I know when I joined there were a bunch of people from MR that were into fishing (talking about going out on the party boats out of Sheepshead Bay).
I was thinking about posting some of my pics from a Bahamas trip I took (some underwater, some fishing) and realized some of my fishing pics might be offensive to reef keepers. It's sort of a strange hobby, because I love my aquarium and go out of my way to protect and care for my $5 firefish, yet I use ballyhoo and shiners and minnows as bait when I'm fishing. A picture of the three mahi-mahi we caught in the ice box could be offensive to some of the other reef keepers, so I decided not to post those pics.
The way I look at it, I respect the ocean and I respect every fish I've ever taken for food (Even the shiners I feed my anemone). Just as other fish go into fish food to feed my tank, some fish go to feed me. Anyone who doesn't respect the ocean or the life in it is a big jerk, but respect doesn't necessarily mean you can't be a conscientious fisherman and enjoy catching (and eating) fish. I was just worried that there probably isn't an overwhelming consensus that feels the same way I do.
(As a side note, when we got dive certified in the Abacos last week I noticed they have a big problem with invasive lionfish there and the dive instructors killed every one they saw on the reef. The same dive instructors who were so careful for all the other marine life on the reefs... The island was even having a lionfish derby where they were giving prizes for biggest lionfish, most lionfish, and even SMALLEST lionfish! I never saw a fishing tournament where there was a prize for smallest fish
I was thinking about posting some of my pics from a Bahamas trip I took (some underwater, some fishing) and realized some of my fishing pics might be offensive to reef keepers. It's sort of a strange hobby, because I love my aquarium and go out of my way to protect and care for my $5 firefish, yet I use ballyhoo and shiners and minnows as bait when I'm fishing. A picture of the three mahi-mahi we caught in the ice box could be offensive to some of the other reef keepers, so I decided not to post those pics.
The way I look at it, I respect the ocean and I respect every fish I've ever taken for food (Even the shiners I feed my anemone). Just as other fish go into fish food to feed my tank, some fish go to feed me. Anyone who doesn't respect the ocean or the life in it is a big jerk, but respect doesn't necessarily mean you can't be a conscientious fisherman and enjoy catching (and eating) fish. I was just worried that there probably isn't an overwhelming consensus that feels the same way I do.
(As a side note, when we got dive certified in the Abacos last week I noticed they have a big problem with invasive lionfish there and the dive instructors killed every one they saw on the reef. The same dive instructors who were so careful for all the other marine life on the reefs... The island was even having a lionfish derby where they were giving prizes for biggest lionfish, most lionfish, and even SMALLEST lionfish! I never saw a fishing tournament where there was a prize for smallest fish
