MYTURN

Hood Canal

Modest proposals for fishing regulation

 On my return to the shores of Hood Canal for the holiday season and a break from the sunshine of Arizona, my neighbor presented me with a clipping from our local paper telling us that the Department of Fish and Game- the former Fish and Wildlife Management Agency until it managed to devastate the fish population in Hood Canal- is proposing yet more restrictions on the sport fisherperson. After reducing th3e days a person can fish, where the person can fish, what kind of fish a person is allowed to harvest, it is apparent that those who sell us our annual fishing license really do not want the fisher person to harvest any fish. Yes, they do want to sell us a license, thereby brining in the much needed revenue to keep them in operation, but harvesting fish should be left to the commercial fishing industry. Here is a solution that can drastically reduce the size of the fishing regulation pamphlet which tells the sports person what kind of hook can be used, what kind of bait can or cannot be used, what type of fish can be caught, at what time of year and in what location, how many inches the fish has to be, ect.: Open the fishing season all year long, have no restrictions as to what kind of fish a person may fish for, have no limit on the size or number of fish a person can fish for, a person can fish 24 hours a day using as many poles as he or she would like, and no fish record card would be required. There would be just one restriction levied on the sports fisherperson, and that restriction requires the non-usage of any type of hook or catching device. For the many that fish for crab and shrimp, making certain that they have their cards in tow to register the proper number, size, ect., making certain that there are not too many pots onboard, synchronizing watcher with the Fish and Wildlife Department for the proper time to commence and finish fishing, making certain to check whether the season is still open and the numbers have not changed, here is a proposed solution: Open crab and shrimp season all year, use any kind of bait you chose, leave the pots in the water as long as you choose, and keep no record catch card. There would be just one small restriction place on the crab and shrimp fisher person, and that restriction requires that all pots will not have openings allowing shrimp or crab to enter. After all, it is the outdoor experience. RIGHT???? Who knows, after ten years of this type of fishing, the agency could open all of our inland waters to commercial fishing with no restriction on size of nets or boats, including trawlers, commencing a new cycle Who knows, after ten years of this type of fishing, the agency could open all of our inland waters to commercial fishing with no restriction on size of nets or boats, including trawlers, commencing a new cycle.  

by,Don Burger