Posted by Finfan on October 31, 2002 at 08:00:49:
In Reply to: Re: Hunters are not low-impact. to the gene pool posted by Chuck Tribolet on October 30, 2002 at 21:33:10:
I can't speak to the PT Lobo's reserve since I have no knowledge of it and have never dove the area, but as far as the comment regarding records going until the species crashes - I think we would all agree that a principal species behind the reserve concept is resident shallow water rockfish. So if we can agree that DFG believes the species has crashed enough to implement all of these new rules and added the reserves can you explain why among the current pending world records submitted to the IGFA this year (in fact in the summer of 2002) there are several rockfish records up for certification (including lingcod)?
Also, I read your post above and you said the smart fishermen fish just outside the reserve for the big ones. We'll I thought the reserve concept pitched for the channel islands was based in concept on raising a population to re-populate deplited areas throughout the channel islands. If that is so and you, along with the Brad's and Blue cow's of the world are right about how effective sportfishermen are in decimating the biggest and the brightest then how exactly does a fish grown in the reserve re-populate surrounding waters? I assume the sportfishermen have caught it once it leaves the reserve. Are you now saying that sportfishermen aren't that effective and therefore aren't as big an impact as you have stated before?
You see I think the biggest problem we face here, it that most of the reserve support comes from people who don't necessary believe that it is the answer for truly fixing the problem (and that's a general decline in fisheries worldwide). They just like the idea that a little piece of the world is set aside for them and them alone. That's why Steve's question sparked so much debate. When it was suggested that no one should have access folks like you came out of the wood work - not to support an idea that would undoubtadely be best for the resource, but to argue why your impact is different from others and why your impact is good and not bad. Bottomline is there is a group of people in this world that like to label man's intereference as good or bad. Impact is impact! Degree is irrelevent! You either are for the resource or for yourself. Hate to burst your bubble.