Catch and release to be banned?
Catch and release to be banned?
In a surprise move by the Department of Wildlife in conjunction with the RSPCF, the practise of Catch and Release fishing may be coming to an end.
Dr D Oos of the Department of Wildlife has been involved in an on going study of the neural systems of both salt and fresh-water fish species, and the outcome, though to be confirmed, appears to support the theory that fish are as capable of feeling pain as any other animal. This brings the catch and release style of fishing within the realms of the RSPCA, who are responsible for the welfare of animals in the UK.
Dr Oos stated that the belief that fish being cold blooded gave them immunity from pain was an outdated one and he and his colleagues had been working for years to correct the misconception.
Speaking at a recent meeting in Oxford he said that the continual catching of fish for sport was a barbaric practice and akin to shooting deer with rubber bullets for fun.
His team had completed studies indicating that a mature carp had been hooked as many as eighty times in its lifetime, causing undue stress and pain, and altering the breeding patterns of some of the species tested.
Jenny Palmer of the RSPCF was quoted as saying ‘ The concept of fishing to feed ones family is acceptable, but to continually subject fish to the kind of stress and pain involved in catch and release fishing is not. It’s about time we altered our ideas about our impact on so-called ‘cold blooded’ animals. These fish are not living to the expected age due to the suffering they endure, and it’s inhumane to continue to take advantage of this.’
Dr D Oos added ‘Imagine being hooked through the mouth over and over again, dragged at speed through water then manhandled whilst the offending hook is torn from your mouth, or even worse, stomach. It’s appalling!’
Another meeting is planned to discuss any rulings on the issue and possible penalties involved for those caught. It is thought that a possible quota system may replace the existing one.
