Quote:
Originally Posted by captainmike555
Thanks for the feedback. I did not even touch on the possession limits or size limits, both of which were not being followed, as it was the season where one fish is allowed at 15" when I saw them. In each tank were 8-10 fish, most in the 12-14' range. Watching another fishery decimated in my lifetime (I'm 63) is very depressing. True, the raw fish markets are driving things to insanity in terms of price and scarcity, but I've seen ling, whiting, bluefin tuna, weakfish, blowfish, winter flounder, cod, and other species crushed in my time on this blue marble, seemingly never to return to their once abundant status. I have seen and know guys (to this day) who keep species out of season, keep shorts, filet at sea, etc. Add to that the commercials and their wholesale destruction and I sometimes really want to hang up my gear and dump the boat. I so enjoy being out on the water that it's hard to quit the habit, but it's getting to the point that after 50 years on the NY Bight, it may be getting time to find another hobby. Someone talk me out of it.
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I'll give it a shot even though that might have been a rhetorical statement. I think it's true for many when we're younger it's mostly about catching. As we get older and I'll speak from my own perspective, its more about the experience, time on the water with friends and family and respect for the resource. I still love catching but the experience is way more important than what ends up in the cooler even though my family loves fish for dinner. I'm not sure you can just turn that off and selectively walk away nor do I wish to.
I've always said I don't think there's another sport / hobby people enjoy and participate in more when they're older than when they're younger than fishing. That's why in spite of where we're at with certain fisheries, it's important to hang in and fight the fight to protect the resource. It's a tall challenge but walking away is equivalent to throwing in the towel and I don't think that's a healthy option for any recreational angler.
Hope that helps in some small way......................
