EDITOR’S ANGLE
Don’t fence me out! PHOTO: PAUL LEBOWITZ
The Battle at Big Water I
n a world of BP Deepwater Horizon disas- ters and rampant industrial overfishing on
the high seas, it’s laughable to argue that an- glers on human-powered slabs of plastic pose a dire threat to the environment. Offensive too, when the targets of such claims are ardent conservationists who carefully practice catch and release and religiously abide by strict regulations aimed at healthy North American fisheries. Unfortunately, just like anyone else who
hunts fish for sustenance or sport, kayak an- glers are caught up in an ideological struggle between those who see people as part of the natural world, and others who feel that a hu- man presence is an environmental insult. Tose in favor of a preservative, hands-off
viewpoint are gaining ground. Oſten con- temptuous of traditional resource manage- ment, groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and Defenders of Wildlife are at the forefront of efforts to control access to nature’s bounty—and that means keeping you out if you want to interact with the envi- ronment by casting a line.
Te closure movement has recently logged
victories in California, where the Marine Life Protection Act is slated to lock down the modern Malibu birthplace of the kayak fish- ing movement, as well as other vast swaths of ocean. Tis in a state with the lowest fisheries exploitation rate in the world according to a July 2009 Science story authored by Ray Hil- born and Boris Worm, respected marine ex- perts from either side of the philosophical aisle. Across the continent at Cape Hatteras, nest-
ing seabirds are the flashpoint in a legal spank- ing that has already closed large areas of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area to human access (see “Te General’s New Battle Plan,” page 20). In both cases, the stated aims of those in fa-
vor of the closures resonate with an urban pub- lic consumed with the artificial amusements of movies, TV and the Internet. Increasingly iso- lated from nature, the masses are easily distract- ed by a feel-good message—who doesn’t want to save the birds or have oceans teeming with fish? For those of us who fish or like to strike out into the unknown wilds, the problem is one of
scope. Te closures go far beyond what many people who love and live close to the land and sea feel is required from first-hand experience. A California bureaucrat whose political boss is flush with cash from environmental interest groups isn’t swayed by fishermen who’ve wit- nessed the incredible resurgence of reef fish over the past 20 years. Not when an NRDC operative claims the apocalypse is upon us—just look at the precarious condition of the Atlantic bluefin. One situation has nothing to do with the other. Anglers don’t want to fight; they want to
go fishing and forget the worries of the world. Tat would be a mistake. Tose trying to fence us out aren’t going anywhere. Tey’re passion- ate, organized, politically engaged and well funded, so we need to be too. Join your local recreational fishing advocacy organization, and hook up with Keep America Fishing (www.
keepamericafishing.org). The access battle is on. Join the fight, or you could end up on the outside looking in.
PAUL LEBOWITZ is the editor of Kayak Angler. In the last three years, he’s spent more time in droning government hearings battling for access than on the water—talk about pent up fish karma!
www.kayakanglermag.com… 9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64