Fishing - A Dilemma
Hiya folks. I used to enjoy fishing, found it very therapeutic plus lots of extra benefits. Fished mostly lakes and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then along came golf, which meant I had a choice to make, given the time constraints...golf won. I now have the time to indulge both. The problem I have is this. I am now mindful of the distress that being ‘caught’ might cause said fish. I am fully aware of the good that anglers do, when it comes to husbandry of our waters, but bottom line, is it a cruel sport/pastime?
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This is a dilemma I too wrestle with. i was taught to fish by my father who also instilled in me a love of and respect in nature. So much so I became an advocate of the Chalk Stream Projects and in later life a supporter of the rewilding of our upland water ways. I now question the distress I may be inflicting on what some may consider a lesser life form.
I do find golf a total waste of a good days walk in an unnatural environment mind. Many courses unfortunately tend to be pretty much pretty sterile monocultures which really help our wildlife very little. There are some courses mind which have really thought about helping nature but these are very few in number. Such a shame.
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“I do find golf a total waste of a good days walk in an unnatural environment mind”
The same could be said of many estate gardens? Just sayin’
As an aside, I’ve seen plenty of wildlife out there, on the course. Better than housing estates, possibly? Anyway, I digress, it’s the notion that I might be well causing distress by hooking a fish in the lip and dragging it in. Sounds brutal, when put like that?0 -
Bait…fishing…hook, line and sinker 😎
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Yes, we must consider very carefully our use of land these days, this must include both our impact on nature and the climate. We really must start thinking long term and very carefully too at that. We are not alone in the balanced ecosystems we occupy.
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Thanks👍🏻
Seriously, have you considered removing the barbs from the hooks to prevent damage and stress to the fish? I know someone who does that.
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I've always taken the view that any animal that has nerve endings and a brain must feel some pain if a hook hits said nerve. In addition they seem to be under distress when pulled from the water and left gasping. I always think of people gasping for air. Maybe I'm too empathetic. Doesn't stop me eating them though which kind of makes me a hypocrite. Another dilemma.🤔
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Internet research shows opinion is divided as to whether fish feel pain or not. I guess we can’t know for sure.
At least using barbless hooks leaves fish relatively undamaged if returned to the water.
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You can get barbless hooks👍🏻. I think a lot of Fishermen do it for the ‘sport’ I don’t understand that tbh but if the fish fights hard then the damage to its body will be a lot. I don’t do it. I’m more than happy to sit on a river bank & just enjoy the tranquility & views without the aggression bit😊
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Yes, a very good point. We all (?) eat meat/fish. It’s something that I struggle with, when I think about it. Could I eat it if I had to kill/prepare it? I suppose I comfort myself in the knowledge that ‘we’ are meat eaters, always have been. I suppose my dilemma when it comes to fishing is that it’s for ‘pleasure’, I don’t eat what I catch.
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WN I don’t think it’s possible to be too empathetic👍🏻. Feeling empathy for any suffering living creature is to be applauded👏🏻👏🏻
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Yes, I always used barbless hooks, and always would. “aggression bit”? Something I never felt. My only feeling was peace and tranquillity, and being in touch with my surroundings. It’s one of those things, if you ain’t tried it, you don’t know what it’s like. Fishing can actually be quite thrilling, especially if you have a ‘rod-bending’ Carp on the hook. But it’s now welfare that concerns me. Hence, the dilemma.
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I’ve watched sport fishermen taking on fish almost as heavy as they are & they truly don’t have relaxed tranquil faces that’s for sure, the adrenaline really is flowing😊
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I’m sure that for some, it’s a very serious business. I was much more casual in my approach. Hours spent on the bank, catching nothing. I always remember a time, fishing on the river Avon. The highlight was catching a glimpse of a Kingfisher, as it flashed by me.
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Is there a moral difference between hunting say a big cat for sport and fishing for sport? If it is to put food on the table then it equates to our other consumption of fauna, even if it is domesticated. Even that has a moral dimension which each of us must face. If we consider the mandate in the Bible, man was given dominion( not domination) over the earth and also permission to use the fauna as a food source. Maybe we have to balance our actions based on those two criteria.
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That is another subject completely CY, one that has relevance to some but not others. I think there’s a real & powerful reason that Religion is a banned subject on CT.
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I used to go sea fishing ,and never gave it a second thought wether I was causing the fish any stress , I eat meat ,but I don’t give any thought if the cattle going of to slaughter know where they are going .
sometimes people can over think things
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They do too👍🏻. Others don’t care a jot about any other creature but themselves. Sad really☹️
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If the second part of your post was aimed at me ,your way off the mark ,I won’t tolerate cruelty to animals , but if they are farmed and looked after properly to supply our food chain then I don’t have a problem with it
if I have misunderstood your post ,then I apologise
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No need to apologise. It was a general comment to any who fit the description👍🏻
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I used to go fishing as a kid. I think most boys did, certainly my contemporaries. I never continued with it as I passed into adulthood. Although supervised my lads when they wanted to have a go. If I was ever to take it up again ( unlikely) it would have to be on the basis of catching the fish for eating and not purely for sport. In this respect I would see little difference as a fish eater to trawler caught fish or line caught mackerel, tuna etc. Indeed all of these probably have a better quality of life than the farmed variety, which I also eat.
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Surely if the OP is having a moment of "conscience" about whether he should fish or not based on how comfortable he is with doing it, the only decision he can make is to give it up because it's unlikely to go away? The wider philosophical argument over whether fishing is acceptable is, whilst connected, is a much bigger question that no one individual will decide the outcome.
David
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