Vegetarian Divers?

[HammerNoMore]

suzie q once bubbled...
Well, I guess I've been put in my place for *gasp* stirring up a little controversy.

Hopefully a few of you are just a little curious as to what effect your consumption has on the world you live in.

this thread is definitly ON TOPIC if any diver dives to observe marine life.

Suzie,

Humans are omnivorous, we are supposed to eat a mixed diet, including meat, though not necissarily in the quantities we eat it today. It is very difficult to maintain a healty diet without eating meat.

Almost all of the meat we consume is farm raised and has no environmental impact. For those things, such as much of the seafood, that are not farm raised there are still ways to eat responsibly. Check out this link:

http://xsls.com?609

This is one of several orginizations that monitor fishing and species population with the intent of arming the public with the information they need to eat responsibly.

James

 

[Zagnut]

.. we have had controversy on this board before...in fact, we have had this very discussion before...at least two or three times.

Depletion of the ocean's marine life is definitely related to vegetarianism, but it's not the same thing. Yes, there are a few of us here on the board that have educated ourselves with the facts...the same facts you have educated yourself with.

I have, in fact curbed my consumption of saltwater fish. Why? So they will be around for future generations to enjoy (visually as well as digestively). Farm raissed catfish...yumm!

I've not been in the ocean as much as some of you, but I have yet to see a whitetail deer swim by. My eating deer, has no affect on how many sharks are in the ocean. Since you have educated yourself with the facts, then you know what selective harvest is.
Have you ever seen what too many deer can do to the enviornment? Too many deer, just like humans can be devastating to the enviornment, spreading disease and killing off every tree in sight, which in turn kills alot of other types of wildlife as well as all the deer. If your response is to let nature go unchecked because that's they way nature was intended to be, then I would remind you that humans are animals. Should we go unchecked as well?

This issue is not as black and white as the PETA folks would like you to believe it is.

Selective harvest can give us the best of both worlds.

Don't get bent outta shape because you get some direct responses to your thread, although like you , I think there is no room in the arguement for name calling and personal attacks.

 

[zeN||]

Key Word-Overfishing I do not think for a minute my pathetic record of spearfishing has any effect on depleting marine life, Commercial fishing is another story, excuse me, I have a crab boiling on the stove I have to attend to-Z

 

[cornfed]

suzie q once bubbled...
Well, I guess I've been put in my place for *gasp* stirring up a little controversy.

Hopefully a few of you are just a little curious as to what effect your consumption has on the world you live in.

this thread is definitly ON TOPIC if any diver dives to observe marine life.

From http://archive.greenpeace.org/~oceans/globaloverfishing/

"SCIENTISTS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT the biggest single threat to marine biodiversity today is overfishing.

Most of the world's major fisheries are depleted or rapidly deteriorating. Wherever they operate, commercial fishing fleets are exceeding the oceans' ecological limits. They are unraveling the intricate web of marine biodiversity that makes the oceans such a vital and productive part of the Earth's life support system. "

Just because you ignore it, it doesn't right itself.

Something needs to happen to allow the populations to recover. One way that I, personally can help: avoid ingesting them.

One other way: get people talking and thinking about it. the more people are aware of he problem, the more they can do to alleviate the causes.

so there's my agenda. i don't claim to be perfect, or claim that i'm better than anyone else.

im a vegetarian. Im a diver. those are two big parts of who i am, and they are, believe it or not, relevant to one another.

suzie q,

I have no problem with controversial topics. I'm more then willing to discuss our impact on the environment, vegetarianism or anything else you want to bring up. What I have a problem with is the way you went about it. Personally, I don't care for people who stir up $hit yet claim they're only interested in other people's opinions. Cut the "don't you think it's ironic to kill the same things you dive to see... just wondering" crap. If you have an agenda then you also need the balls to come out and say so. Your priniples are admirable but your lack of gumption isn't. This conversation hasn't brought anything to light and it won't change anyone's eating habits. All you did was annoy people with your thinly veiled proselytizing.

Cornfed

 

[cornfed]

zeN|| once bubbled...
Key Word-Overfishing I do not think for a minute my pathetic record of spearfishing has any effect on depleting marine life

If you're anything like the spearfishers I've seen there isn't much to worry about!

 

[Raven C]

LOL That statement is very true from my experience as well.

When I first got certified, I expressed my concern and dislike of the idea of diving with spearfishers. "I'm not diving with you spearfishing in the water. I don't want you attracting preditors."

That was total ignorance talking. The spearfishers I've been diving with so far have left the fish pretty safe and been mostly unsuccessful. Most would barely have enough for one plate much less endanger the ecosystem. Although there maybe more skilled spear fishers out there. Only I have yet to dive with them.

cornfed once bubbled...


If you're anything like the spearfishers I've seen there isn't much to worry about!

 

[drbill]

SuzieQ sure took it on the chin with this post... and unnecessarily so (I hope you understood the intellectual question my post was asking).

There are some very valid reasons (IMHO) for being vegetarian. Taking life is not one I "accept" on face value because plants are living things too.

I don't care if vegetarians prefer to eat plant life vs animal life. I worry more about omnivores who eat too much milk fat (ice cream) and end up becoming medical liabilities for the rest of us (or those who smoke and do the same).

What would be a "valid" reason IMHO for being vegetarian? Eating lower on the food chain so our increasing population does not drive every edible species to extinction. There is far more vegetable food available than animal food.

I prefer flesh at least on occasion and find nothing wrong with it. I try to select what flesh I eat... selecting seafood that is ecologically acceptable vs that which is not. Cattle and other livestock are raised to eat... just wish they'd keep the additives out of the meat. I used to hunt (underwater and above) as well to get flesh that was reasonably unadulterated.

To each their own. If I'm dating a vegetarian and she's cooking, I'll eat veggies.

Dr. Bill

 

[lragsac]

pt40fathoms once bubbled...

Don't *tell* me what I should or shouldn't eat. Every single vegetarian I have meet has acted in a quasi-religious self-righteous manner, proclaiming to be better, yet happy when their fellow vegetarians make claims of poisoning food and vandalizing buildings. I have only contempt left in my heart for PETA and the rest of the loonies who follow this line of thinking.

because I've been a strict vegetarian (lacto-ovo) for over 20 years and I don't tell *anyone* what to eat. In fact, I don't really give a flyin' f*** what you eat, as long as it isn't endangered and as long as it isn't my cat. My parents, my husband, and my friends are all carnivores. Besides, at the very least, I need you to be eating cows, because then I can't justify wearing leather...

 

[pt40fathoms]

lragsac once bubbled...


because I've been a strict vegetarian (lacto-ovo) for over 20 years and I don't tell *anyone* what to eat. In fact, I don't really give a flyin' f*** what you eat, as long as it isn't endangered and as long as it isn't my cat. My parents, my husband, and my friends are all carnivores. Besides, at the very least, I need you to be eating cows, because then I can't justify wearing leather...

Killing an endangered species of animal is as irresponsible as killing an endangered species of plant, and is an argument that that holds no credibility at all. Greenpeace, PETA, and a host of other organizations have tried unsuccessfully to link eating meat with endangered species preservation, as well as countless other arguments of the month. None have proven to be true when subjected to scrutiny, despite the thin veil of science they try to wrap it in.

As for your cat,,,how big is it, and has it been milk fed? (just joking)

 

[Custer]

suzie q once bubbled...
"it just seems so bizarre to be a rec diver (or any diver) and also eat marine life!"

"to me it's like members of the audience at a Crufts dog show going out for delicious yorkshire terrier cutlets and grilled chihuahua fajitas afterwards."

"They have a lovely area where zoo patrons can have close encounters with cows and chickens, among other friendly animals.
Not 3 yards away there stands a Burger King kiosk serving up hot Bessie Burgers and Henny Penny fingers.
Straight-up macabre."

. "Yes, the question is slanted, expressing my thoughts and conclusions, but is also inviting thoughts and conclusions from others.
unfortunately, some members find it necessary to personally attack others and turn honest requests for others' perspectives into something entirely different."

"Well, I guess I've been put in my place for *gasp* stirring up a little controversy."

You haven't stirred up any controversy by suggesting that your deviant behavior should be the norm.

You did tack an invective of superior morality, or intelligence, but, by suggesting that people that have -normal- diets are "bizzare" or "macabre", you simply identify yourself as a vegan zealot. Not harvesting seafood could starve entire regions of the planet.

You asked for other people's perspectives, and, guess what...