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Posts: 1296
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | Switzerland Bans Catch-And-Release Fishing
Editor’s Note: Today’s story comes to us from the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association.
Catch and Release fishing will be banned in Switzerland from next year, it was revealed this week.
And anglers in the country will have to demonstrate their expertise by taking a course on humane methods of catching fish, under new legislation outlined by the Bundesrat - the Swiss Federal Parliament.
The new legislation states that fish caught should be killed immediately following their capture, with a sharp blow to the head from a blunt instrument. Under the new regulations, the use of livebait and barbed hooks is also prohibited except in certain situations.
The laws come into effect in 2009 but while the Swiss government does not mention Catch and Release specifically, it does say that "it is not permitted to go fishing with the 'intention' to release the fish."
EFTTA lobbyist Jan Kappel has been in contact with Martin Peter, Vice President of the Swiss Angling Federation, to see whether a joint approach to the Swiss government could persuade them to amend the legislation - which forms part of a much wider animal welfare programme.
The law on the protection of animals was passed by the Swiss parliament in 2005 and officials have spent three years refining the details, taking into account the comments of interested parties.
Said Jan: "Catch and Release is one of the most difficult issues we have to deal with, and one of the most important in my opinion.
“The new Swiss law doesn't make use of the term 'Catch and Release', which is the same as in Germany – but I don't see how governments can enforce legislation which makes 'intent' illegal.
“And demanding that people kill the fish they catch gives no thought to the conservation benefits from releasing them."
Angling Codes of Conduct with regards to proper handling and releases can be found for practically any fish species caught by anglers in Switzerland and the rest of the world. The new Swiss law makes it obligatory for anglers to take lessons before being granted a fishing license. So there is absolutely no need for an outright ban on the release of fish in Switzerland.”
It’s believed that the legislation could affect as many as 275,000 anglers in Switzerland, who generate around 30 million Euros in annual tackle sales.
EFTTA acting president, Pierangelo Zanetta, said: "EFTTA does not believe that forcing anglers to kill their catches is either good for nature or for recreational sport fishing - which makes a significant financial contribution to the EU economy.
“Making the killing of fish obligatory will simply reduce fish population and, at the same time, run the risk of having a negative impact on sport fishing.
"Anglers and the sport of angling invest time and money to improve water quality and create larger and healthier fish populations. We believe is it far better for the fish if the fisherman decides, according to the situation, whether to keep and eat the fish or to release it." |
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| i've read elsewhere (from European members contributing to pike discussions here on MuskieFirst i believe) that many places in Europe are strongly opposed to catch-and-release fishing in spite of the efforts of special interest groups to educate others about its value. if i recall correctly, particularly for pike, it's just not a concept which has become a strong enough part of the culture.
a country's laws generally reflect the prevailing majority opinion, so it's not all that surprising and may reflect the norms more than the work of any particular animal-rights group?
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Look into what it takes to get a hunting license there. Unreal. Different culture for sure! |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Reason 39,486 why I have no interest in ever visiting/living outside the USA. |
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Posts: 1245
Location: Madtown, WI | What you don't understand....its like cancer...and it spreads...it gets a foot hold somewhere...and then it slowly spreads...
Too many historical examples to list them here...but think about it...
it DOES matter what goes on elsewhere.
Tooo scary.
Cory |
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| Cory is right. It's just a matter of time before this spreads to Canada |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I HIGHLY doubt that this is going to catch on here and in Canada. The people in place in those fisheries understand the benefits of catch and release as well as the benefits of harvest. What they also understand are possible negative effects of both catch and release and harvest. Completely different culture over there. I wouldnt get our panties in a bunch on this one. |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Good thing King Crab fishing is done in Alaska. |
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Posts: 1245
Location: Madtown, WI | Yeah....our right to bear arms will never be taken away either.... (check out some of the state laws being passed)
not saying it will happen tomorrow..or the next day....
Just be aware...and do something constructive.
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | C.Painter - 5/8/2008 12:57 PM
Yeah....our right to bear arms will never be taken away either.... (check out some of the state laws being passed)
And that's a good point. Australia, and England are terrible, and Canada is hell on handguns. I hope I'm dead before the world totally goes to hell. I was born 200 years too late.
Jeff |
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| I doubt the people in charge of the fisheries in Europe recomend catch and kill either. They are just following orders.
I will not happen in the next 10 years but could happen within the next 20.
Canada is cut from the same clothe as Englanders and Austraila |
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Posts: 8837
| Don't believe for a minute that PETA isn't out to outlaw fishing, they certainly are. And as our population becomes more densely packed into cities you will find more and more of that urban (save the cuddly animals) mentality. Add to that the fact that fishing license sales are declining, its all over the news how commercial fisheries are in trouble, and the average kid growing up today actually believes that fish have feelings and daddy fish go home to their families at night, and its a recipe for stupidity.
I'm not saying something like that WILL happen here, but thinking it can't happen, and ignoring the growing segment of the population who would make it happen if they could is a dangerous thing.
All the more reason we need to stick together and make every effort to pass on our love for fishing to the next generation. |
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Posts: 8837
| I might add:
They can have my fishing gear (and my guns) when they pry them from my cold dead fingers. |
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Posts: 556
| esoxaddict - 5/8/2008 4:43 PM
I might add:
They can have my fishing gear (and my guns) when they pry them from my cold dead fingers.
if guns and fishing stuff will be illegal i will be about as bad as al capone
but instead of prohibition it will be proafishin |
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Posts: 431
| The US Supreme Court should be weighing in on the gun issue within a few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed. |
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| I personally lived in Bulgaria and they simply don't manage their waters like we do here in the States. Poaching was so rampant that it was almost impossible to catch fish. I targeted only pike while there and I never personally caught one. They literally keep everything they catch. One time I was invited to go fishing and little did I know that my host's idea of fishing was to throw M-100s in the water and watch the fish float to the top when they were stunned. I couldn't believe my eyes. |
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Posts: 342
Location: Passaic, NJ - Upper French River, ON | "The US Supreme Court should be weighing in on the gun issue within a few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed."
Expect it to be upheld as an individual right, but granting the States the right to administer.
You would'nt want the peace that breaks out in well armed places like Texas and Florida to deprive all those lawmakers (aka lawyers) of a steady supply of perps to keep em busy now would you ???
Either way, when Hil-Bama gets in, even my nail guns will be classified as assault weapons :
"100 round magazine fed, capable of firing a projectile ....." |
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Posts: 1296
Location: WI | How long until we hear "but that's how it's done in Europe". Hopefully never. |
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Posts: 350
Location: WESTERN WI | This never would have happened if it weren't for that Finding Nemo Movie.
Seriously though, what next!
Edited by Got Esox? 5/8/2008 11:39 PM
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Posts: 431
| I agree with the Nemo comment. There was also that Open Season (or something like that) where the various cartoon animals are friends and the maniacal looking deranged hunter keeps trying to "murder" them. I won't say it's the producers' fault, because they are catering to a defined market that shuns outdoor activities. Regarding the Supreme Court, I do suspect that the Court will hold that there is an individual gun ownership right, but, as with all "rights" these days it will be subject to state restrictions. Where does that leave the Washington DC ban on handguns? |
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Posts: 639
Location: Hudson, WI | It has been a city ordinance in New Orleans that ownership of a handgun is illegal for over 8 years. New Orleans lead the nation in handgun related homicides per capita 5 of the last 8 years. Somehow no one has realized it's not the legal handgun owner committing the crime...because the people generally making decisions have no "real life" background on the subject and can use it for political gain to idiots who can't see the reality of a situation.
As far as fishing goes, Europe has it made on public waters. They can go anytime they want, Lord knows they aren't busy working on being productive. France has been around forever...but it takes you and about 4 friends to take it over if you put your mind to it.
(Couldn't resist that rant!)
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Posts: 342
Location: Passaic, NJ - Upper French River, ON | " France has been around forever...but it takes you and about 4 friends to take it over if you put your mind to it."
Tell that to the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment.
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| In MN the number of fishing liscenses sold has gone up over the years, but it's a smaller percentage of the overall population than it used to be.
One thing that will keep people interested in fishing is if it stays affordable.
I think boat manufacturers need to look at expanding lines of boats that are a little more "plain jane" than the stuff they are putting out now. Don't get me wrong, boats with nice carpet, seats, stereos and all the bells and whistles are great. But more of the Lund Alaskan type stuff that is just solid relatively comfortable and light boat will be something people will want with gas prices getting higher.
Anyway.
John |
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| It seems that this new law, is not to encourage killing fish, but only to ban the transport of live fish from a lake to another. So, you can't leave the lake unless the fish you decide to kept are dead, and It's quite different from killing every fish you catch.
Speaking with some guys that often fish swisse waters, that's what they told me, I don't know if there is something new, and I hope this is the final version...
And for the live bait/barbed hook ban issue, it's not bad for us pikers.
The 95% of livebaiter here, is people that kill all the fish they catch, and the one they rarely release are very damaged, understand before there's not a big catch and release culture beetwen livebaiter here, at least here in Italy, not like in the UK, so if you want to protect predators like pike and zander, you have to ban first the live bait, than force the people to catch and release, that with barbless hook on lures is easier.
A lot of new water are going into this direction, and it's not bad, we are quite a lot of people in a relative small land, and we have to preserve this limited source.
bye,
fabio
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Posts: 335
Location: Minnesota | The skeptics out there only need to look back a few years to the Spring Ontario bear hunts. The government in Toronto banned the Spring bear hunts in Ontario despite cries from the Ministry of Natural Resources employees in NW Ontario and despite the people up there. The politicians are the ones who decide these things so it doesn't matter that there are fisheries experts that believe in catch and release.
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Posts: 162
Location: Bemidji, MN | brmusky - 5/12/2008 12:35 PM
The politicians are the ones who decide these things so it doesn't matter that there are fisheries experts that believe in catch and release.
you got that right brmusky.
But would having to take a class to get your licence, or maybe a musky stamp, be such a terrible idea? You all want to see bigger size limits, catch and release only, and all that stuff, but what does it matter if someone catches that 60" musky, and has no idea how to properly handle it, and it is "released" just to die a few hours later because it was kept in the boat for way to long and/or not handled correctly?
As anyone who lives up here can tell you, despite declining lisence sales, there are way more people coming into the sport of musky fishing every year. With all the technology available today, it has gotten pretty easy for a person to go out and catch a huge fish pretty quickly. The knowledge of handling thee big fish comes with experience, and education. I am most definatly not saying that I would like to see more regulations, what I am saying is education is not a bad thing.
Would you give a kid a rifle without teaching him which end the bullets come out? |
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Posts: 1530
| the thoughts of banning in canada. pure bull. the goverments make too much money on the commercial fisheries. netters pay royalties.. the last time i looked in my freezer theres a 1/4 moose and lots of venision. oh ya lots of quality fillets also.. with muskies having a closed season in my zone along with bass every other species is open year round. peta is not as powerfull as you think. eating greens hopefully they will starve themselves. now ya got me just plain hungry. im headinf for a deep fried walleye dinner |
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Peta at work?