How much is too much? Coastal fishing

[The Elkster]

So as not to derail another thread I start this one. I write regarding keeping limits when out on the coast. Now I am all for keeping some fish absolutely one hundred percent and do so myself without guilt. But I can't say my thoughts haven't turned to how much fish is kept by people while out on the coast and by coasties themselves. I have seen quite a few pics this year displaying hundreds of pounds of fish. We preach catch and release here in AB and the fact that limits should not be the goal but head west on an expensive trip and getting your limit becomes the ultimate indicator of success for most. I not saying its EVERYBODY's goal but you see sure see the term "getting limits" often in fishing reports. If its within the law then thats all fine and dandy and I'm not going to tear a strip out of somebody...but I hope we don't wonder what happens when the fish don't show the next year and blame it all on commercial guys etc. or even the gov't regs. I mean we were each given a mind of our own and the ability to reason...for a reason.

As for how much fish a guy 'needs' thats endlessly debatable for sure. Most will give fish away if they don't use it so at least fish is not wasted. That being said that really doesn't change the end result of taking lots of fish. IMO the people get on the big ocean and get the idea that it is undepletable specially when on the offshore Halibut banks. The East coasters found out otherwise and even in the face of crashing west coast salmon stocks we continue to keep a whole lot of fish well beyond what we could make due with.

I will make a prediction that Halibut will be the next fish to face steep declines and severe limit restrictions. In some places cod have already been dealt that card. I just don't think the regenerate fast enough to keep everyone in fish like they have been. Time will tell. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think so.

Sorry to be a bit negative but I think its something that is important to ponder. This is not intended as a slam on anyone it is intended as a starting point for some good natured discussion and thats it.

Good fishing all!

[Walleyes]

I say as long as you are going to use it then take it. Its no different than shooting a couple deer and a moose in a year as long as its used properly. And don't get confused with what the comercial guys catch compared to the sporty huge difference. I say if you want a fish go catch it,, you can't go buy moose meat at Safeway so why can yu go buy fish ????

[Waxy]

I don't want to get into a peeing contest here either, this is just my opinion. It does seem to me that the ocean just doesn't get the same level of "respect" that our inland fisheries get, and yet, it seems to me that it's every bit as fragile, it's just the impact is on a whole different scale in terms of time and severity.

I think our abuse of the oceans, and I don't mean sportfishing here, is going to be the single biggest catastrophe that we as humans will face in the future. We're destroying an ecosystem we essentially know nothing about.

Waxy

[Waxy]

I say if you want a fish go catch it,, you can't go buy moose meat at Safeway so why can yu go buy fish ????

Exactly!

I've always thought like that too. We harvest the hell out of the ocean so that anyone and everyone can eat fish - fresh, exotic fish - whenever they want. If we treated our wildlife on land or in our freshwater lakes the way we treat the ocean, there'd be nothing left. We'd be eating breaded gopher sticks and deep fried Robins and chips...

I shudder at the new found popularity of sushi and seafood. When I see people eating sushi as the equivalent of fast food, and sushi/seafood on the menu all over the Canadian prairies, it just makes me shake my head. Where do people think this all comes from?

Anyhoo, enough of my rant.

Waxy

[stand junkie]

we were out last Aug for four days in cambell river the first morning on the boat I hooked about a 15 pound chinook the fight was great it came to the boat and the guide brought it in and cut the gills. So after some picts and what not I asked him what the story was and he told me that you are only allowed so many chinook in so many days so you keep what you catch. The next day I caught a 29 pound chinook one hell of a good fight got him to the boat and told the guide all I wanted was some picts and turn it loose. After that was said he look at me like i was nuts so I explaind to him that I didnt need to fill my limit I was just there to fish. He later told me that thier goal is to fill the limits for everyone just to keep them happy

[The Elkster]

When I lived on the coast up to 10 years ago everyone guides and personal fishers kept pretty much everything legal especially salmon. Limiting out was the goal. Seems not much has changed which is surprising given the apparent state of the fishery. Its ironic that everyone blames the gov't yet still sticks to gov't rules as the ones to follow. Common sense would say that if you don't think the regs are right then make your own tougher personal standards to improve things.

Walleyes does sustainability not factor into your harvest decisions whatsoever? Do you trust gov't regs and limits 100%?

As far as sporty take goes i think the cumulative effect is much larger than most realize. The per person take may be small but there are lots of people leading to a large cum. The gap between the cumulative commercial, native and sporty catch is closing. Per capita maybe not so much but then again 100 fish don't care if 100 people or one person kills them. Mother nature just feels the cum effect of loosing 100 fish.

[Redfrog]

"Walleyes does sustainability not factor into your harvest decisions whatsoever? Do you trust gov't regs and limits 100%? "

I'm not Walleyes and he sure can speak for himself, but I gotta say that the guys setting the regs know more than I do and get paid to do the job they do. They are not always right, but they are right a lot more ften than they atre wrong.

BTW Just because the speed limit is 110 on the highway., doesn't mean I have to follow it does it? I can just drive along at 5 kph, because I think that driving 110 is too hard on the environment, burning fossil fuels and all.

I"m sure that if errors are made they err on the side of caution.

[Reeves1]

Not posting to start anything.....

I lived on QCI for a while. Learned that the Fisheries fellas watch stocks (Salmon) closely. If there is a "poor" run, they know that in three years there will be another one. They adjust accordingly. Not just for the fleet, but for the sports end as well.
Then there is the Halibut commission (not just Canada). They too watch the stocks very closely. They do not want a crash like what happened on the east coast.

[acedave3]

Agree with your concerns. Check my response on the '54lb Chinook 'posting for a different view on this subject.