Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Rockcrawler
I know stripers unlimited is controversial, there seems to be a divide among recreational guys with SU. IM not sure why that is. They lobbied for game fish status didnt they? Why are they controversial?
|
Do you mean Stripers Unlimited or Stripers Forever?
Either way it is an interesting and complex question.
I think there are 3 fishing groups that use striped bass (and several non-fishing groups such as environmentalists and consumers).
There is commercial fishing.
There is catch and keep (C&K) as a priority recreational fishing.
There is catch and release (C&R) as a priority recreational fishing.
Stripers Forever is dominated by the latter group, which many C&K recreational fisherman dislike because of assumptions of elitism, and distrust because SF doesn't share their priorities. Can you imagine SF having a club get together centered around grilling striped bass to eat?
In truth, recreational C&K views the resource more in line with commercial interests than C&R interests. Both have catch and kill as a necessary (and obviously valid) utilization step. A commercial fishery that intentionally kills fish, makes a recreational fishery that also intentionally kills fish easier to justify.
THAT, I think, is the real problem with commercial fishing. It sets the standard that the only good fish is a dead fish. When striped bass are more valuable dead than alive, inevitably too many end up dead.
Changing that would greatly help the fishery.