Overfishing our Waters

Recently, I have been reading about overfishing. Basically, the gist of the matter is that if we continue to overfish our waters as we have in the last 50 years, it is possible that we can deplete species of fish without even knowing it.

Look at bluefin tuna. Look at sea bass. The depletion of many of the fish that we enjoy is largely due to the 12,000 pound nets that large fishing vessels use to catch fish. Quantities of them.

The New York Times, for example, recently ran an article on overfishing. When we go to a store and buy fish, we are contributing to a demand of that fish. When you read this article, you will understand which fish we should and should not buy. There is another article in the September/October edition of the Utne Reader that explains how we have overfished our waters and what we should and should not buy as consumers.

The nets are the most disturbing. Portions of both of these articles, in addition to a bunch of other items of news currently in print, has defined a major problem: nets don't just catch fish, they destroy centuries-old corral reefs, ruin underwater environments, capture and kill sea turtles, and the list goes on.

As a consumer, you can ask about the fish. If it was farmed, it it very possible that it contains chemicals. If it was caught and imported, it was more than likely caught with a net that might have snagged some precious coral somewhere. Do you want to support this destruction? You have a choice to ask about the fish you are buying.

The safest and least destructive forms of fishing occur off the coast of Canada. This would include wild salmon, North Atlantic Cod, and other types of fish.

I never really knew about this problem until my awareness was tweaked. Hopefully, I have done the same for you.

Blue Ocean Institute

I think that we all know that the resources in our oceans are changing every year, if not every day. Overfishing, depletion of species, waste, plastics...all of these things contribute to a scenario of impending doom...if we continue on this path, our oceans will no longer be able to support not only the life that they contain but the lives that depend on it.

I think one of the more disturbing stories I've read of late is one that appeared in the New York Times. In this story, the author compares the difference in resource levels (tangible and non-tangible) over the past 50 years by showing a video of observations made from a raft (very interesting, imho). The article, which appeared in the dot earth blog of the New York Times, provides real data on a topic that we all should remind ourselves about.

Blue Ocean Institute is a not for profit organization that fosters education and outreach in an effort to educate people on the resources of the ocean. I learned about the institute while reading an article on sustainable seafood in the Utne Reader. The Institute offers a lots of sea related information like which types of fish are okay to eat; it even offers a text messaging service to send you reminders on what to eat when you go out to restaurants.

As fisher "people," we have an obligation to respect the sea. As consumers, we have a responsibility to make choices that are in our best interest, as well as for the greater good.

Think about it - if we stop depleting our resources (by overfishing our oceans), there will always be "plenty of fish in the sea." If we continue on this path, we will be passing our empty oceans onto future generations. Did our ancestors treat us with such disregard?

Sometimes, History Repeats Itself

Last year, I went to Richmond. My best friend Amber and I hiked along the James River. This is when I learned the story of the Snakefish, a fish that looks like an eel, swims like a fish, and has the capability to walk on land. This makes the fish more like an amphibian than an actual fish!

In today's issue of the New York Times, it appears that there is a team of scientists who have been studying the archaelogical remains of some of the the first fish that transitioned into creatures resembling amphibians.

We live in awesome times with awesome research tools and technologies!

Silver Sands...

On Sunday, I ventured to Silver Sands State Park to do a little seaside fishing. I had recently gone to this state park on a "picnic/walk date" not really looking at the park from a "fishing perspective." (On that particular night, mind you, we saw an owl fly over us - AMAZINGGGG!!!!) I figured that since I was in Milford, I might as well try out the fishing.

When I got to the park, I walked across the long, environmentally considerate (in other words non-pressured treated wood) bridge that spans the marsh and minute estuaries. Upon reaching the beach, I "hung a ricky" and eyed a stone jetty (I believe it is shown on the website link herein). I spent a good three hours out there, casting a fake eel for stripers and a few smaller metal lures for perhaps a baby blue or a porgy. No dice.

It was an adventure to just go and fish - I always enjoy the solitude and peace that fishing provides. It is a relatively low-key activity that definitely has its own rhythm. Fun times!

To Fish or Not to Fish? It's not a question of desire, but time!

One of my reader's emailed me the other day stating that I had not been writing much lately. Truth is, I just haven't made it a priority. I haven't done that much fishing lately. I love it, however I have been busy with a 3Hr round trip commute, traveling, and seeing someone phenomenal. Lovely. Kind. Sensitive. Intelligent. Interesting. Integrated. Wonderful.

So, I am in lllooovvveee. I've been a little side-tracked from my fishing addictions. But if you read back into my blog history, there was a cold, snowy night in Vermont...

Alas, my heart. Fishing will resume momentarily.

Life's a Beach...and then you live!

There is something special about fishing off of the beach. Chest high waders in the fall or just mucks in the summer, it is an experience every fisher should have.

Recently, Field and Stream featured an article on the top 20 places to fish. Montauk, NY was one. Check out the striper!

Now it appears as if this guy used a top water lure, kind of like a popper. My father has been successful with live eels from the shore. You can also use live mackerel or other "swimmers."

Planning a trip to Montauk is easy from Connecticut. As a matter of fact, this article has inspired me to plan a trip for the Fall...October....Ahhh...

The River Wild

Earlier this evening, I was walking from the Beacon Falls train station after work. As I crossed the Beacon Falls bridge over the Naugatuck River, I realized the level of water in the river. I originally had hopes of spending the evening trying my hand at fly fishing (in other words, practicing my roll cast a la Mark).

I heard some splashing in the river as I crossed over it. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught something yellow. It was a bunch of kayakers, taking advantage of the overflowing water level which is amazingly high, especially for this time of year.

The water levels are really high. I was reading an article on stripers and the Housatonic River. It is arguable that the high water levels will make striper fishing more plentiful. When the levels calm down, I am planning on checking it out in Stratford or Milford. Are you?