Johnny:
My subscription to National Geographic expired, so I have been missing out on all the great reads NGM compiles. You're right this is a very important article, that could potentially shift the fishing paradigm, providing we don't let it die as just another ordinary post.
Here it is again:
National Geographic Magazine
And a link to your thread:
Great Article in National Geographic
Maybe, I was just having a vacation time retrospective, Or Maybe not!
But I really think we must start putting a lot of forum discussion and debate on this exact subject matter. And the funny thing about it: it involves all people that have a stake in removing fish/marine products from the oceans. Oh, aren't we just being silly now: teamwork and collaboration, oh how can that be with some of our track records. (No pointing at anyone). We do need to start establishing preserves, around the world and especially in the good ole US of A. The definition of preserve can be up to us to define what it means and how/duration it applies, and it should vary from place to place. But it must be done, to salvage the Ecosytems of the seas, before it is irreparably destroyed within our/children's lifetimes.
That article indicated a globally escalating pressure on fish and a diminishing reserve in the oceans, not to mention some deteriorating habitats for "Ecosystems". The story about the Southern Bluefin Tuna depletion and the imminent peril of the Mediterranean stock of Bluefin Tuna, is sounding a five alarm, fire bell in my ears. It is really that serious! To some of the better informed it is just more preaching to the choir. But we all encounter similar things at various points in our journey, so it is OK to bring it up again, from another person's perspective. We need to gett'er done: and I hope so in my useful lifetime.
I would just wish us Florida good ole boys can get it together and not let California get all the credit for pro-active marine Ecosystem responsibility. We have our fair chance shot at it just the same. Everybody can join in for a share of the credit, no matter where you are from. Just a pep talk for our local anglers and a challenge to engage.
It was certainly depressing and also refreshing to do some shallow reef fishing off Big Pine Key this past week. We fished one sunset evening and caught a whole bunch of yellowtail and other species. The only problem was that very few yellow tail were keepers. Another day, we went to Looe Key Sanctuary Reef for a mid-afternoon visit. I happened to apply some of the same chumming techniques, as if you intended to catch fish. And MY GOD, you would have just gone fishing-slap-happy-drunk to see all of the yellowtail that showed up, big flags too. Jump overboard and view the bottom with a mask and snorkel/regulator: you could see numerous grouper checking out the scene: Nausau grouper and gag grouper and other big predators too. A preserve can enable all of this: unfortunately to say, I did not happen to enjoy the spill-over effect to nearby areas. (I do reserve to comment that we were not able to fish on known good spots; unfortunately, a commercial vessel beat us to the spot we had intended to fish, so we missed that important location, by just 200 yards or so, but still on bumpy bootom.)
Stay tuned for more on this in subject matter in the Conservation forum area.
I missed the Swordfishing tournament too. I like to fish them too but you can't do everything all at once.