Responsible Fishing
Responsible fishing is about fishing while keeping in mind the health of the habitats, the future of the fishery, respecting other anglers, and following basic fishing etiquette. It's about behaving responsibly while on the water. It's also about getting involved to ensure our coastal fisheries are healthy in the future. It sounds so simple, but sadly seems not to be based on what we are experiencing on the water. These are the practices of a responsible angler:
- Take the time to pick up trash when on the water
- Don't run the flats in your boat, don't create prop-scars
- Don't use your boat to herd fish on flats or to find fish by spooking them
- Don't crowd other boats
- Follow fishing regulations
- Report poachers - It's no different than shoplifting and impacts us all
- Use barbless hooks
- Practice proper catch and release
- Keep only what you will eat, harvest responsibly
- Don’t pollute (take your trash home, don’t dump oil or fuel)
- Engage other anglers to encourage them to be responsible anglers
- Participate in Conservation
- Become involved in habitat protection and restoration
- Participate in data collection on fisheries
- Participate in the management and conservation process