QUETZAL- Hold on here, fella. This thread was aimed at non-hunters, so non-hunters with rational responses to the issues raised have every right to post follow-ups. Likewise for marine ecologists who generally have a lot more knowledge about the resource than many fishers. Very inappropriate response on your part IMHO.
Archman does raise a good point. The sheephead fishery here in so Cal has been closed "early" a number of times because the harvest rate was too great. Now this was not due entirely to spearfishers by any means. The "party boats," charter boats that bring "large" numbers of sportfishers, that enter our waters take a large percentage of the catch. These are rod-and-reel fishers who are just too concentrated for the resource.
I'm always irritatingly "amused" by one boat, the Freelance (out of Newport Beach I believe), that not only frequents Catalina's shoreline but has a nasty habit of dropping its lines either in marine reserves or right next to them. And I thought the captains of such boats didn't believe that marine reserves work. I guess actions speak louder than words.
Dr. Bill
Archman does raise a good point. The sheephead fishery here in so Cal has been closed "early" a number of times because the harvest rate was too great. Now this was not due entirely to spearfishers by any means. The "party boats," charter boats that bring "large" numbers of sportfishers, that enter our waters take a large percentage of the catch. These are rod-and-reel fishers who are just too concentrated for the resource.
I'm always irritatingly "amused" by one boat, the Freelance (out of Newport Beach I believe), that not only frequents Catalina's shoreline but has a nasty habit of dropping its lines either in marine reserves or right next to them. And I thought the captains of such boats didn't believe that marine reserves work. I guess actions speak louder than words.
Dr. Bill