Posted by mike on December 09, 2000 at 22:57:35:
In Reply to: Re: A thought on hunting (Sheephead) posted by Timotheus on December 08, 2000 at 14:58:16:
and as the big, dumb lug swam up to me, i couldn't help but wonder, what kind of %#@&%$ would shoot something like this (then i answered my own question: me when i was a pecker-head in my teenage years and had to shoot anything that moved)? Especially when the meat doesn't even keep particularly well. I also don't much care to see the hellacious pressure on the rockfish in the shallower more easily accessible spots off PV, Laguna or Catalina. There is too much pressure on species with too slow a growth and reproductive rate.
That is one good thing about yellowtail and perhaps, to a lesser degree, white sea bass: at least those are fast-growing species that can take the intense commercial-fishing pressure a little better.
It would be interesting to see a conservation group (which could well include spearos, rec divers, etc) buy up permits for certain species if those permits are limited in number and are given to either the highest bidder or by lottery.
that might go a little bit towards restoring some decent fish populations near some of our favorite shore diving sites.