A new experimental catch and release fishing program is hitting Southern California’s sport fishing industry this spring.
The idea is simple: By catching and releasing saltwater fish it will help to invigorate an industry that has been struggling lately. Ultimately it may also help to recover ailing fish stocks in the region.
Last week the Los Angeles Times published an article about the effort to promote catching and releasing fish caught for sport. In it, James Markham, 28, of Van Nuys was quoted as saying, “A lot of guys I know catch fish and just let them die. Not me. In the long term, catch-and-release is better for the sport. A picture of a sport fish can be a trophy of a lifetime.”
There is another reason to catch and release the fish you catch: some of them are actually contaminated! A few of the more commonly caught fish that show high contamination levels and should not be consumed in Southern California include the white croaker, barred sand bass, topsmelt, barracuda and black croaker.
FCEC is hopeful this new trend catches on (no pun intended) and not just because it will be good for the fishing industry and the environment, but also because it will help reduce health risks associated with eating contaminated fish.
Are you an angler? If so, do you catch and release your fish? We’d love to hear from you, so please considering posting a comment below!
*Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Times
Tags: catch and release
Posted in Fishing
