DEAR Editor,-
To answer the reply to the ‘wanton slaughter’ letter published recently, firstly the original back page article showed two names, but no phone numbers.
No, I am not a fisherman and know nothing about this. On the other hand, I am fully cognisant of the widespread damage that both individual anglers and commercial fishing has wrought on our oceans, for example steenbras – an inshore species, is now on the red data list.
You have chosen not to touch on my mention of the scandalous shark jaw trophy fishing. If you, as stated, fish according to modern catch-release ethics, then that is laudable and in fact we stand on the same side on this. On the other hand I have seen too many photos of competition weigh-ins featuring large Zambezi bull sharks, as well as the occasional tiger and ragged tooth.
I have also on my former extensive hikes up and down the west coast and now locally, come across popular fishing sites littered with cut lines, lead sinkers, plastic (floats?), empty bait boxes and broken beer bottles, plus unwanted by-catch carelessly discarded. On one occasion, a still live skaamoog shark lay with its jaw torn and thrown on the rocks, which I returned to the water.
Over the many years I have also on occasion spoken to the odd hobby fisherman, and when mentioning sharks or seals on the west coast, more often than not they would like those unwanted competition specie controlled or culled, or even better, exterminated. A fairly recent comment by a local moron as to sharks “if they eat the same as us then they must go”.
That is, I am afraid, a fairly general attitude and if, over the years I have developed a jaundiced eye vis-à-vis fishermen, then that is based on experienced facts. In another local incident a year ago, the well publicised catch of a fisherman who kept fishing in a marine reserve, – unfortunately the nature of the human beast is such that if there is little chance of getting caught with something illegal or unethical, then a fair percentage of people will pull in and land whatever is hooked.
With this said, I have now fully stated my case and am retiring from it. Worldwide, and beyond a local paper’s scope, the slaughter goes on. Now whale sharks and manta rays are targeted – in the Mediterranean, helicopter spotters are used to pinpoint the few bluefin shoals that still come into that sea to spawn. The north-east Pacific has been depleted of desirable fish and is now being emptied of pollock, a fish only fit for fish-finger manufacturing, but the mainstay of steller’s sea lions diet, a species in very sharp decline. And so it goes on and on, without respite.
ROLF RAWE
Uvongo
