Whether you live on the East Coast or the West Coast, you know that commercial fishing seasons have been continually shortened as scientists study the amount of fish caught over the past umpteen decades.  The same is true all over the world.  In the U.K, studies show that in 1937, the peak of fishing there, the haul was 14 times what it is today.   The struggle between conservationists and fishermen has been going on as long as I can remember, including when I was a commercial salmon fisherman as a teenager (ok, so I’m ooold).  Neither party is completely right or wrong.  We do have to protect our resources, but fishermen should also be able to earn a living.  It would be a shame to see an industry like this turned over completely to the big “factory” fisheries and all our wild fish populations disappear.

According to NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration), “The international trade in coastal and marine fisheries contributes $70 billion annually to our nation’s economy. Understanding and managing the considerable pressures – both human and natural – on these valuable resources will ensure that the country’s long-standing tradition of commercial fishing in our coastal communities is sustained.”

Pass on your thoughts.  Or don’t you care?