Is fishing cruel?

[Diane]

Just back from Lake Bonney up in the Riverlands, and was watching a couple of local fishermen casting their rods into the lake.

 

Now, there are a few edible "nice" fish in the lake, but unfortunately also lots of the dreaded carp, which seems to be the persona non grata of the fish world here in Australia, so much so that I believe it's a fineable offence to actually put a caught carp back into the water.

 

Anyway, these guys had caught quite a few carp, and had just left them to slowly suffocate on the shore. For a couple of hours in one case, these poor fish lay there slowly gasping. I think that's cruel. Ok, if they hit the things over the head, or do something to kill them fast, but to let them suffer and slowly die like that just goes against everything that's humane in my opinion. Couple of years ago we were watching people fishing off the jetty at Second Valley, and some of the fishermen there were doing the same with some cuttlefish.

 

Now I understand the reasoning behind not putting carp back in, I've heard all the arguments about how bad they are, and why, but does that mean we have the right to torture them in this way?

 

I've gone right off fishermen..... some of them anyway.

[Guest BurgessFamily]

Of course it's cruel, but that's life.

[Guest Guest5035]

i agree with you diane, probably the minority doing the wrong thing again. If my OH had been there she'd have gone beserk at them for letting them suffer.

 

stevo

[Guest guest4504]

Of course it's cruel, but that's life.

 

 

" But thats life " .. What ??? Does not have to be though eh ! Just ignorance, yes Dianne it is true in that case you witnessed . However, I am not against fishing altogether .

[Guest BurgessFamily]

" But thats life " .. What ??? Does not have to be though eh ! Just ignorance, yes Dianne it is true in that case you witnessed . However, I am not against fishing altogether .

 

Are you planning on 'educating' the majority of fishermen the world over?

[Guest guest569]

leaving a fish out on the bank to die is not fishing. Fishing is not cruel !! As long as you fish to eat and throw back what is left its a fun sport.

Cats are cruel !! They kill for fun and not to eat, Any more points of view ????

[Guest guest4504]

Are you planning on 'educating' the majority of fishermen the world over?

 

No I don't plan to educate as I don't believe the majority of fishermen do leave fish on the bank to die like that. If that's how they feel a sport should be then they are clearly to stupid to be educated anyway, more chance of educating the fish to avoid their lines.

[Guest Guest5035]

. Fishing is not cruel !! QUOTE]

 

try telling that to a fish with a big hook hanging out its mouth:huh:then left to suffocate

 

stevo

[minty]

Im a big Carp angler here in blighty but i wont be bringing my tackle over with me. Carp are classed as vermin in Aus and as far as i understand you cannot release back to the water once caught. This is fair enough as its Aus and its a non native species but its not for me so i have decided i will get into sea/beech fishing instead. The other problem i would have is if i saw someone letting the fish just die like that i would probably loose my visa over it (when i get it).

[Toni]

I think that if this thread has educated even one fisherman then that is a good thing. It is cruel for a human being to let them suffocate.

[Diane]

Without incriminating any members of my family, some kids, that may have looked very slightly like me, may have picked up one that had been left on the bank after the fishermen left, and it may have...errrmmm... wriggled a bit and leapt out of their hands in the direction of the water..... pure accident obviously and we tried desperately to recapture it...!!!

[ratters2005]

What is sad is that although the fish can not be put back in, I believe the fish is not that bad when prepared for the table.

Historically they were farmed and caught for the monks to eat and they are still actively caught in Poland for the table and Western Europe.

Maybe when you see them at the bank dying, pick them up and take them home for the pot.

Not really fair on the fish that's why I do not carp fish any more.

Oh and you will get a good fine if caught putting them back in..

[Toni]

Well Diane, everyone knows that kids will be kids....even the big ones.....one has to lead by example...it sounds like you may have had a stern word to them, you can't possibly be held accountable for the actions of others, especially if it was an accident

[minty]

What is sad is that although the fish can not be put back in, I believe the fish is not that bad when prepared for the table.

Historically they were farmed and caught for the monks to eat and they are still actively caught in Poland for the table and Western Europe.

Maybe when you see them at the bank dying, pick them up and take them home for the pot.

Not really fair on the fish that's why I do not carp fish any more.

Oh and you will get a good fine if caught putting them back in..

 

Can you get fined for throwing the "anglers in".

[Guest Django]

When you see someone on the beach gut a fish that is still alive, its very hard to argue the point that its not cruel.

I can see its a method of putting food on the table but I can hardly think the word 'sport' and 'fishing' can really be put in the same sentence unless the word 'not' is also there.

[Guest Ryan T. Lion]

Agreed... 100%.

 

Yep - from the OP's description, I'd say what they were doing (or not doing) was cruel. Maybe the rules about not putting them back could include some guidance on what to do with them?

 

We had some baby pidgeons at our office "dealt with" but the people doing it weren't allowed to kill them, only "remove" them - so they just scooped them up into plastic bags which were knotted up and chucked into the back of a van.......... Turned my stomach - vermin control is a nasty business I guess. I couldn't do it.

[Guest Guest75]

The "fishermen" catching these Carp were not true sportsmen at all.

Fish can and should be dispatched quickly if caught to eat or in the name o pest control.

 

A very unseemly display and I can tell you that it is a very small percentage that will do that.

 

Fish coming aboard our boat go straight into an esky full of ice which puts them to sleep quickly. (unless Andy can't hold on and allows it to escape!!! )

 

Larger fish have to be dispatched in other ways.

[minty]

As Tyke says 99.9% of fishermen adhere to the above.

When we catch people behaving like the 0.01% we are also the first to jump on them as it shows our sport/hobby in a very bad light.

[Guest teamV]

I don't think anyone who eats meat can complain ,its not born in packets and at least fish have a good life before there become someones tea,were as plenty of other animals never see day light.

[Guest Squareman]

In my short time here i have also found that fisherman blatantly disregard fishing laws. Each and every time i go fishing, I'll see guys keeping extremely undersized garfish, tommies, blueys or bream. I have also been told some horror stories about recreational fishermen and what they get up to. There are a lot of good guys out there, but way too many dodgy ones. I agree with the marine parks concept. It just needs proper planning

[Guest Guest5035]

In my short time here i have also found that fisherman blatantly disregard fishing laws.

 

spot on..

 

stevo

[Guest Damien]

There are only 45 of us fish pigs in the whole bloomin' state. We work bloody hard to ensure all fishing activities are legal. If anyone sees anything they believe is wrong they please call Fishwatch on 1800 065522. Ok we may not be able to respond to that particular call but all calls are used to target regular offences, areas, species etc.

 

Ok, got that off my chest! In my experience a lot of Aussie fishermen absolutely hate carp and do leave them flapping about on the bank. Not good and you will never see a pom do it. We do try and educate but some people are just too bloody ignorant. They are the very small minority though. And I'd be very surprised to see a fish still alive two hours after being removed from the water. Even a carp, especially when it was as warm as it has been lately.

[Guest Squareman]

Most of the people I see taking small fish/crabs appear to be Asians or from India. I'm not out every day so I don't know if this is just a coincidence, but it has certainly been my experience.

I'm usually down at the Pat in Glenelg several times per week and most of the fish appear to be small bream - much smaller than the 28cm limit imposed. There isn't any shortage of them, so I guess people don't feel guilty about taking them. There also isn't any signage on the Pat explaining the various species and their size/bag limits. I would put one up near the jungle-gyms/barbie area next to the Buffalo ship, if were a fish pig.

[Guest Damien]

Cheers Squareman, I'm not city based so it's not my patch but I'll certainly mention it to the guys up there. Incidentally, and this is NOT being racist in any way, but whenever we see Asians fishing alarm bells start to ring. It's because they have no size limits where they come from and we have to 'educate' them probably more than any other ethnic group. Having said that we do find plenty of people of European descent up to no good too!

[adelaidenow]

There are only 45 of us fish pigs in the whole bloomin' state. We work bloody hard to ensure all fishing activities are legal. If anyone sees anything they believe is wrong they please call Fishwatch on 1800 065522. Ok we may not be able to respond to that particular call but all calls are used to target regular offences, areas, species etc.

 

Ok, got that off my chest! In my experience a lot of Aussie fishermen absolutely hate carp and do leave them flapping about on the bank. Not good and you will never see a pom do it. We do try and educate but some people are just too bloody ignorant. They are the very small minority though. And I'd be very surprised to see a fish still alive two hours after being removed from the water. Even a carp, especially when it was as warm as it has been lately.

 

Damien, how can you tell the difference between an Aussie and a Pom? Or do you go up and talk to them? Genuine query.