Quote:
Originally Posted by bulletbob
I have seen in person where party boat crews had those big blue hard plastic DEF barrels filled to the top with cold sea water, and kept pumps running into them, while the water ran down the deck bow to stern, almost the entire trip after the first few fish was caught.. The boat employee was going to sell them alive, as I had already figured, and had ready and eager buyers waiting .. He said each one was worth a minimum of $25, usually more, and this was several years ago... How do I know that? simple, he told me while I fished next to him..
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Not saying this did not happen but I've experienced the opposite. If the angler wanted to release the fish the barrel was set up to revive the fish if it had not recovered enough to be released when it was caught. One time I saw the captain and mates nurse a fish all afternoon and were finally able to revive it just before the day ended. Smiles all around when that fish swam away. I've also seen the opposite where the fish couldn't be revived and the disappointment in their faces when they were forced to keep the fish.
I think there are a lot more conservation minded people now a days and it's good to see more concern for the resource. I do however remember the days of people filling burlap bags filled with Bluefish, I was one of them.
At the end of the day and as it should be, keeping or catching and releasing within your legal limits is a personal choice and we should respect a person's choice either way.
