Posted by Brad on February 07, 2002 at 20:45:47:
In Reply to: Re: MLPA: Proposed change in Fish & Game Regulations posted by Elaine on February 07, 2002 at 18:51:36:
When the sportfishing industry declared war against the reserves, they squandered any voice they could have had in limiting commercial fishing by religating their argument from one of conservation to one of allocation. How can they now use their political machine on behalf of 'conservation' when they declared 'war' against the most comprehensive conservation measures ever proposed for our waters? The sportfishing industry thrives on hype and bs. As the fishing has been declining right before everyones wide open eyes, the industry continues the hype and has successfully convinced the majority of anglers that the conservation measures are nothing but an abridgement of their so-called 'rights'.
They could have accepted the reserves and in doing so become allies in the real war to halt the depletion of OUR waters, but instead they fell for the industry hype and the commercial interests couldn't be happier.
The sportfishing community has coalesced over the reserve issue, but the net result will NOT be conservation, but a continuation of the depletion. That is an aggregious error that will come back to bite them in the long run.
United Anglers started their charter with the slogan "fish for the future". Their declaration of war against the reserves is an utter betrayal of that most noble principal.
I have heard various sportfishing radio broadcasters tell the listeners that "they will not be able to walk with their kids on the beach if the reserves happen" and "it will put every halfday boat on the coast out of business." I guess that bs is to be expected from an industry that thrives on hype.
I would like to ask them; what generation do they think should accept the responsibility of restoring OUR fisheries? Should it be the generation that had a hand in the depletion, or do they think the burden should be passed off to future generations. The truth is, this generation of anglers have seen the biggest and the best that OUR waters have to offer, and therefore they should accept the responsibility! We must never loose sight of the fact that the oldest 2 and 3 generations of virtually every resident specie of fish are GONE!
One thing that really causes me grief is that the warriers have the unmitigated gaul call themselves 'environmentalists'. I have to wonder when the last time a bunch of those so-called environmentalists actually went out into the 'environment' without the express purpose of killing something. If they are environmentalists, then who isn't?!
Protect that which you value!!!!!!!!!