In Reply to: I'm with Brad on this one... posted by Steve Clark on January 05, 2009 at 21:22:42:

I occasionally read the postings on this board but rarely contribute. In this case I feel compelled to offer my opinion. I was on board when Pat brought the wolf eel up to the boat. First of all, the animal was clearly sick. That is why Pat was able to bag it so easily. He had seen the eel at the same spot a week before. On this dive he located the eel again and realized it was sick. He brought it up out of curiosity and to show us the creature up close. It was photographed on board and immediately released. There was no ego involved. The eel would must likely have died anyway.

In my view Andy's posting are well stated and accurate. The act of diving we all enjoy impacts the environment. We all have our agendas and rationalize to justify them. I don't see the contributors to this board slamming the lobster hunters or abalone divers. Personally, I have had a profound interest in shell bearing mollusks since early childhood. I study and collect them responsibly (probably a rationalization). I often justify what I do by contributing specimens for scientific research and going on scientific collecting expeditions. Fisherman enjoy their hobby and now justify what they do by catch and release. People today seem to have become emotionally and irrationally passionate about saving the environment without true science to justify a sometimes extreme position.

• Re: Re: I'm with Steve on this one... Brad 01:29:09 01/08/09 (1)
  • Re: Re: Re: I'm with Steve on this one... Steve Clark 10:48:13 01/08/09 (0)