Posted by seahunt on April 03, 2000 at 09:17:52:
In Reply to: rights vs. responsbilities posted by msblucow on April 01, 2000 at 09:09:12:
left to their own devises, would strip the ocean bare just for the bragging rights.
****
Yah, as I have said, I have a problem with that. That is why I refer to it as a neolithic hunting behavior. I will note, that limits of bugs are actually rather rare, though that does not change what you say. I have told one of my friends that he needs to do releases. He takes too much and doesn't even particularly like lobster. Still, if you take away his right to hunt, you are likely to take away mine. That's how it works. Now, Shel, who is widely considered the best lobster hunter of the 90's, does do catch and release. He even trades smaller bugs for bigger ones, to release them. His girl friend (a real charmer) has released two 14 pounders. In reference to this, the recipes were one of the first things I put on my web site.
Over all, I am a proponent of dock limits for commercial fishers and yearly limits for sport hunters. Both would promote taking of the larger specimens. They are thinking of that on the north coast for sport ab hunters.
I do know from experience that there are a small minority of hunters out there that have a disproportionate effect. You might be suprised about the ontogeny of that situation.
*** How is prying an inanimate object off of an oil platform hunting? ***
As defined by the behavior and law. People taking scallops are exhibiting an instinctive hunting behavior. And that is how you have to deal with it. If you want to change something, understand its source.
***Oh, and by the way, California wasn't poineered by hunters, but by gold miners looking to get rich. ***
Well, just to be disagreeable, how about cattlemen and timber harvesters... No, the otter hunters were first.
Enjoy the diving, seahunt