The practice of catch-and-release seems to be a commandment, not to be violated. When scientists or environmentalists or even widely admired writers on the sport politely suggest that it sometimes makes sense to keep and eat what is hooked, the reaction can be indignant.
Why is that? What if nature might be better off if we eat fish that are invasive species, for example? Does research show whether fish feel pain?
Read the comments left after each of the six panelists make their point. It is telling to see how “regular” people stand on the issues.
Maybe this will jump start more serious discussion on fish and pain? We’ll see.
I totally support eating up those invasive exotic fish species! The more people that eat’um up and help get rid of them, the more the streams and brooks will benefit. This will make for a more biologically diverse habitat. Now when people go backpacking, hiking, camping, and fishing, they’ll be able to enjoy catching native species in the wonderful wilderness outdoors!
If it’s a headwaters stream, not downstream of anything poisonous, I eat browns, brookies, and rainbows, and I don’t even like the taste of trout. I live in cutthroat country, where we lose miles of prime habitat to invasives every year.
Fish and pain,The debate continues it is my belief from reading several articles that fish posess the folowing senses,Smell,Hearing(inner primitive ear)Sight and the incredible fluid of the lateral line which picks up pressure changes in their external enviroment.As for pain from what I read Fish do not posess a nervous system.Next one you catch look at the spine it is solid with no nerve channels.I am not a scientist simply interested in my quarry.
Congrats on the site loads of info.I’ll call back.
Ronnie
Great website. If it’s a headwaters stream, not downstream of anything poisonous, I eat browns, brookies, and rainbows, and I don’t even like the taste of trout. I live in cutthroat country, where we lose miles of prime habitat to invasives every year. Good Work.
I will eat invasive species, but I never take native fish out of a stream/creek. I like sushi but not big on trout. Maybe I just ate too much of it as a kid.
Invasives are a problem, but catch and release is still the best overall policy to prevent wasteful overfishing.
This is a huge discussion with deep sea fishing. I think that if you are not going to eat the fish don’t target them. However, if you are targeting one fish and catch one that you are not interesting in eating, do your best to release it in the best possible condition to give it a good chance of survival.