I read with interest the
www.nofish.com thread. And this is a real website of PETA propaganda that could affect us fishermen in the future. If you don't think so, ask some hunters about them. ... I felt it to be an important enough issue that I am copying my post there into a new thread here in hopes that more opinions will be shared. And importantly, copies of these sent to PETA and their voter targets! ...
From the other thread:
Don't mistake a strong challenge to claimed 'facts' as bashing; especially if it turns out the claims are not correct! They need to be strongly challenged. One example expressed; that PETA claimed a majority of C&R'd fish die off. Several fish biologist studies have shown more than a 90% overall survival rate for C&R'd anadromous fish even with improper release techniques counted in. With the amount of angler education on proper release techs that has been available in recent years, and with C&R nate fishermen among the best at proper release techniques, some credible fish biologist's educated estimates indicate that over 95% of C&R'd anadromous native fish survive capable of spawning. The most extensive study on C&R affects was performed by the ODFW the last 2 years under observation by the NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) by allowing several of Oregon's best sled guides taking clients above the fishing deadline below Willamette Falls to fish on thousands of stacked up spring chinooks; acclimating before ascending the fish ladders. Several hundereds of these fish were caught and released both years, using a wide variety of released methods and tagged thusly - including some with abusive handling prior to release, and tagged that way. This was an immensely important study because the States and NMFS used the resultant data in negotiating an allowance for us to be sportfishing the Columbia springers this year; C&Ring non-clipped fish right now out there (most of which are hatchery, but include the important nates to protect). The results of this extensive study proved a 93% survival rate for these fish after being C&R'd, ascending large long fish ladders, and swimming way up the Willamette Valley to upper tributary hatcheries. Significantly, they found a very high survival rate of the fish that took baited hooks deeply and the line was simply cut close to the fish. What they did discover is the treble hooks, on such as Warts and Kwikfish, that were taken deeply (majority taken shallower though) had the highest mortality from fishers yanking out the deep treble hooked fish; which most fishers do to save a $5 lure. Even those deep treble hooked and yanked out C&R'd fish, and tagged thusly, had a high enough survival rate to allow the use of trebles on the current Columbia springer season occuring now. I still believe that when fishing rivers with lots of steelie nates present we should be using barbless siwash hooks on lures instead of the trebles. But those big strong springers seem to handle it fairly well, according to factual and obtainable data; not the common guessing that occurs in these types of debates. .....
As for fish feeling pain, studies show that fish receptor nerves do send pain impulses to their pea sized brains. What you won't find in these studies that the PETA and anti C&R types present is the opinion of many fish biologists that the fish don't really perceive pain during C&R because they are in a state of ultra concentrated instinctual retreat. It's the same as you hear from many hikers that have been attacked by bears - they claim to not have felt anything when having chunks bitten out of there legs. That's because their mind's hyper focus on survival is such that it overides any pain sensation; same for the fish. And the fish don't have large hunks of flesh torn from their bodies, they have a small hook removed reasonably quickly, and they swim off quickly. Any fish's sore mouths must be short termed or quickly forgotten because many C&R'd fish are caught more than once in the same day. In any event, this so-called pain factor is an overstated point to attain shortsighted agendas by these misguided people! It's the same principle with hunting animals. Bullets can hurt. Maybe, but most animals likely don't feel it when they either fall unconscience immediately or run with concentrated escape focus. And we could also argue credibly that if we didn't thin out fish and game numbers they would have to suffer much longer or much more horrible painful deaths by starvation or being eatin alive by a preditor (seals and cougars). In reality, we save herds of deer and elk from that terrible long suffering. ...
I wish those mentally challenged and shortsighted groups were as concerned with pain control of very ill humans that are laying in bed with plenty of time and focus on terrible pain that they aren't distracted from! ... Maybe sending copies of this post and others like them to PETA to educate them, and more importantly to educate those PETA could influence against sportsmen come voting time would be helpful for our cause!
Thanks guys.
[ 04-06-2001: Message edited by: RT ]
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