Parliament to debate ban on manufacture and sale of ale

Fortunately, the latter is pure fiction, and ghastly fiction at that. The former has a kernel of truth.

The man who would be king spoke at the World Fisheries Congress in Scotland this week about the need to find more ways to discover and/or maintain sustainable fisheries globally.

The fish and chips comment was meant to hit home. “Fish and chips are a part of British culture, one of our iconic national dishes. … The simple fact is that fish and chip shops rely on there being plenty more fish in the sea, and that is only going to be the case if we take care of fish stocks now and plan for them to be there long into the future,” he said.

The Prince has taken a keen interest in sustainable fisheries, having launched the International Sustainability Unit (ISU) earlier this year. The unit’s primary charter is to use collective science-based research and global thinking to address environmental challenges around the world. One of the unit’s key goals is to find sustainable approaches to marine fisheries, so that stocks stay healthy, fishermen stay in business and the public can share in the resource.

Highlighting the critical importance of creating sustainable fisheries, the Prince echoed the World Bank’s belief that properly managed fisheries could generate $150 billion per year more than they currently do.

It is important for high-profile personalities to help raise the visibility of marine stewardship and the challenges we face globally. It’s equally important that these personalities back up what they say.

While the fish and chips remark might come off as a softball media pitch from someone occasionally labeled as “detached royalty,” he personalized it, talking about finding an escape as a student in Scotland in a nearby fish and chips shop. The ISU is a charity he launched as part of the Prince’s Charities, and he’s actively promoting the issue and raising money.

Someone with his visibility taking a stance on global sustainable fisheries is going to raise awareness. In turn, that will spark more financial and intellectual investment in finding solutions … regardless of whether we agree with his politics.

So far, he’s backing it up.

Let’s hope that he continues the dialogue, that people continue to respond, and … for the good of a nation … that fish and chips stays on the menu.

By Colles Stowell

GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

Enter the Pebble Mine.

Photo by Barry and Cathy Beck

The Pebble Mine proposed for the Bristol Bay area of Alaska has become a lightning rod of contentious debate between those who see dollar signs from gold, copper and other precious metals and those who see a gem of nature in peril. The Pebble Limited Partnership is a consortium featuring London-based Anglo American and Canada-based Northern Dynasty.

Ever since the mine was proposed several years ago, it has become a symbol of paradoxes. For example, state officials largely support the project, which could potentially unearth $300 billion in precious metals according to Pebble Mine officials. But many area residents most closely affected by the mine, including native tribes who make their living off of fishing, oppose the mine because of the potential devastating impacts on the fish and their ecosystems. The Bristol Bay watershed is widely viewed as one of the world’s most valuable wild sockeye salmon fisheries supporting a commercial and sport fishery worth $500 million.

Photo by Ben Knight

The scale of the project is enormous. It would be one of the largest mining operations ever gouged in the earth, spreading over a 54-square-mile area located in the headwaters of the Kvichak and Nushagak Rivers, two of the eight major rivers that feed Bristol Bay.

Here’s the scary part. Because of the mind-boggling amount of waste such an operation would generate, the developers propose building the world’s largest earthen dam (700 feet high) at the head of a containment pond measuring up to 10 square miles. That pond would “hold” a nasty mix of toxic waste (projected between 2.5 and 10 billion tons over the life of the mine) including sulfides that would require treatment “in perpetuity.” How long will that promise hold?

Worse still, the mine operators discount any threat of a major earthquake or the impact on the integrity of the containment pond, despite serious questions from geologists and seismologists. Consider that in 1964, a massive 9.2 scale quake rocked Anchorage. Any kind of seepage of ore wastes could be devastating. Not to mention the tremendous impact on the ecosystem of drawing 35 billion gallons of water a year from the North and South Fork Koktuli for the mine’s operations.

The project is still in the planning stages and several lawsuits have already been filed and escalated. The next significant step is the anticipated federal Environmental Protection Agency watershed assessment draft study to be released some time in mid-May. The study will look at the Bristol Bay Watershed and the potential impacts such a wide-scale project could have on it.

If the assessment deems the project a threat to Bristol Bay, the EPA, with authority from the federal Clean Water Act, could move to preemptively deny the key permit Pebble Limited Partnership would need to begin operations. That step would likely end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Given what’s at stake, it’s no wonder that opposition to the project represents a wide range of geographically dispersed humanity, from native Alaskans, to sportsmen (520 diverse associations), to chefs and restaurateurs, to biologists, to some politicians and people who care about the environment.

That’s why a well-organized group of sportsmen descended on Washington April 16-18 and met with the White House, EPA executive administrators and key members of Congress to discuss several science- and economic-based concerns over the project.

That’s also why we as sportsmen and women need to educate ourselves about what’s at stake and speak out. The public comment period following the release of the draft watershed assessment will be a great opportunity to make your voice heard.

I may live in North Carolina, but I realize this is far more than a regional squabble. The ramifications, particularly if the mine goes live and the blasting starts, will send tremors globally.

Here are some resources for additional background, with a couple of links to make your thoughts known online.

• Save Bristol Bay
• Pebble Watch

Colles Stowell

GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and it wasn’t always that way. I admit to getting drawn into the Deadliest Catch when it first came out. I think this was largely because I had no idea what those guys do, and was fascinated by the risks they take and how much they love embracing that risk. By the time the second season came around, it felt like I was watching the same show with new twists woven in. I couldn’t get past the second show that season.

Different reality shows have varying degrees of over-dramatization: The Bachelor, Real World … what have you. I have a good friend who recently competed on Top Chef, and I watched every episode he was in. But the drama the producers needlessly infused in most every scene, especially pre-commercial break and judging, made me wince.

You can see the drama already mounting only a couple of shows into National Geographic’s Wicked Tuna. The producers did a good job creating a buzz about the show, in part, by highlighting the touchy subject of bluefin tuna fishing. The drama building among the different featured captains dropping f-bombs like they’re prepositions is to be expected. No doubt it’s a hard feast-or-famine life.

But the bigger drama seems to be swirling around the question of whether an organization like National Geographic should even be involved with a show about harvesting tuna at a time when global alarms are sounding about the health of the species. Watchdog groups and foreign governments have cited wanton overfishing using a variety of environmentally destructive gear. Some marine biologists are forecasting a cataclysmic collapse of the fishery.

National Geographic and the show’s producers are touting a message of conversation that hinges on the fact their subjects are fishing with rod and reel, not longlines or trawls. This means there is very little wasted bycatch of non-targeted species. They also claim that the U.S. is a global leader in effectively managing the fishery in U.S. waters and strictly regulating the fishing tackle used and the volume harvested. Some bloggers have supported this approach as well.

Naturally, there’s been no shortage of opposition to the show, with a plethora of blogs and petitions circulating the Internet.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with the show’s fundamental premise: a window on the rod-and-reel bluefin fishery with a message about conservation. The caveat is that I’d like to see the producers keep reinforcing why a focused, targeted species approach (using rod and reel) to fishing is sustainable, and to back that up with data the public can understand.

Otherwise, the show will slip into the formulaic trend of other reality shows: introduction, rehash of previous drama, setting the stage for new drama, tension between captains and captains and crew, quick action fighting a fish, and the finale to see who gets the big payday, and who gripes about their luck.

No thanks. Been there, seen that.

Colles Stowell

GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

Now, it’s the snakehead. It has acquired various colorful web names like Frankenfish or Fishzilla, but make no mistake, this is one nasty S.O.B.

Here’s why. It is an apex predator with razor-sharp teeth, can breathe air on land and survive for up to four days and has no natural predators. It can crawl/hop between freshwater bodies (pond to river, etc.) It eats rats as a delicacy.

Translation: this bad boy is like a Great White in fresh water. It swims, makes babies and eats every other fish in sight as well as the food every other fish eats. This is a real problem for the bass and other native fish species in the Potomac watershed, where the snakehead has been seen in eight neighboring states. Left unchecked, it could take over these ecosystems. Worse, it has been shown to tolerate high levels of salinity, meaning it is already in tidal areas in Virginia and D.C.

The snakehead is about 50 million years old and of course, is non-native to the U.S. It originated in Asia and Africa where it has been farmed as a food fish. But as with many invasive species, it is wreaking havoc in waters not meant for such a nasty bugger.

So for the second year in a row, the state of Maryland Department of Natural Resources has put a bounty on the snakehead. Catch and kill one, take its photo, and you could be eligible to win a $200 gift certificate to a local Bass Pro Shop and/or similar prizes.

Is that a big enough incentive? Not sure. Last year 69 fishermen eliminated 82 fish. But the genetic cards are stacked in the snakehead’s favor since a single female can produce up to 15,000 eggs and mate five times a year.

Perhaps it’s time to switch the focus a bit. Why not have big pro tourney with corporate sponsors like the bass pro circuit? Or you can get local chefs and the seafood industry involved.  I’ve never tried or even seen this fish available for sale/consumption, but apparently it’s a pretty clean and firm white fish that can be grilled or fried.

But before launching a menu item campaign, perhaps someone should come up with a better name. “Snakehead” sounds only slightly more appetizing than “chocolate covered dung beetles.”

Colles Stowell

GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

A recent study by scholars in Canada and the U.S. suggests that sustainable fisheries management was vital to pre-European invasion Hawaii. So much so because they had to rely exclusively on local resources, so they figured they needed to take care of them.

What a novel idea. And they did a hell of a lot better job than we’re doing now.

Researchers conducted comparative studies of fisheries in Hawaii and Florida dating back centuries to determine how the different cultures managed their reef fisheries. In Florida, several species were fished to near extinction because of cyclical ebb and flow of mismanaged ecosystems. 19^th and 20^th century targeting of green turtles, sawfish, conch and groupers have imperiled their populations.

By contrast, the Hawaii tribes established rigid fisheries management centered on community by-in and enforced strictly … via corporal punishment. Translation: everyone knew what they had to do to preserve the resource, they supported it, and if you screwed up, you paid dearly for it.

Some of the forward-thinking measures they espoused included closing certain areas of the reef to fishing for awhile to allow ecosystems to re-balance, restricting the use of certain gear and protecting certain species. Only the high priests and the chiefs could eat shark or sea turtles, for example. They even relied on aquaculture practices incorporating fishponds that preserved key nutrients while minimizing pollution of the reefs.

That’s a far cry from the antibiotic- and waste-laden practices that many operations use today. Moreover, the ancient Hawaiian tribes had better yields, harvesting more fish at rates that far exceed today’s established limits for reef fisheries. And they sustained that without killing everything in the ocean.

Perhaps we could learn something from a simpler time. If we depend on fishing resources like the ancient island tribes, then maybe we should manage them similarly.

Step #1 is to establish rules that ensure the longevity of the fishery, not just the revenue and food source of today.

Step #2 is to make sure these rules have support from the community at large. Social adoption and enforcement would mean more effective policing of and adherence to these rules.

We could probably get by without the corporal punishment, but we damn well better have some penalties with real teeth that make offenders think twice about breaking the rules and jeopardizing the balance. Right now, we don’t.

Here are two articles that shed light on the study:

RedOrbit

United Press International

By Colles Stowell

GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

It was a gift, and I had mounted a rod holder in front of the cockpit for my fly rod. I was plying a bay close to the mouth of the Piscataqua River that separates Maine and New Hampshire. The bay completely empties out at low tide but floods over five to six feet or so, and at certain times of year, schools of large bass swim up on the flat searching for food.

These fish are usually very hull shy, skittish as hell and damn hard to hook unless they’re actively busting huge schools of bait. But a kayak makes a difference. During the maiden voyage shortly after dawn, I spotted the back and tail of a fish porpoising after some poor herring 20 feet from me. That striper was almost half as long as my kayak.

As much as I really, really wanted to hook one of those fish, I started thinking about the consequences. What if I hooked a 40+ inch fish while nestled into a 35-pound kayak with no rudder and no anchor? This bay sits astride a very busy shipping channel in a river with one of the strongest currents on the East Coast. The image of me water skiing behind some angry cow striper in front of a 900-foot cargo ship because I was too proud/cheap/stupid to let go of the fly rod played in my mind.

I kept casting anyway, perhaps mercifully to no avail. But later that day, I bought an anchor and revised my plan to fish closer to shore so that I could either bail out or beach the kayak and fight from shore.

Boating safety is important, of course. But safety in a kayak requires even more focus. They can be tippy (particularly when casting a fly into the wind). You are lower to the water, and depending on the length and configuration, you are more subject to outside forces such as wind, current and waves.

The most important step you can take, aside from knowing how to swim, is to wear a life jacket. The Coast Guard requires there be a personal floatation device (PFD) for everyone in a boat. In a kayak, you should wear it at all times.

We want to point this out in light of the tragedy that happened to a 37-year-old avid fisherman in Alabama who recently drowned after his kayak capsized. It is a terribly unfortunate incident underscored by the fact that the victim was not wearing a life vest.

Fishing from a kayak is a blast, particularly if you do go for a joyride from an outsized fish (in a reasonably safe area). But the difference between having a great time and a real bad day hinges on being prepared.

Here are a couple of good resources that provide helpful checklists on how to prepare for your kayak fishing adventure:

http://www.smart-start-kayaking.com/Kayaking-Safety.html

http://www.marinerkayaks.com/mkhtml/Kyksaftw.html

Be safe. Have fun. Tight lines!

By Colles Stowell

GreenFish | By Anglers for Fish

These are among the historical rogues gallery of trash fish. Many are either butt ugly (see Mother-in-law/cabezone), prehistoric (gar) or poisonous (lionfish).

They certainly don’t look very inviting.

But a funny thing is slowly, quietly taking place. People are paying to eat these fish, and others like them.

It’s another small step in the broader sustainable fisheries movement where “trash fish” discarded as bycatch pulled from a variety of commercial nets are becoming en vogue for celebrity chefs and home cooking gourmands. Otherwise dumped over the side dying or dead, these fish often end up on the grill or seared in butter and lime.

There are several benefits to this:

First off, making these fish commercially available eliminates waste of largely untapped fish stocks that can stand a bit of pressure. Second, allowing commercial fishermen to market these fish can take some of the heat off of more targeted species such as redfish, striped bass, grouper, etc. Third, it puts a bounty on some non-native invasive species that are out-competing local fish for food and habitat.

Watch this video of ballistic Asian carp by the thousands in the Illinois River on their way to the Great Lakes, or this video of lionfish, which have become a menace in the Atlantic. There’s no question these fish do more harm than good in their current numbers. Why not harvest some as part of population control?

Here is an article about a couple of chefs that have started a project to make Asian carp an easily accessible food source.

So check to see if any restaurants or seafood houses in your area offer any of these species. Ask some questions and maybe take a chance. You may find a new favorite.

And for those skeptics who persist at looking down upon “trash fish,” remember that the next time you order a $20 lobster off the menu. These bottom feeders were considered poor man’s food not too long ago.

For more info about sustainable seafood choices, check out the GreenFish Learn page.

By Colles Stowell, By Anglers | For Fish

I was so wound up to catch a fish I didn’t sleep a wink the night before and I didn’t eat much for breakfast. The diesel fumes began to get to me not long after leaving port. My dad knocked on the door and said I had a fish on.

I bolted out of that bathroom like a tiger sprung from a cage … only to wipe out at my dad’s feet.

“Pull your pants up son.”

Details.

Once I got myself straightened out and strapped into the captain’s chair, the battle was on. My dad calmly encouraged me, letting me know when to reel and when to let the fish run, as he gently held pressure on the rod. Surely it was a whale. I kept questioning whether I would be able to land the fish, and he kept reassuring me I could get it in.

Fifteen minutes later, the captain snapped a photo of me dazed, exhausted and smiling as the mate swung an Amberjack that weighed four more pounds than me over the rail. Five seconds after that photo was taken, I threw up everywhere. But I couldn’t have been happier.

That was my first real fishing trip, and the enthusiasm has stayed with me for 40+ years. My dad helped feed my love of fishing by quietly guiding me along the way. Allowing me to make mistakes, and then showing me how to do something a little better.

Most every avid angler hopes a son or daughter will share the same enthusiasm, but of course, there is no guarantee. The best we can do is to introduce our children to the sport, be a gentle guide, let them experience the entire outdoors and let them see what it’s like to catch a fish. If they’re not hooked after that, perhaps it’s not for them at this time. Hopefully, just being in nature will be enough for them. They may even take to fishing later in life.

If you’re preparing to share the love of fishing with your children, we’ve provided some tips and ideas for making the experience rewarding for both you and your children on the GreenFish Learn page. Here, you’ll not only learn what tackle to use and how to choose a good spot, you’ll also find some helpful information about playing a fish properly, using conservation-inspired tackle, practicing catch and release, choosing sustainable seafood and being a good steward of the land and sea.

I was to learn many of these lessons from my father over time. Especially the one about taking a leak to make the fish bite.

By Colles Stowell

GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

While the wording of the legislation varies, the arguments on both sides are generally the same. Commercial fishermen claim any attempt to regulate the harvest will put them out of jobs and keep seafood from the public. Recreational fishermen have watched commercial harvests continue as local populations of sport fish like striped bass, redfish and speckled trout dwindle, along with the size and frequency of these fish. New figures show the significant economic impact recreational fishing has on a state’s economy for everything from licenses to gear, hotels, guides and restaurants. Recreational fishermen also claim the targeted fish represent a small portion of the total commercial haul in each state, and are available to consumers via aquaculture and other avenues.

Here is what’s currently on the front burner:

• Massachusetts – The Legislature is entertaining four bills that essentially would make stripers gamefish in Massachusetts and ban commercial harvest of the fish. A sub-committee has to determine this month whether to recommend this legislation for further review, referral to another committee or recommendation for passage to the entire Legislature. Conservation group Stripers Forever sparked the movement, and has made a compelling video about the situation.
• Maryland – The state is considering a bill promoted by the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association to ban all gill nets for finfish. This would effectively stop net-based fishing for striped bass and other fish species. The bill arose after reports of an illegal catch of 12,000 pounds of striped bass last year in state waters.
• North Carolina – A house bill backed by the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina to designate redfish, speckled trout and striped bass as gamefish is likely to head to the entire Legislature for a full review and vote in the next couple of months. Even if the bill doesn’t pass this year, other measures are taking shape to help preserve these fisheries, including a renewed effort to ban all gill nets.

Stripers have gamefish status in six states: Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and South Carolina. Redfish have gamefish status in South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. Speckled trout have gamefish status in South Carolina, Alabama and Texas.

Here’s hoping the momentum continues, and that states figure out how to conserve certain gamefish while still enabling commercial fishermen to earn a living with a sustainable harvest.

By Colles Stowell

GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

Problem is, the practice involves slicing off the fins – including the tail – and then dumping the defenseless shark, often still alive, overboard. The shark sinks to the bottom and drowns or is eaten by other fish because it is unable to swim, and thus ventilate the gills to take in oxygen. The impact is significant, with some estimates ranging between 26 and 73 million sharks killed a year, mostly for their fins. Some conservationists fear the global demand for shark fin soup as a status symbol delicacy is pushing some populations toward perilous declines and possible extinction.

No matter how you look at it, the practice is gruesome, and a waste.

So it’s encouraging to see some local enforcement pay off. Marshall Islands officials recently seized a Japanese vessel’s haul of nearly 1,500 pounds of shark fins and 60,000 pounds of shark meat and fined the vessel $125,000. While it is a blip on the global picture, the seizure and fine are important for raising the visibility of the issue and serving notice that shark finning isn’t legal everywhere. This was the first fine of its kind in Marshall Islands waters.

In fact, local legislation and enforcement – along with education – are the most effective tools for slowing the practice and limiting the trade of shark fins. U.S.-registered vessels are currently banned from the practice by federal law, but foreign-registered vessels continue to ply U.S. waters for shark fins and sell them to restaurants in the U.S. and elsewhere. States such as Hawaii, California, Oregon and Washington have already passed legislation banning the sale, possession and distribution of shark fins.

Five other states, including Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, New York and New Jersey are considering similar legislation.

If the concept of shark finning gets under your skin, check to see if your state has any measure in the works for banning the practice. If not, perhaps it’s time to start pushing some buttons and contact your state representative or senator.

Follow this link for some more interesting reading about the practice and its impact: http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm.

Colles Stowell
GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

The announcement triggered a memory of my first real saltwater conservation lesson.

I was 14 when I landed a sailfish. My family and my uncle’s family had met down on Duck key for a week in 1982 to chase tarpon, grouper billfish … whatever. It was a big deal for my cousin and me. He and I and our dads were somewhere off Marathon with a husband and wife charter boat crew reeling in Mahi that sported tropical colors only they possess.

We watched in awe when the sailfish surfaced behind the school, flopping its sail side to side and changing colors from blue to green to yellow and black as it dove into the school. The captain rigged up a yellow tail, cast it out, threw the rod at me and told me when to reel. It was an amazing fight, and I don’t know how my scrawny frame didn’t end up overboard in the rolling surf.

I managed to get the fish boat-side so the captain could grab the bill in his gloved hand and ask my dad whether we were going to keep it to mount. Long had I wanted a mounted sailfish like the big one my dad had caught on his honeymoon 15 years before.

“Not this one son. Either a really small one, or a big one. This one’s got plenty of life in him still.”

Luckily, I was loaded with adrenaline and euphoria so the decision didn’t sting as much. But the captain offered to tag the fish instead, so he could be released and perhaps tracked to share in some budding research. Plus, we got to motor into the harbor with a sailfish flag raised, signaling that someone connected.

About a year later, I received a letter saying the fish had been caught somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. It had grown (it was 50-60 pounds when we released it) and was released in great shape.

I had been learning the lesson of catch and release chasing freshwater bass and rainbow trout in a small pond in northern New Hampshire or chasing redfish and speckled trout in the Louisiana bayous. But it wasn’t until I read that letter that I really understood the concept of paying the resource forward.

The IGFA announcement crystallizes the concept. The international sport fishing community needs to stand united behind the concept that a tournament should no longer mean chugging into harbor with a black marlin hanging from a winch. Digital photography and video is good enough anglers can get a very realistic mount from a photo.

Some tournaments have already begun to implement all-release rules, and the numbers show the effort seems to be working. Forty-six boats released a record 1,174 sails during this year’s Silver Sailfish Derby, including 659 on the first day of fishing Jan. 5, according to the Palm Beach Post.

So tag the fish. Revive it. Release it. Then see what happens. You just may get proof that you paid it forward for someone else.

Colles

It’s a funny thing as a small business trying to plan a new product launch. You want to try and gauge demand and give yourself a little extra supply just in case, without over-ordering and tying up cash.

Well, we did that and promptly ran out of product in a couple of weeks! Good news was that we knew we’d hit on something – a need for a universal camera mount that would work with most cameras and rod holders for kayaks, small freshwater boats and saltwater sportfishers. Bad news (if you could call it that, more like a challenge) was that we had to move fast to re stock.

So we did, and we’re now loaded up with inventory and taking orders again. Because of the successful launch, the CPR Mount has been featured in Saltwater Sportfishing Magazine, Pacific Coast Sportfishing, the IGFA member publication and in March will be featured in Florida Sportfishing among other notable publications. So the word is getting out fast.

In fact, we’ve shipped the CPR Mount all over the U.S. and Canada and to the U.K. and Australia. And we’re gradually introducing the CPR Mount to retail stores across the country and actively looking for sales reps. Look for it in kayak stores, fresh- and saltwater fishing gear shops and flyfishing shops.

Feedback from users has been great. They’re using a broad range of digital cameras and GoPros to capture some epic battles they otherwise couldn’t in all types of environments and on all types of boats and kayaks.

To keep the momentum building, we plan to establish a CPR Mount community on Facebook and are creating a gallery page on our website, and a Youtube channel as well. There, users can post photos and videos for a chance to win the “CPR Mount Photo of the Month Contest.” Aside from bragging rights, untold fame and Hollywood movie offers, winners will receive a monthly prize – so stay tuned!

So I want to thank the GreenFish community for being supportive, and I encourage you to provide your feedback.

We’ll continue to keep you posted on the CPR Mount’s progress.

Bryan Godber, GreenFish

I was reminded of this on Feb. 2 when I attended a legislative hearing on the gamefish bill in North Carolina to protect red drum, spotted sea trout (speckled trout) and striped bass from commercial gill netting.

Representatives of commercial fishermen, who oppose the bill as a threat to their livelihoods, and recreational fishermen, who want to see the numbers of fish increase, were given a chance to state their cases. The bill would effectively ban gill netting for and commercial sale of these fish. It’s too early to say whether either side truly hit a home run with the committee during the hearing, but the recreational fishermen were better organized, outnumbered commercial representatives by 3-1, and delivered some of the more compelling comments.

A lobbyist, a seafood store owner and a radio personality spoke about how the bill would put hard-working commercial fishermen out of work and take red fish, speckled trout and striped bass off the plates of the public. They claimed the measure would essentially transfer rights to the three species as seafood from a majority of the state’s population to a small group of “wealthy, elitist recreational fishermen who live on the coast.”

Recreational fishing guides, store owners and a boat builder effectively countered these arguments by claiming their livelihoods also depend on these species, and that red fish, speckled trout and stripers only accounted for roughly two percent of the commercial fishing income from 2010 according to state figures. They also repeated state figures that the direct and indirect economic impact of recreational fishing for N.C. was over $2 billion, while commercial fishing represents a fraction of that.

They noted that gamefish status for these species has effectively worked in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana. Red fishing in Louisiana and South Carolina far surpasses that in North Carolina and Mississippi where gill netting for these species continues, they said. One charter boat captain put the disparity in stark contrast: “Anglers are leaving our state to catch our state fish.” The committee chairman publicly acknowledged another charter boat captain’s call to pay it forward so that his baby girl would have a chance to catch a redfish if she wants to when she gets older.

A recreational fisherman spoke about witnessing the decimation of the local fresh water herring fishery at the hands of mismanaged commercial fishing and the fear that the same could happen for these three species. He noted that aquaculture and other programs have made these species available to the public in seafood stores and restaurants in states where gamefish laws are in place.

Perhaps most poignantly, he touched on why recreational angling has such a universal appeal: “Angling is done to experience a moment between man and fish that cannot be duplicated. A moment so addictive, that thousands upon thousands seek it over and over, and pay to do it. Parents share it with their children. It is our heritage. The virtual world cannot duplicate it and it’s not available as an App on an iPad.”

At the end of the hearing, many of the recreational fishermen expressed confidence in having delivered a strong, united message that this bill would be an economic benefit by attracting more tourism dollars and making an economic engine even stronger. Representatives of the commercial side quietly expressed concern about the bill’s momentum before and after the hearing.

The Legislative Research Commission Committee on Marine Fisheries will discuss the issue again in March with no public comment. The stakes are high enough that both recreational and commercial fishing interests will likely be back.

MSC is a London-based independent non-profit that partners with fishermen, processors, distributors and retailers globally to ensure wild-caught seafood comes from sustainable stocks, is caught using sustainable methods, and is labeled properly.

Increased demand for sustainable seafood information has launched several other ecolabel operations around the world, including non-profits like FishWise, (West Coast-based) and Friend of the Sea, (headquartered in Italy). Both FishWise and Friend of the Sea certify wild-caught and farmed (aquaculture) seafood.

Ecolabels have become selling points because they provide third-party validation that stamped seafood products are in fact, sustainable. This is an important milestone at a time when reports of mislabeled seafood are increasing.  Check out this investigative report from The Boston Globe.

While the growing number of different ecolabels may confuse some consumers, the overall net effect is a positive one for seafood lovers as well as fisheries around the world. Increased global awareness of sustainable seafood choices made at the point of sale will hopefully make sustainable fishing practices the rule, not the exception, in the not too distant future.

So even if you aren’t carrying around the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch pocket guide or mobile app, you can look for an ecolabel in a store near you. If you don’t see one of those, now’s a good time to ask.

By Colles Stowell

Here are some of the highlights:

• Better managing fishing stocks and reducing fishing capacity could generate $50 billion a year;
• The European Union alone pays $100 billion dollars a year to address marine pollution costs, much of which stem from poorly regulated fertilizer use;
• Almost 5% of the global CO2 emissions comes from the maritime industry, and that percentage is expected to grow by 72% by 2020. Better designed ships running on cleaner fuels can minimize that impact.
• Hitchhiking invasive species in ship ballasts costs $100 billion per year globally.

It is refreshing to see the U.N. make a case for stimulating global marine economies by what would seem to be common sense approaches to anyone outside of politics. We can only hope that even some percentage of these goals, if not the whole enchilada, are achieved.

But the devil will be in the details. Global cooperation is a fickle thing. Just look at international friction over whaling or even tuna fisheries. Getting everyone to agree in principle to even basic steps such as developing and paying for studies on how to generate more clean energy is no simple task.

The U.N. took a good first step in issuing this report. Hopefully, there will be enough international collaboration to start making proposals into realities.

Colles Stowell – By Anglers | For Fish

Controversial? The bill pits commercial fishermen, many hailing from several generations of commercial fishing, against recreational fishermen and environmentalists who fear for the long-term health of the species. Commercial fishermen claim the ban would rob them of their livelihoods and keep N.C. citizens from sharing in the resource when they buy seafood. Recreational fishermen say the numbers of fish they’re seeing have dropped precipitously in the past few years as commercial fishing continues, and that affects coastal economies and jobs as well.

In the end, it’s a fierce battle over how to manage the resource.

The numbers are interesting. Consider the following from N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries reports:

• In 2010, commercial fishermen landed more than 72 million pounds of fish (including all available species in the state), while recreational fishermen landed less than 15 million pounds.
• N.C. commercial licenses sold in 2010: 5,179, of which 2,522 were bought by active commercial fishermen. N.C. recreational licenses sold in 2010: 296,175 to residents and another 157,346 to out-of-state fishermen. Factor in the nearly 257,000 fishermen who own lifetime licenses and are grandfathered, the total number of fishermen who had license to fish with hook and line in 2010 in N.C. coastal waters was more than 700,000.
• Of the 2,522 licensed, active commercial fishermen, 1,114 targeted one or more of these species. Only 87 of those 1,114 fishermen made over $2,000 on the sale of red drum, spotted sea trout and/or striped bass.
• North Carolina accounts for nearly 90% of all commercial landings of red drum nationally, but only 1 percent of recreational landings.
• In 2010, commercial fishermen income from harvesting red drum, spotted sea trout and striped bass was over $88 million, which is 2.2 percent of the total income from all commercial landings for the same year.
• The total economic impact of recreational fishing in N.C. waters for 2008 was $1.6 billion, not including an estimated $1.2 billion in associated durable goods (boats, motors, gear, etc.).

The rhetoric flying back and forth has become increasingly venomous as all parties claim to have a personal and financial stake in the outcome. Lobbying state legislators has become a full-time job for many.

The bill’s outcome is uncertain. 2012 is a short legislative session in N.C., and some legislators question whether such an emotionally charged bill will even see full votes on the senate or house floors this term.

What is certain is that failure to manage these three species as finite, yet indispensably valuable resources to the state and its coastal communities could set red drum, spotted sea trout and striped bass on the imperiled path of Atlantic cod and Atlantic salmon.

Just ask the commercial fishermen who chased those species 30 years ago if they think the species could have been better managed.

The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions … and often breaking them … has in many ways become somewhat of a cliché. You cut down on the after-dinner ice cream, decide to quit smoking or limit your time on Facebook. Often, that resolve begins to wane in a few weeks because you’ve lost focus on the original commitment.

At its heart though, the resolution itself is like hitting the refresh button. It’s a new start. As long as you’re committed to seeing it through, the motivation is honest and has the best chance for success.

GreenFish had a great 2011. I’m happy to report we topped 3,500 fans on Facebook, significantly expanded our team of Ambassadors, and increased our donations to the sustainable fisheries partners of your choice by moving from a 1% to a 5% donation amount through our GreenFish Gives program. We also introduced new products, including the CPR Mount, which has taken off.

It’s time to hit the refresh button again. Our principle resolution for 2012 is to continue to promote a lifestyle of sustainable fishing via new products and this blog. The blog has been a good forum for sharing updates on such topics as sustainable fishing regulations and the release of the CPR Mount. That said, I confess that the blog has not been as consistent as I’d like it to be.

I want this blog to be a regular communication with you – a frequent reference point for learning about the latest news on everything from federal bills to designate striped bass as game fish to the health of global tuna populations. You’ll learn what type of “green” tackle to use, how to release a fish with a lot of teeth and some tips on how to teach your kids to fish. You’ll see occasional instructional videos featuring our ambassadors demonstrating techniques for tight roll casting or fighting big game fish from a kayak. You’ll learn about important fishing legislation in your region. You’ll also see what’s happening here at GreenFish.

We will post at least one blog a week to maintain a steady flow of content. While I’ll continue to write some of the blogs, I’ll be sharing these duties with outdoor writer, website consultant and fellow fishing addict Colles Stowell. Colles has helped revitalize the GreenFish Web site content to make it more compelling and user-friendly during the past year. He shares the same commitment to promoting sustainable fisheries and will keep you posted on news and information about the near- and long-term health of the resource.

Small companies don’t grow without the support of their customer base. This blog is a communication forum for us to share news and interesting information with you, and in turn, for you to share your comments with us.

In that vein, our blog is a commitment to stay connected with you.

So in the first blog of 2012, we wish you a Happy New Year and welcome you back to the blog!

Thanks, and tight lines,

Bryan Godber GreenFish – By Anglers | For Fish

Fly Fishing the World (FFTW) is an exploratory experience. It will venture deep into the soul of fly fishing, where nature rules, and the angler is a mere visitor, hoping to claim a position in the food chain.

Perennial host, John Barrett is passing the torch to Conway Bowman and the next generation of fly fishermen. This season of Fly Fishing the World will not lack for excitement as Bowman circles the globe in search of the prime destinations, legends, and big fish – making for some of the world’s best fly fishing.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to host the re-launch of Fly Fishing the World. The re-tooling of this long-running series raises the bar for adventure-angling, and introduces viewers to the eclectic cast of characters an intrepid wanderer meets on a journey through fly fishing’s outer realms,” said host, Conway Bowman.

Unforgettable destinations await Bowman as he ventures to Baja, Mexico, where he takes viewers in search of the elusive roosterfish off-the-beach. Bowman also plies Montana’s rivers for trout during the biggest flood event in recent memory, explores a unique flats fishery in the Great Lakes and matches wits with ever-wary tailing carp. Bowman also travels to Hawaii to uncover rumors of double-digit bonefish and giant trevally prowling the waters of an uninhabited island.

Fly Fishing the World is one of the longest-running outdoor programs on television and is the only fishing series to ever garner a Cable Ace award. To learn more about Conway and FFTW, follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/conwaybowman

Is the salmon wild-caught or farmed? Where does the tuna come from, and is it sustainable? Was the swordfish harpooned or snared on a long line that stretches for miles and is blamed for killing many tons of non-targeted species? Does the shrimp come from Thailand?

Consumers have recently begun to ask more questions about the origins of their seafood. This is a good thing from a sustainability perspective as well as a gastronomic one. Atlantic salmon stocks are still recovering from a history of over-fishing and consumption, but thanks to advances in aquaculture, some of the pressure has been removed. Still, buying salmon raised in massive pens jammed with so many fish that they breed disease and spread it to wild populations if they escape may not be the most sustainable choice in the long run. Some aquaculture operations fight diseases with antibiotics, which get passed on to the consumer.

So what is the right answer? Just as choosing whether to keep or release a fish is a personal choice, so is the decision of which seafood to consume. Learning more about what stocks are sustainable and which to avoid is an important first step in understanding the consequences.

Here are some basic suggestions to think about when choosing seafood at a restaurant or grocery store:

1. Where did it come from? The further away, the more energy used to ship it. This is especially true if you live on the West coast and you eat fresh Maine lobster that was flown overnight. Long distances can also affect freshness.
2. How was it caught? Some methods are less destructive to the ecosystem than others.
3. If it was farmed, were the farming practices sustainable? Did they use antibiotics?
4. Does the species have a healthy population? Eating lower on the food chain, such as mackerel and mussels helps guarantee the sustainability of the choice.
5. Is it local? If so, this choice is not only good for your conscience and your stomach, it’s also good for the local fishing community.

PETA says fishing makes fish suffer, so they’re asking people to stop.
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals says parents are sending a dangerous message to their children that recreational fishing is OK.

“Nobody wants to set a bad example for their kids, but many parents don’t actually stop to think that when they’re going fishing, they’re really sending their kids a dangerous message, that it’s fun to torment animals,” says Hayden Hamilton with PETA.

Hamilton says fish are intelligent animals who feel pain when they’re hooked, or brought up in a net.

“Most parents would never dream of spending a weekend trying to hook the family dog, but hooking a fish on the mouth and dragging him through the water is just as cruel as hooking the family dog through the mouth and dragging him behind your car,” says Hamilton.

The organization held a protest Tuesday at 12 p.m. at Broad St. and Alaskan Way.

“We’re hoping just to grab some people’s attention for a minute to make them consider that fish do feel pain, you know, and it’s life and death issues for these animals.”

It’s a pretty good read and there are some interesting facts raised:

• Today about half of the seafood consumed around the world comes from farms
• It takes about 2 pounds of wild fish ground up to make fish meal needed on average to produce 1 pound of farmed fish – not a
  sustainable model!
• 90% of the salmon that arrives at tables comes from farms, more that 1.4 million tons each year
• Only about 50,000 tons of Barramundi are farmed annually, but production has doubled over the past 10 years
• Annual farm production of carp is above 3.2 million tons, mostly in China
• Tilapia could be an ideal fish for farming – their vegetarian diet makes it ideal for sustainable aquaculture
• Since 1960, worldwide seafood consumption has increased nearly 60%
• 84% of the 6-7 million tons of seafood consumed each year in the US is imported
• A badly run near-shore farm of 200,000 salmon can flush nitrogen and phosphorous into the water at levels equal to the sewage of a town of 20,000 people

The article also addresses the infamous “Frankenfish” being
worked on by companies such as Aquabounty. They aim to create the ideal fish by genetically engineering Atlantic Salmon which would grow up to twice as fast as typical fish.

The message of the article is that with current levels of
consumption, we need to come up with more sustainable ways of fish farming. It’s a good article and worth the read.

Introduced in July, the Billfish Conservation Act of 2011 (S. 1451 and H.R. 2706) would close U.S. commercial markets to Pacific billfish. Unfortunately, commercial fishermen from Hawaii and other U.S. Pacific islands will still be allowed to sell billfish legally. But this bill would have a big impact on the U.S. commercial fishing industry in the U.S.

Just about every major conservation group has pledged support for this vital bill, including the IGFA, KeepAmericaFishing, CCA and The Billfish Foundation. You can help too: Call or write your legislative representatives and urge them to support The Billfish Conservation Act of 2011. It’s long overdue and has nothing but upside.

GreenFish founder Bryan Godber explains, “We now have a team of over 50 high profile individuals in the industry, all helping to promote our brand and sustainable fishing message on a volunteer basis. These individuals should be seen as role models to the fishing community not only for their career achievements as industry icons, but also for their efforts to promote a lifestyle of sustainable fishing for future generations to enjoy. It’s a great to know how many high profile individuals out there want to help push our brand and our mission forward and represent our clothing brand.”

Environmentally sensitive fishing products are showing up at tackle shops with increased regularity. Wright McGill, the Colorado company that makes an assortment of tackle under the Eagle Claw brand, even has a biodegradable fishing line.

Why is that important? Because monofilament, the dominant line used fo r nearly 70 years, stays around a long time. Fishing line is tangled in brush beneath the water’s surface and in trees along the river bank. It’s a hazard to boat propellers, birds and other animals.

The country’s 30 million anglers age 16 and older spend an average of 17 days per year fishing. They use thousands of miles of fishing line each year and leave a lot of it in the landscape, where scientists say it may take 600 years to break down.

Bioline, the Eagle Claw product that’s primarily pitched for crappie fishing, is engineered to retain its strength for 10 to 12 months of use, then begin a five-year degrading process whether it’s left on the land or in the water.

Crappie anglers in particular benefit from biodegradable fishing line, according to Eagle Claw, because they spend the majority of their fishing time in and around cover, mostly submerged wood. Hang-ups are common, and the light line that crappie anglers favor breaks easily.

At $10 to $12 per spool, Bioline costs about the same as other premium fishing lines.

That’s not true of many “green” fishing products, like worm weights. Bass anglers buy them by the dozens, if not hundreds. Each time a snagged line is broken, the terminal tackle is lost, and that includes the hook and weight. The hooks eventually rust but the weights are permanent.

Until recently, virtually all worm weights were made of lead, and that’s still the cheapest option. Fifteen quarter-ounce lead worm weights cost just over $3. Weights made from less objectionable tungsten or brass may cost five times as much.

Bass anglers likeDavid O’Keeffe are willing to pay premium prices for tungsten weights, but it’s not because of the green bandwagon.

“I catch more fish using tungsten sinkers,” O’Keeffe said. “Tungsten is denser than lead, so you get a smaller profile. When a bass tries to eat a soft plastic bait, the fish gets the whole bait, sinker and all, in its mouth. The hook set is a lot more effective when you’re jerking a small, hard sinker out of the fish’s mouth rather than a larger, soft lead sinker.”

O’Keeffe said the tungsten sinkers teamed with fluorocarbon fishing line also increase his feel for the cover his lure is moving through.

“The term ‘green fishing product’ turns me off,” O’Keeffe said, “but fishermen are leaving a lot of stuff in the water. When the water levels are low, I see a lot of fishing line tangled in trees and brush. I remove as much as I can, store it in my boat and take it back to town for the garbage.”

Bass fishermen may object to the term “green fishing product,” but fly fishermen do not, according to Rick Pope, president and founder of Temple Fork Outfitters, a Dallas-based fly-fishing company.

“Fly fishers are extremely sensitive to the environment,” Pope said. “There are some green products for fly-fishing, but the sensitivity is mostly about being good stewards and not leaving fishing leaders, plastic packaging or anything else in the streams, rivers or lakes where fly-fishing is done.”

Fly fishers pioneered the use of barbless hooks so fish could be released with less stress. Though designed for commercial fishing, circle hooks are also considered “green.” When fished correctly, the circle hook almost always hooks the fish in the corner of the mouth where little damage is done, and the fish can be released with an expectation of survival.

Recycled Fish preaches that If we want more and bigger fish in our waters, now and for our kids, a lifestyle of stewardship is what it’s going to take, because our Lifestyle Runs Downstream.

Green Fish, through clothing sales, hopes to teach the values and actions of sustainability and stewardship for the waters of angling.

Stewardship, a term in the environmental movement that has roots in what academics have termed “the greening of religion” – e.g. that God commanded humans to be stewards of, not have dominion over, nature. Today, however, the term has widespread use, inducing increasing use to describe how we should fish, relate to our fisheries, and our fishing communities.

Recently, in response to all of my work, I was asked what it meant to be a steward. To which I replied:

“Stewardship means many things. Mostly it means just what it sounds like – to take care of, to steward, the people, places, and things that we care about – social, cultural, or environmental goods.

Stewardship is tethered to how we behave on the water, how we take care of our fisheries, how we take care of our community. In origin both organizations noted above focused on Catch and Release, but have grown their message beyond how we handle fish to how we relate to the habitat of fisheries – including how our lifestyles of consumption, food, and transportation invariably impact the fisheries we love.”

The context of that question and conversation, in retrospect, was also representative of stewardship. I was on the Naknek River in Bristol Bay working with the Bristol Bay Fly Fishing and Guide Academy. The explicit goal of the academy is to train and educate the next generation of guides for Bristol Bay, guides who are from the region, born and raised with the local knowledge that 90% of the guides in Bristol Bay do not possess. Beneath it all, though, the subtext of the guide academy is about stewardship.

(Yours truly doing a bit of casting instruction with a future Bristol Bay guide)

Stewardship, in many ways, comes from knowing and understanding places, bioregions, and ecosystems. Fly Fishing has long been praised for its ability to teach about place. Without fly fishing, however, these youth already possess so much of the knowledge that many guides would kill to have in their back pocket.

The guide academy taught fly fishing, while trying to create an avenue into a vibrant local economy that has been dominated by non-locals. In doing so, you give agency and power of stewardship to those most impacted by decisions in the region – local youth. Not that non-local guides are not stewards – many are. If they are not, well they should be or they shouldn’t be fishing and guiding. Afterall, guides are supposed to be teachers and stewardship should be a part of the curriculum, so to speak.

But by educating youth about fishing, the power of fishing, and the role of anglers –individually and collectively – in conservation, the Guide Academy by its very nature is an activity of stewardship. After all, stewardship entails empowering others to take care of places like Bristol Bay.

Neither group – Recycled Fish or Green Fish – were explicitly involved in the guide academy, but as we taught the youth of Bristol Bay about fly fishing, guiding, and conservation in Bristol Bay, we inherently carried the message of stewardship and enacted the work of stewardship by educating and equipping the next generation to be stewards of sport and waters.

As we look at the role of angling, and fly fishing in particular, in conservation it is imperative that we work in every way possible encourage a culture of stewardship.  As I have written before, it is not enough to simply fly fish anymore; we must be stewards of both our sport and the waters of our sport.

That means supporting organizations like TU, Recycled Fish, or the myriad grassroots groups out there with missions focused on conservation and stewardship. It means lending our voices, through letters, editorials and other avenues to key issues facing coldwater ecosystems – such as protecting Bristol Bay or restoring native fish ecosystems. Above all, it means we must live our lives on and off the water as stewards and strive to pass that message on to the next generation, and then the next, and so on.

(Finn, the next generation of angler - stewards, I hope!)

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http://basspundit.blogspot.com/2011/02/sustainable-fishing.html

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“Start basic and don’t expect to get the thing overnight,” said Brian Kozminski, president of the Miller Van Winkle chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Kozminski will be the featured guest at the March 15 edition of the Outfitter’s Outdoor Speaker Series. During his “Fly Fishing: Tips & Tricks” discussion, Kozminski will offer his expertise for aspiring and veteran anglers alike; as well as a history of Trout Unlimited and the importance of improving water quality.

See more here