BLOG: Fishing with Political Correctness

ONE thing I try and do is stay away from writing about political issues surrounding fishing. It is so prevalent in our sport at the moment I feel obliged to discuss different topics so we have something to read other than issues that bring us to tears.

Try as I might, I sometimes veer back to the dark side.

The way I look at it, politics is not only influencing where we go fishing, which is the most noticeable side effect, but has invaded our behaviour as well. The way we perceive fishing is changing and the way we go about our craft is shifting. Some of this is good and some bad.

For instance, as fisherman we are compelled to show moderation now. We have moved away from the archaic ritual of chest beating when a full bucket of fish has been slaughtered. It’s no longer seen as an accomplishment to decimate a school of fish when the chance arrives. I think it’s fair to say that politics has had a positive influence on moderating anglers who find it difficult to moderate themselves.

This culture of moderation driven by policy has spawned the catch’n’release movement we are now familiar with. Like most things in life where a ‘healthy balance’ is a trendy catch phrase bandied about but never achieved, our perception is tilting to the other extreme. In some circles keeping fish for the table is seen as marginal behaviour. Keeping a solid 1.5kg bream to bake in the oven with tomatoes, onions and dash of bay leaves seems incomprehensible to some. To me, it seems like a logical outcome after considerable effort is spent pursuing one.

There are other elements at play here to consider such as keeping touch with our past. The link between our ancestry and modern man is disintegrating as we disassociate ourselves with our food source. My wife literally comes to tears when she sees me filleting a fish. I don’t hear complaints when it reaches the table though!

There’s no doubt that our conscious decision to become more politically correct has had a positive effect on those who view our sport at arm’s length. It’s sad to admit but we need the support of non-fisher folk to keep our sport alive and images of bloodied and gutted fish adorning the front pages of magazines are a thing of the past. We have all become a little bit too precious and don’t want to upset the applecart. We want to be seen as conservative, responsible and above all else environmentally conscious because negative press garnered in the current climate will usually spell disaster. Every anti-fishing lobbyist will be all over us like white on rice.

This self-effacing behaviour ultimately limits our sport. It has a tendency to blur a true representation of the participants. All we see is are generic types with sponsored shirts, top end boats and premium fishing gear holding up pictures of glistening fish that appear to be released to fight another day. This is the narrative we need to portray – I get it. Our sport won’t last long in the public eye if we are seen as barbaric, but let’s not disregard the characters of our beloved sport.

However you look at it, catching fish to eat can’t be cloaked in a veil of decency if we disconnect ourselves from our roots. This is where political correctness and fishing fail to combine.

What are your thoughts here? Have we all become a little too precious with fishing?