Posted
by Bass Rat on 2002 AM:
Pleas
read this.............
Future of fishing is in
danger By DOUG PIKE Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
Recreational fishing faces a host of challenges in this new century, none of
which can be ignored if the sport so many of us enjoy and the resources it
represents are to endure.
Never in history has sportfishing had such broad
exposure yet taken so little advantage of it. Television and
radio, newspaper and magazine -- and the Internet, with its bottomless pit of
outdoors sites. Introductions are being made to this multibillion dollar
sport. Interest in saltwater fishing shows steady growth during the past
several years, but recruitment into freshwater angling is barely keeping pace
with the exit of gray beards and bald heads from the ranks. And worse, the
increasingly loud voices of those who would see recreational fishing eliminated
go mostly unchallenged.
Our own passivity and silence outside comfortable, familiar surroundings
threaten the future of fishing. The movement to abolish consumptive outdoor
sports and offer in compromise only restricted observation is gaining momentum.
We are kidding ourselves to think it innocuous, and we risk everything by
ignoring it.
Local, state and national groups inside and outside government are doing what
they can -- and doing it well -- to promote the sport through year-round
stocking programs, children's fishing events and advertising campaigns. The
trouble with nearly all these efforts, however, is that their target audiences
are people who already fish.
Ditto Saturday morning's lineup of outdoors programming, which is interrupted
all too frequently by brilliant commercials that depict fishing as a healthy,
family-oriented activity. And it is, but the overwhelming majority of people
who view those spots already get the message. We stand in circles, essentially,
and tell each other what a wonderful thing it is to be a fisherman.
At some point, the sportfishing industry should
consider pooling a portion of its considerable resources and using them to
launch a prime-time, wide-reaching campaign to promote the sport beyond its own
core. It isn't you or I who doesn't recognize the benefits of an afternoon on
the water, it's the men, women and children who pass
their time elsewhere and otherwise.
Any such enthusiastic recruiting effort would be expensive, perhaps a few
hundred million dollars -- about the same as the payroll of a decent
professional sports team, for perspective -- over the course of a few
hard-charging years. Consider it an investment, something to ensure that ours
will not be the last generation to stand knee-deep in clear current and watch a
giant speckled trout slam a topwater plug. Whether
our grandchildren wade in and take the same cast is their decision; our
responsibility lies in making that choice available to them.
Some people would prefer that nobody fished. Ever.
They hate recreational fishing as much as we love it. They make themselves
heard to anyone who will listen, and they get their share of ink and tape. It
is time now that fishermen went after their own publicity, positive publicity,
outside the outdoors pages and beyond the early morning broadcast slots.
While the outdoors has virtually disappeared from prime-time broadcast
television and radio, organized challenges to fishing and hunting still tend to
make the local evening news. Protesters -- organized and well-funded -- have
the foresight to issue press releases, the courage to demand attention, and the
conviction to stand up for their beliefs. Fishermen could learn a few things.
Recreational anglers rarely make waves unless and until they're in over their
heads. We operate under the mistaken belief that fishing is somehow guaranteed
to us when, like hunting or driving an automobile, it is a privilege to be
yanked away with the single sweep of a political pen.
With any privilege comes responsibility. For now, fishermen had better get more
serious about delivering political and social counterpunches to their
opponents. Animal rights extremists are not interested in conversation or
compromise. They do not subscribe to the "live and let live"
philosophy and have no intention of stopping until the last hook is outlawed in
the last creek. To prevail will require equal resolution.
Beyond clean water, adequate habitat and healthy fisheries, the future of
fishing depends also on our ability to share the psychological blessings of a
little time passed soaking bait. We need to pitch the sunrises and sunsets, the
bulging wakes and showering baitfish and thumb-burning runs. We have to sell
the sizzle, as the adage goes, as much as the steak.
Because we have not responded with equal passion to anti-fishing's baloney
barrage, the sport in recent years has lost a tiny sliver of its social
acceptability. Should that acceptance level continue to erode, and should we
fail to shore it up, there may come a day when some misguided politician who
never fished tries to take the rods from our hands.
Those future politicians -- children and teen-agers now -- need to feel and
smell and touch fishing while they are still young enough to appreciate the
magnificent first impression this sport can make. Showing someone an activity
and getting them interested in it are different matters. I've seen curling and
figure skating, but I have no desire to push a broom down a frozen bowling
alley or do triple toe loops around an ice rink.
Fishing faces similar recruitment hurdles. Watching someone fish on television
or reading about it in a newspaper generates interest that can be lost and
forgotten with the change of a channel or the turn of a page.
To enjoy fishing, you have to go fishing. Which raises the
access issue, with which
While most of us try to jam more activities into longer workdays, the world
around us refuses to accelerate. Rivers still follow their own courses in their
own time. Tides still answer only to the moon. Nature paces itself, preserving
its energy in order to persist through what is a much longer race than any of
us will ever know.
Fishing -- and fishermen -- could benefit from that lesson. In its purest,
earliest form, recreational fishing was intended simply as an exercise in
physical relaxation and spiritual rejuvenation. Fishermen once were said to be
patient types, people who could do what they did all day and be thoroughly disappointed
when sunset forced them off the water.
Not many fishermen today have such patience. Not many more fishermen have any
patience. We want to catch fish after fish -- big fish -- while taking cellular
phone calls and contemplating the best freeway route back to the office.
As professionals, we're just finding our way through a changing world. As
fishermen, for the moment, we are off course.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doug Pike covers the outdoors for the Chronicle. His column appears on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and he hosts Inside the Outdoors from
__________________
bass,bass,baby!
Posted
by OnceBitten on 2002 AM:
He's got a point.
I just read where our
friends at PETA are trying to lobby the Boy Scouts Of
America to stop having it's young members fish. They currently have a fishing
badge I guess, and PETA is trying hard to get the Scouts to drop the badge and
come out on the side of "fishing is cruel."
Last year (or was it two years ago) PETA successfully lobbied the state of
PETA is targeting the schools and youth organizations, trying to convince our
young people that hunting and fishing is cruel and it's something they should
never get involved with. Pretty clever, huh? Even if
PETA loses all the battles today, they could win the war 30 years from now when
all these kids grow up anti-hunting and fishing, or neutral on the issue and
therefore not willing to fight for it. It's a fact right now, fewer young
people fish and hunt, license sales continue to decline each year in NYS. The
DEC talks about it every year in the Regulations Guide you get with your
license. These PETA folks aren't stupid. They're thinking long term.
The battles are being fought right now in our state capitals, with PETA
lobbyists and our elected officials. (Chuck and Hillary!
Oh shit! I know some of you voted for those two. Fess up. How screwed would we
be without Pataki right now?) They are also being
fought at PTA meetings, school board meetings and Boy Scout get togethers. That's the battle front, plain and simple. What
we all do about it is up to each one of us.
I hope everyone reads this before John sees it and deletes it.
Just kidding buddy!
Posted
by Bass Rat on 2002 AM:
Maybe we can do
something right here!!!!!!
Maybe one of our more
literate & elequent posters here at nybass could draft a letter to our senetors
& congressmen that we could all cut, paste.print, sign then mail.
Anyone? Rob J, EW, Theole? I
know you guys can wax poetic.
__________________
bass,bass,baby!
Posted
by theole34 on 2002 AM:
i have some pre written formal stuff...
that i use
to write to mayor, gov, congress etc. on police
issues. i send out about 60+
letters a year voicing my opinion. i
get responses to all. some personal notes, some phone
calls, and lots of emails in the past from steve
levy. let me know if you really want a letter.. i'll send it to you via email at beggining of next week. i have a little OT this weekend.. 17+ sat, 14+ sun
and landfill mon. busy busy
busy. later.
robbie
__________________
www.Theole34.com
We're talking about "Spring"
fishing...... right?
Posted
by bobn on 2002 AM:
scary stuff--we will
almost need an "NRA" for fishing--it's getting ridiculous--by the
way, the only way to fight these types is with a big lobby like the nra or nys rifle and pistol
assoc-the manufacturers of sporting goods, clothing and all related industries
and their employees have to get involved--remember guys, they do not have to be
a BIG organization, just a noisy one--those of you who are old enough will
remember it was only one woman and a small group who took prayer (non
sectarian) and the pledge of allegiance out of our schools!--i think that did more damage to our youth than can be immagined--just my opinion-bobn
Posted
by OnceBitten on 2002 AM:
It's might just be your
opinion BOBN, but it's a good one.
Does anyone remember about 12 years ago when Dan Quayle started talking about
family values, the breakdown of the traditional family and how it would be
devastating to this countries children? Remember how the media and the majority
of the voters laughed him right out of the White House? Even Murphy Brown
attacked him for it!
Gee. Maybe it wasn't so funny after all.
Posted
by bobn on 2002 AM:
oncebitten--your right--it's the rosie odonnels of the world that
create some of these fiascos--i saw the way she
attacked tom selleck because he was a spokesman for
the nra--then she went on and on afterwards using her
show as a political public forum against firearms--this woman didn't have a
clue as to which end of a gun the bullet came out of--she was just an
opinionated celebrity who had the means to reach millions of people who were
middle of the road with her point of view--not to get off subject with fishing
guys--i was only using the gun issue as an example,
not to start a splinter discussion-but it shows how misguided and uninformed
people can vote and do damage-thanks for letting me rant and rave-thank god
she's retiring!!-bobn
Posted
by earthworm77 on 2002 AM:
PETA is also petition the
Federal Gov't and some stave Gov'ts
to prohibit fishing in state and national parks. I say Death to their radical
leftist regime!!!!!! They are always pulling some kind of stunt to get their
point across.
__________________
www.micromunchtackle.com
Posted
by OnceBitten on 2002 AM:
BOBN, I agree 100
percent. Well said.
But, since we are off topic, I'll go a little more off topic. This is not meant
to start a big battle, so please don't blast me for it.
First, let me say I'm a somewhat conservative single man. Pretty
well educated. I vote Republican and /or Conservative. I am a big fiscal
conservative, I like smaller goverment, yet I tend to
have some liberal leanings on social issues. Actually, not liberal leanings,
just commen sense leanings. For instance, I'm a
strong supporter of a woman's right to choose. I like Clearence
Thomas, but that doesn't mean I want him to tell women what they can or can't
do with their bodies.
NOW, here's my point.
There's one thing I can't understand about liberals. They support abortion
(fine), yet detest the death penalty. I just don't get that?
A jaded hardass (like myself)
could easily support abortion and the death penalty. That makes sense.
A bible thumping christian
would argue that aborting an unborn baby and killing a criminal are both wrong
and immoral. That makes sense too.
The average Joe or Jane on the street might feel that the babies have a right
to be born, and the convicted rapists and murders deserve to fry. That makes
sense as well.
But, how in Gods name, the liberals decided that it's OK to kill the unborn
children, but not OK to kill a convicted murderer or rapist... I don't know. It
takes some convoluted thought processes to come up with that one.
Don't get me wrong, I know some liberals and love them as people, but some of thier views...
My 2 cents.
Posted
by Pete L on 2002 PM:
Rob - I think a letter
would be a good idea. I`d be glad to send it.
Oncebitten - You took the words right out of my mouth.!!!!
Pete:
__________________
Pete LaFemina
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and
"mental illness."
Posted
by Bass Rat on 2002 PM:
good points all................
But the point of the
original post is to get guys like us off ourbutts ans do
something.
The article also points out that it doesn't help our defence
of these loonies to moan about it to each other, we gotta do things like write letters.
__________________
bass,bass,baby!
Posted
by JPBass on 2002 PM:
Nick,
You're right. We better do something soon.
These kooks are out of control. B.A.S.S. has as many members as Peta. We need to speak up!!!
__________________
http://www.renegadebassmasters.com
Posted
by Bass Rat on 2002 PM:
Gentlemen start your
pencils
__________________
bass,bass,baby!
Posted
by JOHN G on 2002 PM:
Fred, the phenomena that
you have pointed out is called "selective rationalization"....it is
practiced by many groups of people , not just
liberals......your assessment is very logical, hence not likely to happen,
since common sense is in bad supply throughout most of the world!! Common sense
is not, nor was ever encouraged by "leaders" of various sorts,
because thinking people are dangerous people in their eyes....... JOHN G
Posted
by Paulie D on 2002 PM:
The people we need to get
on our side and already are begin with the companies we
but our products from. Fishing in general is Billion Dollar Business. PETA
albeit powerful, persistent and persuasive can not match the dollar power of
WALMART, Shimano, Quantum, Ranger, ESPN, Irwin Jacobs and many others. These
companies depend on a large fraternity of anglers to support the sport and
activities. Hunting does not have the JUICE that fishing does! Fishing and
especially BASS FIshing will be the next NASCAR. Is
PETA a threat? You bet! But if we are to lobby support I say let the big boys
like ESPN call upon congress and use their power to support our cause. PETA
simply can not compete with ESPN or WALMART.
Things we can do I agree from above. Take a kid fishing! Fishing not drugs
programs are great! BAss clubs - have a youth day and
have a seniors day! Examine carefully who you elect
for local ofiices - all things being equal. Most of
all be a good citizen!! Let these PETA folks paint
themselves into a corner which they will someday do! Sons of BASS ---UNITE!!!!
ciao
paulie
Posted
by Bass Rat on 2002 AM:
Good ideas
Lat's try writting
to tackle mfg as well. Shimano, Yamamoto, Diawa
__________________
bass,bass,baby!
Posted
by bobn on 2002 PM:
the list is endless-boat manufacturers
from alumacraft to ranger, the engine manufacturers,
state license fees, marinas, repair facilities, all the big retail outlets,
clothing and safety manufacturers, trailer manufacturers, communities that rely
on fishing and tourism, vehicle manufacturers(tow vehicles), all tackle
manufacturers, the importers of foriegn fishing
products, ma and pa bait/tackle shops, party boat captains and crew, and most
of all, the employees of all the above and their investors--this just names a
few for starters--this issue is not only directed at fishing guys, so you can
also consider the hunters and all the related folks involved-fishing is not a
separate issue--we spend a lot of money persuing our
sport and a lot of families put food on the table by working in this industry--bobn
Posted
by theole34 on 2002 PM:
$$ impact....
commercial and sport fishing industry impact
on economy.
impact artice
__________________
www.Theole34.com
We're talking about "Spring"
fishing...... right?
Posted
by Bass Rat on 2002 PM:
Good post Rob
Did you check out the
Newsday link at the bottom.
__________________
bass,bass,baby!
Posted
by Scott E. on 2002 AM:
Guys,
We do need a national group such as the NRA to lobby on the side of the fishing
community, B.A.S.S. and Trout Unlimited are not the groups we want lobbying for
us, both good groups but we need a group to unite all aspects of fishing. When
I first saw a commercial for the
The problem we have is purists on all sides cannot seem to come together and we
have to many singular species groups with their own agenda. Bass fishing purists
like some of us want better and more water for our bass, trout fishing purist
want better and more water for their trout and then you have the fly fishing
purists that are mostly on the side of the trout fishermen but want more trophy
trout waters put aside just for fly fishing only. Then we have walleye groups,
groups like Muskies Inc. and salt water groups, all
great groups but none can come together on one common denomenator,
we are all fishermen and our sport and our knowledge of it may become like the
dinosaur in the future, extinct and it will be nobodys
fault but our own.
What I don't understand is why we can't unite for our sport when we have a
better chance at keeping our sport alive than the gun lobby has in keeping
shooting sports alive, sorry to say but true and we as fishermen are lax about
it and laugh about some PETA member walking around in a fish suit, denouncing
our sport. Fishermen need to unite on the one thing we all have in common and
on one common issue, to save our sport.
On another note and JP I don't mean to single you out as I have seen links to
PETA on the board long before and this is for everyones
information. When you put a link on a message board such as this, people tend
to click on it, it seems quite innocent and no harm at looking at what they are
about but for every click on that link it is registered on a counter and a site
tracker, where the webmaster can track where people are visiting from and where
their site was linked too, for every person that visits their site from NYBass it is almost like signing a petition against
fishing. Trust me on this as I also use a site tracker on my site to find out
where the visitors to my sight are coming from, the time of the visit, the ISP,
type of computer and operating system used as well as many other things except
e-mail address.
PS:"Why do we call it common sense,
when so few have or make any sense at all."
__________________
Nothing sets a person so far out of the
devil's reach as humility.
Jonathan Edwards
---
Scott E.
scotte@pikeonline.net
Posted
by Bass Rat on 2002 AM:
Scott
Very good points,
especially about clicking on their (P#%A) web site.
As far as uniting fishermaen of differant
interests it may be a good idea to recruit big tackle & retail in this
crusade.
For instance Shimano & Penn sell equipment to all fishermen types. They are
very strong companies.
Also the bis mart chains
& "Authority" stores have alot of pull
on the local level due to their ecomomic impact on
the town that they are in.
Any noise we can make at all will be worth the effort.
If we all send just 1 letter out it would be a good start.
If peta had their way they would shut down fishing,
hunting, fur, leather & meat industry all
together.
__________________
bass,bass,baby!
Posted
by JPBass on 2002 AM:
Scott,
Good point. I never thought of that. The link has been removed.
I think one of our best avenues for fighting this battle is to keep the youth
of
A few letters to the manufactuares wouldn't hurt
either.
__________________
http://www.renegadebassmasters.com
Posted
by theole34 on 2002 AM:
i agree with scott in that we
should not goto peta from
here, but you should goto
peta direct by typing the address in a fresh browser
window. you should always visit these sites for info.
“Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a
hundred battles without disaster.” - Sun Tzu. The Art of War.
read all they have to offer/offend you. read it and understand how demented the ideas are.
__________________
www.Theole34.com
We're talking about "Spring"
fishing...... right?
Posted
by Scully on 2002 AM:
All good points one and
all. Some interesting info on the fishing industry.
According to the FTA....more money is spent on fishing equipment and related
items than any other outdoor recreation. For the year 2001, this same
organization claims a 6% growth in these very same areas of fishing related
products over the previous years all time high.
The fishing industrys stance on PETA is an odd one
for the most part. Most of the fishing organizations I have spoken with have addopted the "ignore them" approach. They feel
that by making the public aware of the threat PETA represents, they are
actually doing exactly what PETA hopes they will do. Unfortunately, I believe
they are right. PETA craves the lime light.
One "Ace in The Hole" we as fishermen have is the Wallops/Breaux Act.
This act created a tax on the sales of outdoor realted
equipment and includes an additional tax on gasoline sold for use in
recreational vehicles. (boats, jet skis, etc.)
The money collected from this tax is distributed by the Federal Governmnet to each state, proportionately, on a yearly
basis. One stipulation in this act states...."a state shall enact no
legislation that shall seek to limit or obstruct any user group."
If any state attempts to pass such legislation, the Federal Government can
withdraw all or part of the funds that state is due to recieve
that year. These states get millions each year from Wallops/Breaux and do not
want to do anything that would upset the "apple cart." A case in point. In 1992,
state. At that time
Will it help to write our representatives....it cant
hurt. Should we urge the tackle and recreational industry to
put part of their $$$ back into fighting PETA or educating the youth of
tomorrow? Here unfortunately we are wasting our breath. That industry
will do almost nothing as long as bottom line is still in the black. If they
begin to see a downward trend....well then, just maybe, they will do something
though by then it could very well be too late.
The best form of attack is to find out who is donating money to PETA. and boycott them. There are large organizations that donate
heavily so as not to be targeted. It has been rumored but never proven that
McDonalds is PETA's largest contributor.
During the mid 90's there were a few B.A.S.S. Fedrations
in the South who did boycott loacl McDonalds by
driving their fishing rigs into the parking lots, effectivley
stopping their business for a short period. I have no idea what that boycott
accomplished.
How can we find out exactly who donates to their cause (comapnies)?
Does anyone have any ideas? I believe that to be their "soft underbelly. " If we can target that effectivley
we can hit them where it hurts...in the pocketbook.
As far as educating our youth. I beleive that we have to work in conjunction with our state
agencies to bring about more programs dedicated to the youth. Many
states already have programs in place, but those programs dont
provide enough follow-up material to make them effective. Most kids go because
the parents make them, not because they want to. Our job as parents,
organizers, or agencies is to make these "children of tomorrow" WANT
to go, and thats no easy
task. When we have to compete with MTV, a "zillion" computer games
and the peer pressure to conform, we are faced with an almost insurmountable
task.
I am one of those "grey bearded and
balding" old geezers refered to in the first
post. No one had to push me into the outdoors, the problem my parents had was
to try and keep me in doors. It was a different time. Unfortunately, those
times are gone. The world has changed and its not neccessarily a better place to live in, or should I say
exist in. We cant turn back the clock, so tell me, how
do we get the children of today to become OUR children of tomorrow.
Boy was that ever winded.
Scul
Posted
by bobn on 2002 PM:
scul--what your saying makes a lot of
sense--if we can find the wallets and boycott them--and let them know why, it
may get their attention--it's ironic that a hamburger joint would be financing
PETA--doesn't mc donalds sell a fish sandwich along
with meat hamburgers??--bobn
Posted
by Scully on 2002 PM:
bobn
as the story goes....McDonalds paid PETA (unverified) NOT to bother them about
the slaughter of beef or the processing of fish.
Scul
.