American Eel Stock Assessment Update Finds Resource Remains Depleted

[dannyplug1]

I have been thinking about this thread. First to say I am guilty of using eels. I try to rig them so I will get more use. I also trap eels and try to get a few (one or two) big ones for skinning and use the meat for blue crab bait. But the more I think of it we are all guilty of bad steward ship of the earth and its inhabitants. Is it ok to hook and possibly injure a fish just to let it go? I remember distinctly having a hook come around and hook a bass in the gills or slip around and hook it in the eye. Other times I continue to fish even if I know there are only schoolies around. If I care about the future of striped bass why do I continue these practices? I think humans are by our nature not good for the planet. In almost every example I can think of any interaction between people and this planet is not good for the earth and our planet. We use up the planets resources at an incredible rate. There are just too many of us. I think its getting to a point where all nations will have to fight for what's left of the resources of the world. I have come to believe that fisheries management is just a fancy way of saying how do we divide what's left of the resources. . for example how many bass do we give the commercials how many do we give the recs and how many do we give to the for hires. Same is true for eels how many to japan how many for bait. Sorry for the long winded post guess I am feeling down after a brutal bass season (I don't fish the canal).

[DZ]

Rather lengthy stock assessment update. The tables starting on page 46 are very interesting. Didn't realize rec possession limit for CT,RI, MA is 25 per person. Wonder how many bait shops limit customers to purchasing 25?

[dannyplug1]

This year I asked a bait shop in Massachusetts (not one that I deal with on a regular basis so I know they were not bending the rules to accommodate a good customer). I asked to buy eels in bulk to get a better price and they told me I would have to purchase at least four pounds worth. Four pounds of eels that has to be a lot more than 25 eels. I am sure that regulation is not being observed by many bait shops.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by dannyplug1

This year I asked a bait shop in Massachusetts (not one that I deal with on a regular basis so I know they were not bending the rules to accommodate a good customer). I asked to buy eels in bulk to get a better price and they told me I would have to purchase at least four pounds worth. Four pounds of eels that has to be a lot more than 25 eels. I am sure that regulation is not being observed by many bait shops.

Depending on the size of the eels 4 pounds may well be less than 25 eels. The bait shops don't have to observe the 25 eels possession requirements, they have a different set of rules. IIRC they are allowed to have a few hundred eels in posession.