Post by Admin on Sept 10, 2005 8:58:19 GMT 8
reuben said:
Hi Tan Yik,I have read your proposal, and indeed it's very well written, exactly the way you would conduct a mission in the Air Force, covering all of the aim, objectives and "what ifs?". We want to promote the sport of fishing in tendem to the issue of conservation in our local reservoirs, and I have heard Quek discussing about this issue over tea not too long ago. I am impressed by his zest and committment throughout the short dialogue, approaching the relavent authorities and bringing up our concerns.
I am a newbie in this fairly small and closed group of fly-fishing community. So much having said about conservation etc, I have witnessed some actions ever so basic that puts all what has been said, written, proposed to nought. I have seen anglers THROW their pbs back into the water! Is the life of the pb so insignificant? It might die from the rupture of their air bladder, impact onto the rocks etc. I was totally perturbed when I first saw this inhuman act....We enjoy the fight at the pb's expence, but the fish fights for its Life. After it has given us the pleasure of this so called "fight", I think it is totally ethical to release him in the most humane way. The point I am trying to make is (you have probably heard it a million times), we all look at the big picture, but inadvertently forget the basics. Until we sort out the fundamentals, we cannot proceed to the big arena. If one of the authorities were to witness such a behaviour, we can be rest assured all that has been invested will be put to shambles. We practice catch-and-release, so let us all release our catch in the least harmed way as possible, ensuring it's survival, so that it can Fight another day should it encounter one of our flies again.
Equally repulsive way of releasing the fish by some is,
patting and caressing the fish like a dog or cat.
Some anglers can be seen running their hands along the length
of the fish as if to give it a good caress and massage
.Their excuse was they were trying to revive the fish.
(You don't revieve the fish by massaging it!)
It is best to minimise contact with the fish especially the protective coating on its body.
The best way to hold a pb is still by the mouth because it is the most secure way
and no hand contact on the body to transmit bacteria onto its protective coating.
In my own observation,
the best way to release a pb is to hold the hook in an inverted position
and let the fish unhook and drop gently into the water by gravity.
As long as you don't purposely toss the pb into the air,
a 6 or 12 inch drop from an inverted hook will do less harm
then holding the fish in your bacteria infected hands.
I had the opportunity to work in my brother's fish farm at Pulau Ubin some 20 years ago.
During that time, tossing the fish to separate the size is quite normal.
Tossing is speedier and avoiding handling/stressing the fish for longer than necessary.
The important precaution my brother stressed to his workers
was to minimise prolonged hand contact on the body of the fishes.
If the protective coating on its body is damaged, infection set in and the fish die.
But before it died, it spread the infection to those healthier ones.
To help the fish:
1. Don't prolong playing the fish.
2. Don't tire the fish unnecessarily.
3. Take pictures quickly.
4. Minimise hand contact with the fish.
5. Handle it as gently as you can.
In some other countries,
you will have to lay a fish on a special mat.
FCUK can fill you with that.
