We have all heard the expression about trying to put 10 pounds of sand into a five-pound bag. That, sadly, was the result of the Tuesday evening seminar at Loews Annapolis Hotel, “Saltwater Fisheries Management for the 21st Century,” sponsored by the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and related groups.
I don?t like writing this, but it was just too ambitious a project to fit into the allotted two hours, with an additional hour for comments and questions. The five speakers tried mightily to bring some semblance of positive view to the future of fishing, but mostly, they rehashed old wounds, prejudices, theories and history.
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It was not without some positives, particularly with Russell Nelson?s ideas on increasing anglers? influence on fisheries by capping commercial harvests while allowing sport-fishing catch-and-release efforts. That would allow excess from the released surplus to increase the size and numbers of fish, without it going toward capped commercial catches. The commercial guys could catch their quota quickly and with less effort. The larger stock numbers would provide increased sport for the recreational group, which is economically more valuable.
Also, Maryland Department of Natural Resources assistant director of fisheries Steve Early rightly zeroed in on habitat protection as the key to saving fish. National Marine Fisheries Service?s Brad Gentner was good on allocation economics, economic value and economic impact.
The panel was ably moderated by Bruce Mathews, head of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, with talks by Sherman Baynard of CCA on the changing times, Gentner, DNR?s Steve Early on the past and present, Dick Brame of CCA on North Carolina fisheries rights and wrongs, and Nelson of Nelson Resources Consulting.
The problem was not the talks or speakers, but the lack of information and projections on the subject ? 21st century fisheries. There just wasn?t time. But CCA deserves a lot of applause for this initial effort and warrants our continued support.
The bottom line is that we have in our bay watershed some 16.6 million people ? too many ? which in turn leads to too much phosphorous, too much nitrogen, too many pharmaceuticals going untouched through sewage treatment plants, too many “cides” (pesti, herbi, fungi, insecti), too many shoreline properties, too many bulkheads destroying shallows and nursery areas needed by crabs and fish, too much pollution, too much everything. And we are adding 100,000 people a year! How do we solve all that?
Here?s an idea. Use Tuesday?s seminar as a start, have another on current bay fisheries conditions and problems, then have one or more on hardcore, put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is future solutions. As a unified group with facts and figures, sport fishermen would then have arm-twisting leverage with the DNR, governor?s office, state legislature, etc. Hey, it?s a thought.
C. Boyd Pfeiffer is an internationally known sportsman and award-winning writer on fishing, hunting, and the outdoors, and he has more than 20 books to his credit. He can be reached at [email protected].
