Posted by JRM on April 11, 2001 at 14:55:05:
In Reply to: It's Time To Be Responsible posted by Jim Hoffmann on April 11, 2001 at 08:53:41:
Ah, here we go...
First, I support Jim and his moves. I respect his ability to run his shop any way he choses. Since it's out of my area, I don't shop there. Most places in my area don't carry a bunch of hunting stuff because there really isn't much demand.
I am a spearfisher. I occasionally hunt with tanks. Generally, I freedive. Hunting on tanks really limits what you can spear. I don't begrudge people who mostly hunt on tanks, holding your breath is hard :-). I also only hunt for my families consumption, occasionally for friends (generally when I'm having a party). I like seafood, and can't in good conscious buy it commercially. Yes I own spearguns. Yes I own a *REALLY* big speargun. Yes I've been accosted on the beach by folks telling me I'm destroying the ocean. Yes I've been searched by D-FAG officers often. No I really don't mind, because I obey the law to the letter.
So, that's all nice and good, but what's the point.
We *NEED* ecological reserves. We need no take zones. We need reduced bag limits. 20 fish per person per day is too much. I think 50% of the Channel Islands as a no-take zone is great. However, when D-FAG allows kelp harvesters in the Rickets Reserve, what's the point? Spearfisherman aren't the enemy here, the commercial fishing sector is. See my other post for a rant about the nearshore live fishery, I don't want to waste additional bandwidth.
Also, I love the phrase "There's no-one worse than a reformed smoker". The reason that a lot of these proposals don't go anywhere is the message suffers because of the messenger. People are downright rude, obnoxious, and generally #$%@#$%# when I fish. Most of them are clueless hypocrits who are going home to eat fish they buy in the store. If you really believe strongly about stopping the rape of the sea, go to the D-FAG meetings. Go to the NMFS meetings. Don't bitch and moan when you're on the boat and then sit around. If you don't go to the meetings, if you don't write your politicians, if you don't go out of your way to support the cause, shut your mouth. When Jim says no guns on his boats, I'll listen and respect him, because he's taken a stand. I expect to see each person who posts a "good job Jim" message at these meetings. I expect you all to write your politicians. Real paper letters, they just /dev/null email. If you want to stop my fishing, I'll respect that. But let's get restrict the commercial guys first. If I have to give up my right to spear to get them out, so be it. It's worth it.
I expect each person who has given the "me too" to stop buying commercially caught seafood. There are plenty of "watch lists" out there. Sea Bass on the list? Don't order it. Have the pasta instead. If you aren't willing to make sacrifices you have no right to judge those of us who do.
It's all about mutual respect, folks. If you don't like the rules, do something to change them. Find out a bit more about the issue. Support at least the UASC proposal (if you don't know, you better find out, cause it's gonna affect you big time). Support the effort to get the commercials out of the nearshore. Please, help us do something, so in ten years there's something left to look at/ photograph/ take, whatever your pleasure is!
JRM
-- As I don my flameproof suit, I think I should tell you that I'm considered a "tree hugger" and an "environmental wacko" by most of my friends and co-workers. They also think I'm nuts because I hunt fish in their natural environment.