In a monumental win for conservationists and the environment, Wednesday, President Obama declared Bristol Bay off limits to oil and gas drilling indefinitely. Roughly the size of Florida, Bristol Bay is home to one of the worlds largest wild salmon runs, a multitude of endangered species, and 40% of the seafood supplied to the United States. The fly fishing community has long been one of the foremost champions of the area and advocating wholeheartedly for its protection. This is a huge first step, but we are only halfway there. While the new policy will do much to protect the area it has no effect on the proposed Pebble Mine. The proposed mine undoubtedly would yield vast troves of copper, gold, and other rare metals worth an estimated value of $300 billion, notably to corporations which aren't even from the United States or Alaska, but at what cost to the environment? Trout Unlimited and even several EPA reports warn of heavy metal contamination, seismic unrest, and heavy acidification and sedimentation of waterways. This area is truly a national treasure and already is an economic powerhouse, generating an environmentally sustainable $2.5 billon for the economy, what kind of country endangers that? Bristol Bay deserves protecting and while I applaud the President for his actions we are only halfway there.

Catch and release is a question of ethics: action precipitated by a firmly held belief. In the not too distant past catch and release was rarely practiced and far from even being considered by most as an option. Like hunting: you fished to attain food, yes pleasure was involved, but the ultimate goal was to acquire sustenance. Now within many fishing communities, catch and release is the norm and some within these communities would not hesitate to shun another for violating it. Fly fisherman, the tournament bass crowd, and muskie anglers all come to mind immediately. In the following brief article I hope to address three topics. 1.) Why I practice catch and release 2.) My take on those who do not 3.) Defend the practice of catch and release against those who think it is nothing but a cruel bloodsport. 

1.) Why I Practice Catch and Release

Beginning in middle school I began to go against the grain in my family and release 99% of fish I caught. To this day I consider myself a catch a release angler. Quite simply I admire the beauty of the animal and find greater pleasure knowing it was released alive compared to any utility gain from eating it. I love fishing and have a deep love and respect for the fish I pursue. Do I keep fish, sometimes but rarely. I may keep a walleye or crappie here and there or a fish that has somehow been severely injured as the result of me catching it (a rarity, and a situation I have not encountered for years), but again I release 99% of what I catch. Finally, I catch a lot of fish each year. I am not trying to brag by saying this. The simple reality is if you spend as much time on the water as I do, and I know as many as you do as well, you will catch a lot of fish, more than you would ever want to eat or is practical to do so. 

2.) My Take on Those Who Do Not Practice Catch and Release

With a few caveats, I am fine with this. I grew up in a family that was almost exclusively catch and take. You fished for a fish fry, end of story. Catch and release is an ethic that I have adopted, NOT something I push upon others. To each their own. However, I do have a few caveats. I am not fine with the following:

a.) Keeping rare or recovering species. 

b.) Killing fish you do not intend to eat (a direct remark to bow fisherman who kill gar in my area then leave them bankside in droves). 

c.) Breaking regulations; if you snag it let it go, if its undersized let it go, if you have reached your limit let it go. The rules and regulations were put in place for a reason, follow the law. 

d.) Keeping more fish than you and your family are able to consume. 

Throughout my angling career I have heard something like the following numerous times: "it is cruel to inflict pain on another animal purely for your own enjoyment". I think we have to take these statements seriously and for me it is something I have thought of both often and deliberately. To be blunt, yes we anglers forcibly puncture and inflict pain upon another animal, fight it, then let it go. The end to those who see the logic thus far would be that at least anglers who catch and eat their fish are serving an end. So then the question becomes, to what end are we serving? In summary, I believe the end we ultimately are serving is something much higher than face value, I truly believe the net impact of catch and release on the environment is positive and outweighs and harm we may cause. 

a.) We as anglers act as a sentry to our waters. Most avid anglers I know are keenly in touch with their local waters; they know its rhythm, fluctuations in fish populations, and deviations in water quality. We work to enhance and raise awareness when things become off kilter. Your average joe may visit such and such water say a couple of times per year, most likely on a sunny day and will have no bearing on its ebb and flow. Fisherman are out year round, sometimes multiple times per week. When something is off, we know it. 

b.) We as anglers act as stewards and advocates for improving water quality. Because we have a passion for our hobby and genuine respect for the fish we pursue, we more than anyone have worked to increase the quality of habitat. Here are a few examples:

     i.) Restoration of the Driftless Area from muddy streams with threatened native trout populations due to poor agricultural practices, to clear healthy water restored with native trout and increased biodiversity.

    ii.) The complete and full protection of Bonefish, Permit, and Tarpon throughout all of Belize.

   iii.) Initiative by several organizations including the Eastern Brook Trout Join Venture to reverse declining water quality and restore clean water to protect and promote Brook Trout.

   iv.) Campaigning by many to protect Bristol Bay and its Salmon from the Pebble Mine Project which could cause severe disruption to the historic salmon run so vital for its continuation as a species.

   v.) Efforts from groups like Sturgeon for Tomorrow, to protect and ensure Sturgeon populations can rebound.

   vi.) The work of World Muskie Alliance, to help protect Muskie spawning grounds, protect water quality, and to reintroduce populations where they have previously been eradicated.

c.) Given increasing populations and increased angler pressure, without catch and release, many of these fisheries would be void of viable populations. 

d.) We as anglers through the sale of permits, licenses, park passes so forth support the DNR and Biologist whose job it is to protect and promote these waters. 

I apologize for the length of this post. As you can tell it is something I have thought long and hard about. I welcome all and any comments or criticisms.