When Did Fisherman Lose Their Way?

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Published on Thursday, 22 July 2010 20:27

Written by Eric Brickenstein

I love fishing. Whether I’m flyfishing a backcountry stream, or in my kayak a mile offshore, a bent rod tip always brings me into the moment and calms my mind. I got my first rod and reel when I was 4, caught my first tuna when I was 10 and have had a line in the water ever since, both recreationally and professionally aboard charter boats. There is nothing wrong with catching fish, and there is nothing wrong with making a living doing it.

Yet over my years on the water, I’ve grown increasingly concerned that we’re fishing too aggressively to sustain over the long run. Over the course of the last several decades we have seen fewer and smaller fish, and fish being listed as threatened, or outright disappearing from California’s coastal waters.

I want to see our fishing industry thrive, and for future Californians to have their chance to experience the enjoyable pastime fishing can be. For that to happen, we have to create a savings plan for our ocean—setting a little something aside where fish and wildlife can grow and mature. Impartial scientific research and practical examples have shown that even small marine reserve can exponentially increase the reproductive capacity of fish populations (because bigger fish produce more offspring), resulting in more and bigger fish not only within the reserve, but in surrounding waters as well.

In addition, economic research on the world’s marine reserves have shown that short-term costs are far outweighed by the long-term economic benefits: fishing gets better in the area surrounding the reserves, and the protected areas themselves attract visitors just like parks on land.

These are the reasons I support the Marine Life Protection Act. By developing a network of protected zones along the coast, we’re taking a big step forward in our journey towards sustainable fishing in California.

The most effective locations for marine protected areas tend to be prime fishing grounds, so I understand the misgivings commercial and recreational fishers have towards their creation. However, the implementation of the MLPA is not an ideological war on fishing. It is a practical solution to the real problem of declining fish populations. The bottom line is that an effective system of marine protected areas will promote sustainable fisheries, and support profitable sport and commercial fishing industries for generations to come.

Some claim that with profits on the decline and the tough economy, now is not a good time to create new protections. Yet we’ve seen the damage short-sighted decision-making can cause: the housing market crash and a devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

If our fisheries collapse, no government bailout is going to bring them back. We don’t have fish to inject into our fisheries when they collapse. Once a species of fish has disappeared from our shores, it is gone forever, along with any economic benefit it provides to the industries and communities that depended on it.

We’re nearing the conclusion of the MLPA process for southern California, and I look forward to the Fish and Game Commission’s final decision on new protected areas for our coastal waters over the next few months.

Time and again history shows that if you don’t plan for the future you won’t have one. I challenge my fellow fisherman to consider the future of our fishing industry and the treasured pastime of sport angling.