Posted by Curt Billings on October 08, 1999 at 14:13:44:
In Reply to: Re: That's not the whole story... posted by Marta on October 08, 1999 at 11:38:13:
Blame nobody, to do so is unproductive, but solve the problems that are solvable. Hurricans are natural disasters. At this point everyone and everything cannot be entirely protected from. However, Nature has a profound way of healing itself from ecological messes, Mt. St. Helens, Yellowstone fires, Boston Bay pollution. "Never recover" is not necessarily an ultimatium.
Everything we do, make, produce, take, eat, excrete, and some of what we say, has a negative impact on the environment. So, can the rate of impact be mitigated or reduced over time so some future generations can share a piece of the resource? Can we make choices and compromises? Sure, but it requires some plundering here and some protection there.
I like otters, I like abalone's, I like lobsters, and I like most the stuff that came out of the primordial soup. I would like everybody to be prosperous and have a job lobster trapping if they so desire. But everybody can't have all of these in unlimited quantities, there just not enough to keep up with the ballooning human race.
I have looked at many otters, abalone, lobster, up close and personal. I think we have enough otters, need more abalone's in SoCal, and I think the lobster industry is taking way more than their fair share. My preferences are from my experiences in life. Your mileage may vary.
If a 12# lobster in your hand or a 10" abalone steak on your plate is not exciting to you than I might understand how a cute fuzzy otter floating in the kelp can be more important. But remember, it is possible for most of us to get a piece of or a photgraph of what we want, as long as we are not greedy and take all of one thing or protect all of another without trying to keep some balance to it all.
Because even the abalone's, otters, etc. have an impact, some more negative than others. We are the check and balance of the system. It is our responsibility to harvest and to protect in appropriate numbers.