Fishing Q&A

What are the major concerns from the general public (U.S.) regarding fishing?

also, the sustainability of the resources in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and the U.S. zone of the Atlantic Ocean

Public Comments

1. The general public couldnt give a poop...... Really.... They are wrapped up in either working, family or other mindless fluff like some reality show.... The youth these days think they know everything but cant figure out how to change a tire. Tires dont have displays or keypads so thats out of the question... Regarding fish??? The only people worried about this are environmentalist constantly droning on about how the sky is falling.... This environmental stuff is just a surrogate activity - theres no meaning in their existances so they attach importance and their self worth to this mindless fluff..... Well at least they are using there brains to some extant -- the TV watchers are just getting fatter stuffing corn chips in there face while the new season of brainless boobery comes on..... Public? Fish? who cares??? These fat slobs will die off the population will go down and the fish will survive!
2. I dont eat the fish I catch so i guess as long as they are there its all good for me. However a few years ago when i was 16 (im 21 now) i caught a sheephead that had tumors all over its body. I was terrified of the fish and had to cut the line because i was scared i would get cancer (although there was a chance i could have been infected with fish superpowers, but who wants those?)so i dunno i guess its not cool for the fish i catch to have tumors though edit:however like the dude above me said not too many people even care ugh cept the hippie i love earth people
3. pollution
4. Dystopia has a grim view of the future. In and around Fla, Texas, G.A. MANY people have made efforts to save the declining fisheries. Commercial inshore netting/gill-netting is mostly illegal around coastal US waters and due to efforts pushed into Law from common recreational fishermen MOST of the days of "smash & grab" commercial fishing is slowly being phased out. There are still some politicians in the "back-pocket" of BIG commecial netting/fishing, but even those "figure-heads" are slowly losing credibility. You want to help keep our nearshore waters filled with fish and sea-life? When an issue comes up on "ballot", VOTE "Fish friendly"!
5. I can't really say what the general public has to say about your question because it's just too broad to answer. A question like this concerns boater and shorebound anglers alike. By adding different countries, you make it more difficult to answer. From a personal point of view, a major concern would be the viabilty of the water to be able to sustain a fishery. Water quality is a growing problem all around the world because of many reasons which all leads to human populations rising. Red Tide ( an invassive algae that attacks fish and other sea creature's lungs) is also a growing problem and fisheries are being killed by the thousands at times.. All in all, there are many problems and not one is less than the other. If you are asking what we as fishermen and women should be concerned about, the answer is," What will become of our fisheries in the future if we do nothing to save it today?"
6. For a short period of time, I worked for the "City of East Chicago" Parks and Recreation Department, and transferred over to the Sanitary Division's "Wastewater Plant". It's where everything flushed down your commode, kitchen and bathroom sinks winds up, along with the water used by the industrial, and commercial business area's is treated in order to renew the life cycle of our most precious resource, freshwater. Although you may have to hold your nose at times, it is by far, one of the most fascinating places that I have ever worked. Plant Manager Peter Baranyai, occasionally gives tours to local schools, and oddly enough they range in age from 2nd graders to college students. And even though this is the end result of water's usage, most folks don't have a clue as to what must be done to meet the stringent Federal guidelines. Take for example the fact that licensed wastehauler semi- dumps remove two full loads of solids material every day that the plant operates, (that's 365 days for most years), and that there are two plant operators in the building 24/7, monitoring the flow and usage of the waste treatment system, usually consisting of three shifts, and sampling done out of the plant requires two highly skilled workers familiar with handling hazardous waste, from public restricted zones throughout the various city's industries. Or that the lab personnel perform various tests which involve the amounts of heavy metals, hazardous, and/or contagious materials, that are found in the samples provided. And that is only on the academic/technical end of returning used water to the systemic flow of nature's beauty, for there have been twenty-six (26) different species of fish documented, that return to spawn, and propagate life in the discharge of the results, including the world's only known freshwater crystalline sponge that thrives within the confines of a sewage treatment plant's discharge. Really cool, eh? So, before you cast to that favorite spot, next to the tree with the big rock, or out amongst the lily-pads, or alongside that deep drop-off, please realize that there are those who care about what you, your family, and friends pull from the waters of this great land of ours, to put on your plate. If you are young and in school, check out the job requirements in this field, as you just might find the field of opportunity that has been looking for you. Also, for verification on the sponge, I think you can find it in the Guiness book of records. Goodluck & Good fishing
7. S M C always ahead of me,lol! Major concerns - pollution, over harvesting from the commercial side of the fishery,illegal harvesting,loss of habitat,by-catch totals,loss of the large blue fin tuna,stopping commercial harvest on spawning grounds and I can keep going! General public ie: fishermen and persons that use the waters are very concerned about our fisheries! Yeah I bash commercial guys been there done that so I can it is a proven fact that more revenue comes from the sporting industry than does the commercail side of fishing. Now for both sides look at the increase of the jewfish now they are talking about some kind of fishery again why because of total control of the harvest has now had a great impact toward another fishery.As a few of you know snook redfish pompano mullet spanish macks.........!Because of bans or regulated fishing these fish are making a come back or have made a come back all together!