I am an avid sportsman concerned with ever-increasing rules and regulations on fishing, most of all the catch-and-release laws that are invading the world of fishing, torturing fishermen who are no longer allowed to keep fish. I can see, in some ways, the benefit of these laws if the fish were endangered. Otherwise, I don’t see the point of catch-and-release because it won’t stop some people from keeping the fish anyway. In fact, it may even encourage some individuals to ignore the law.
Also, if the population of a certain species of fish is decreasing then why not just place a limit on the number of that specific fish we are allowed to keep? Another alternative for this problem would be to put a catch-and-release law in place for a specific time period. This would allow the population to grow back to normal and the law could then be removed.
It will never be too late to stop more ridiculous laws from being put in place to protect the fish even when the fish don’t need protection.
Jace Abernathy
La Center
