Posted by finfan on December 16, 2002 at 10:05:39:
In Reply to: Re: It's a matter of outlook posted by Brad on December 15, 2002 at 10:02:26:
Didn't say you don't have a right to your opinion, only that it's extreme. As far the position that you want to stand behind
"There is nothing better for fish populations than man not killing fish---period.
There is nothing worse for fish populations than man killing fish---period."
I just happen to believe "take" is a distant second when it comes to what we have done through pollution regarding depletion of local fish populations.
It's the "--period" part of your statement and the all inclusive statements that gets you labeled "extremist"
Hypothetically, lets say we take ten of the best fishermen off this coast and give them a week to fish. I'd measure what they catch to what I could kill with one simple discharge from any of a number of chemical industries working within a 20 mile zone along our shores. Toxics into the water are thousand times more deadly than any guy with a piece of mono and a hook (not matter how much he takes).
You also said that
"Each and every fisherman saw the depletion occuring right before their open eyes and did sweet nothing to curtail their take until mandated by law. They drove the depletion and now they faign bewilderment at the new regulations."
You simply cannot have any proof to support such a statement. You don't know "each and every fishermen" so you couldn't posssibly know what they saw or did. Those kind of statements immediately reduce your crediability.
As far as the trip log thing goes - let it go. I spent more than 30 years diving the SO CAl bight system, 6 years of which was daily with a good 2 to 3 hours actually in the water. Time on or in the water doesn't make me any more right than you (that applies in reverse also). I could care less if you spent a month or hundreds of months underwater - it will never give your opinion more weight than anyone elses.
I might be impressed if your trip log was built behind scientific study, but simply reading your posts tells me enough to know that your opinion is based more on emotionally foundation that any scientific platform.
Again, to a point I admire your passion, but as far right as your expression of that passion takes you in most of these posts causes me to know exactly who I would support and who I wouldn't.