I had a chance to fish in Phuket over the past summer, and I caught some tuna and ate it on the boat with nothing more than some soy sauce & wasabi. OK.While I usually don't eat the fish I catch, there was a certain satisfaction from eating something I just caught, perhaps it's the hunter nature in me (maybe). As fishermen, we are rarely ever in a situation where we must eat our catch for survival reasons, so I think it's safe to say that most (if not all) catching and eating is for that satisfaction of eating what you have caught (fresh fish or man thing), unless you fish for a job. I love sashimi and have to come to realize a long time ago that sashimi tastes a lot better in restaurants, served at the proper temperature (of food). For me, the only thinking about eating fish from the ocean (ocean only) is that I feel in touch with my fishing family/ ancestor roots...well sort of, they were farming people from a fishing village. My kids refused to eat the fish we caught that day, and my wife gave me an earful about the bacteria from the knife & cutting board we used to sashimi the fish. I told her that was the reason I was drinking the vodka, to counter that.
People have been practicing catch and release for more than a century in order to prevent certain species from disappearing. Catch and release is mandatory for many species in many parts of the world. However, there is and always will be the debate about catch and release... about the capability of fish to feel pain, about recreational fishing in general and ethics surrounding it. I have my opinions about this, but I prefer to stay out of the debates. Regardless of ethical position, I am convinced that catch and release is a conservation practice, and is necessary to prevent extinction of some fish. I've heard of people that will cut up the tires on your car if they see you take fish (even if it's legally allowed) and that kind of thing is just plain stupid, not to mention hazardous to their health.
This (the subject of catch & release) is a good thing to discuss, and I am sure my fishing mentors have their point of views on this.
I rarely bring home my catch. There is certain charm about catch and release. Not to mention pissing off your fishing buddy when he is not catching at all. My fish of choice is striper because of its elusiveness and it is hard for someone like me who is recently introduced to the striper fishing to think that not so long ago the stripers were in verge of extinction due to over harvesting and pollution. Stripers are thriving once again thanks to countless effort of people range from local fisherman to politician. Just in the east coast alone, 3 million estimated fishermens pursue this fish. If we are not careful, this beutiful species will be gone forever. That's why I rarely bring them home. Plus my wife will let me have it for the mess I create cleaning the fish.
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