We spent time white water rafting on the Chattooga River - made famous by the movie Deliverance - and fishing for rainbow trout in the numerous crystal clear streams and rivers in the area. I even managed to catch a couple of respectable size rainbows!
You may wonder why I write about a freshwater trout fishing excursion on our saltwater fishing page. While the recreational time was excellent, the portion that left an indelible print on my mind was a presentation by Jeff Durniak. Jeff is the Regional Fisheries Supervisor for the nine county Northeast Georgia area. He is responsible for the entire fishery in that area, from hatcheries to management.
Jeff began his talk by stating that, like all of us writers in the audience, he was a member of the "hook and bullet" crowd. The moniker speaks for itself. All of us in that room fish and or hunt and write about our experiences. We are forever linked with those tools of our world he so simply described. Most of you reading this are also members of the hook and bullet crowd. You fish or hunt, and you enjoy the sport. But Jeff's next statement is what really made me think.
Jeff placed the general population into three major categories. First there is our crowd. We fish and hunt. We obey laws, buy licenses and support or wildlife management agencies. On the other end of the spectrum are the groups that are seeking to take our sport away from us. These are the "antis", led most loudly by PETA. We know these groups, and we are dealing with their tactics and antics.
The third group, and the one most important to you and I, is that huge group in the middle who neither oppose or support fishing and or hunting. You may think we need not worry about them, but Jeff makes the point that these are exactly the people whose mind can be changed one way or another - more than likely permanently - to join with us, or join with the antis.
You may think the antis have been slowly declining over the past year or two because they have been out of the spotlight. The fact is, they have taken an alternative tact by going after our fishing and hunting heritage through siding with other organizations who support issues other than fishing or hunting.
The perfect example is the manatee controversy in Florida. PETA is in the thick of supporting the efforts to save manatees. They are proposing rules - and winning in court I might add - that eliminate boating and human presence in "critical " manatee areas. By doing so, they also eliminate fishing. By joining forces with groups that are normally not opposed to fishing, they have been able to have legislation passed that virtually eliminates fishing in selected areas because of access restrictions.
What does this means to you and I and all of the other anglers out there? It means that we all have to be mindful of these covert attempts that are sure to expand into other states. Under the guise of eco-conservation, we could see fishing and hunting eliminated, or severely curtailed.
That's where the middle or uncommitted portion of the population can play an important part. If they see us breaking rules, keeping short fish, or disregarding game laws, their perception will be changed in a heartbeat. On the other hand, if they see us practicing conservation, keeping only what we will eat that day, and taking care of our environment, they may fall in on our side.
PETA and the other anti groups have a strong PR arm and a slick message. They sell their story on feelings and emotions. We have an important message as well. Managed game populations have increased four fold since the early 1900's. Fish stocks, where managed size and creel limits have been followed and enforced, are on the increase. We have done well managing animal herds and fisheries, and because we have a planned harvest, the wildlife and fish population will continue to prosper.
That middle of the road crowd needs to hear the truth about wildlife and natural resource management. It's up to each of us to take this message to the population. It's up to us to police our own members when they stretch the envelope
