Shark Tournaments

G

GT WT

1,000+ Posts
The Link

Shark populations have been precipitous decline for decades with some species now below 10% of their historical levels. This has had a catastrophic effect on marine ecosystems. Texas has increased protection for sharks in state waters but harvest in federal waters is still considered too high by most fishery managers.

I'm not anti-fishing. Fishermen pay more than their share for management and conservation of Texas' marine rsources and should be applauded for their efforts. I am anti-waste and anti-poor sportsmanship. The idiots who organize these tournaments and participate give legitimate sportsmen a bad name.

texasflag.gif
 
It's an aquatic tragedy of the commons.

It's hard for all of us to give up the things that we like or that benefit us as individuals, even in light of evidence that it harms society as a whole.
 
Do they have lots of shark tournaments in Texas? Usually, most of the damage is caused by commercial fishermen. And, of course, increased water pollution. 30 years ago, I remember catching snapper off the sunken ship by the galveston jetties. Now, it seems you would have to go at least 5 miles off shore to find any.
 
As humans affect the ecosystems of more and more species, we have the responsibility to manage those declining populations for their stability and benefit. Nothing wrong with hunting or sport fishing, but if a population is threatened, reasonable limits need to be put in place to allow the species to increase in number.
No one should be allowed to hunt or fish a species into extinction, and sharks should get protection if they are becoming threatened. Besides, they are so cute and cuddly.
 
Sorry I guess I figured you were posting in line with your past posts and not making a joke about your username. Mea culpa.
 
Shark is very good in my tum tum. Especially blackened or scampi style.
I fished for them sport-wise, but I would not hesitate to go after them in a tourney. You may not like it, but as long as it is legal I will keep doing it.
 
I have been a hunter/fisherman, etc. all of my life. In fairness, I don't keep but a few fish a year to eat and I really don't kill anything anymore. Just basically lost interest - no moral epiphany or anything like that. The whole notion that if you eat what you kill it absolves the hunter/fisherman of any responsibility is complete and utter ********. Hunting and fishing can certainly be used as management tools to benefit the hunted or fished population (usually to ameliorate problems WE caused, but that's besides the eating argument). Just because you eat something doesn't make you anything other than an eater. The whole eating argument ONLY applies to those people who NEED to eat it. Here in Texas, there is almost no way that anything you kill and then eat doesn't cost at least twice if not tens times as much as what you can get at the store. Sure, you cannot buy whitetail, but whitetail venison sucks as food.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've never had it the way YOU cook it (said to no one in particular)! It's a lousy meat that only has "lean" going its way. It's the flesh of a browser and browsers aren't sold commercially for a reason - They don't taste good. They fact that it isn't tasty is about the only thing that helps the eater's argument. "I choke it down because I have no choice" sorta plays. "I love the taste" (even if a lie or just misguided) just means you are indulgent.

I don't have any warm fuzzies for sharks, but there really isn't any reason to fish for them other than the fight and once that fight is over there is no reason not to release them just like you would a billfish (which is really awful eating).

Edit: Don't take that as a personal attack HatDaddy. That wasn't what I had in mind. It's just that I hear lots of people, including lots of my friends, proudly proclaim that they eat everything that they kill. For most of them that isn't even true. They take the straps and give away the rest of the animal, but their proclamation doesn't really mean anything nearly as noble as they like to think.
 
Responsible hunting/fishing may or may not include eating your catch, but it darn sure includes hunting/fishing in such a way as to contribute to continuing the survival of the species, either by hunting an overpopulated species or paying fees which go to habitat protection (as most hunting licenses do), paying for game wardens and obeying policies which establish catch limits for different species.
Even if you are outside Texas or U.S. jurisdiction, responsible hunting/fishing practices should be the norm. Legal is not the same thing as ethical in every case.
The main problem may be commercial fishing, not sport fishing, I don't know, but if there is a huge drop-off in population, the take should be regulated.
 
i thought God put the animals on the earth for our benefit? (Genesis 9:3)

but, yeah, having tournaments for endangered species is not good. even worse is the market for shark fins. it can be awful what we do to this planet.
 
I though God gave mankind instructions to be good stewards of the earth.

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Genesis 2:15
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Weekly Prediction Contest

* Predict TEXAS-KENTUCKY *
Sat, Nov 23 • 2:30 PM on ABC

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

2024 Schedules

Back
Top