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Old 03-18-2018, 09:19 AM
f_train22 f_train22 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 49
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I personally don’t think fishing for them should be banned, especially since the population is increasing.

However, fish do die with catch and release fishing so it is something all anglers should be aware of. I say this because you talk to most casual anglers (the ones who only go out once or twice a year and wouldn’t necessarily be on this forum) and they are unaware of a world where a fish would die after successfully swimming off.

So while Sturgeon fishing shouldn’t necessarily be banned, I would argue that a Fish Handling Education course might not be a bad idea (similar to a hunter education course prior to being able to buy a license). Yes it is another step in the process but it would help to protect the resource moving forward.

Back to protecting at risk fish species, would it be the end of the world if a fishing rig with a fixed weight (ie a weight that doesn’t fall off if the line breaks) were made illegal in the regulations? People get heated often over the topic of pickerel rigs on the forum but I think it’s a valid point that if a fish has to drag around a weight after breaking a line that’s not great for the fish’s health and is not exactly humane either.

Those are my thoughts.
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