What is the difference??????

[saltfly]

I had time today. To sit down and read the feb issue of the Chesapeake Angler Magazine. Their in the middle of it was something that really bothered me. It made me ask myself this question. what is the difference between commercial fishing and tournament fishing? In the mag. they had a number of pages devoted to striper tournaments, up and down the east coast. I was shocked at the number of big fish brought to the scales in the name of tournament. I had to say. Their is no difference. Both are using the natural resources that belong to everyone to make money. So their is no difference. So how can any of them in those tournament be so two faced as to call for stripers to be made into a sport fish? At least the cammercial fisherman is making a living for his family. The tournament fisherman is just making a profit off of our natural resources. That to me is two faced as hell. So for any sport fisherman to call for a ban on cammercial fishing for stripers. He must also call for a ban on tournament fishing for them. You can't have it both ways. Either their both allowed or both ban. So you guys maul this over in your heads. But think about it first before you just jump.

[LY2000]

I agree to a certian extent but I also believe there is much more bycatch / bykill in the commercial fishery that not only affects the target species but also other species.

[saltfly]

I won't disagree with you. Their is to much in loss of marine life, as by catch.

[27 sailfish]

Big differance is in the money the local economy gets when the tournaments are held.Most boats only keep 2-3 fish where a net boat needs to keep X amount just to break even.

A fish killed is dead-no matter who does it-boils down to money.Look at the White Marlin tournament-pumps in millions to OC but only a few marlin are killed to weigh in.

Put the same 1-2 fish per person limit on the commercial guys and they would strave or have to charge $100.00 per pound of fish.

I've been worried for years that we (all of us) are killing too many large (40''+) rockfish.Every year more are taken-hope we don't take too many and screw it up. Skip

[saltfly]

Well that is a point. But that is a once a year thing for the economy. Most striper tournaments are local people fishing them. So their is no boust. Just like one guy told me today. They give the fish to charity. I think the charities would be better severed with the money they spend then those fish.

You do bring up a very good point and one that concern me. The number of big fish being killed. I lived thought the loss of the striper the shad and the hard heads. their all back in good numbers. but I don't want to see us make the same mistakes that caused the lost the first time. It seems we should have learned something from that. But i guess not.