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Black Sea Bass and Laws


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Posted by James on September 22, 2005 at 11:52:08:

The recent discussion regarding the Black Sea Bass on Catalina Island and the well intentioned but somewhat unrealistic calls to protect them by banning spearfishing in waters local to the island have lead me to ask a question. If the BSB are already protected, with laws and associated plenties in place for violation; what will another law accomplish?
Is it not a criminals job to break the law? How would those who are ignorant of current laws, suddenly educate themselves of a new one? Those who fail to adhere to current law (criminals) or those who do not become informed on current law (ignorant) are not very likley to be affected my a new law, only more aggressive enforcement can effect these people. Have those who call for such a ban come to this conclusion after careful study, or rely on "the sad look on his mates face" to attempt to restrict the least destructive form of fishing?
We all agree the act of targeting a protected species is deplorable (and criminal), and I'm sure all of you on this board are up in arms with the proposed prospecting and subsequent drilling for oil in the National Arctic Wildlife Refuge, another "PROTECTED" resource. I myself am both an ocean tourist scuba diver and a freedive spearfisherman, and to think that I may lose my right to spearfish responsibly due to the acts of criminals seems as preposterous as losing my driving privileges due to the illegal use of automobiles.



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