BLOG: Just eat it?

Here is an interesting proposition for you. Is it morally wrong to catch a fish purely for the sport, only to throw it back in the water after we've had our fun? Is it worse knowing you are going angling only to throw back everything you catch because you don’t eat fish?

Personally I don’t have an issue with catch & release fishing and I find it a sensible way to do what we love while moderating the impact we have on our environment. Some of you may have heard the other side of the argument where some European countries now insist legally that everything a fisho catches has to be kept. Catch and release fishing has been banned and classified as unethical to subject fish to trauma purely for our enjoyment. Therefore, fishing should only be performed when we are catching for a feed; a bit of a throwback to our hunter/gatherer past.

Any sensible-minded person will tell you in the current climate this is absurd. This flies in the face of any sustainable fishing policies I have ever heard of, so basically greenies can feel better about themselves and stop fish getting some cool gen Y-style piercings. The fish may look silly, but they live to fight another day; or more importantly breed another day.

I have digressed a little here, once again getting all political on you, but in actual fact all I want to do is canvas opinion on what you think is the best eating fish. If you had to catch fish and were made to keep it, what fish would you fish for?

It poses an interesting scenario because I love to catch a lot of fish I would never eat such as Aussie salmon and tailor. Would I catch them if I had to eat them? I’m not entirely sure. But what I do know is that we are blessed with options in Oz. If I couldn’t catch a sambo I could target kings, and they taste just fine. However, I’m not sure I would waste my time catching whiting, even though they are the best eating fish that swims.

Love to hear your thoughts…