90% of the time I'm on the water, so I'm obviously concerned about the stocks. If a reduced take helps sustain the resource for everyone, I'd participate in that. I just don't agree with the suggestion that commercial fishing should end completely. Nor do I agree that comm's don't love the experience of fishing just as much as anyone else.