From: Robert Drongowski <Robert.Drongowski@cc.umich.edu>
Subject: Sea of Slaughter (long)
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 09:46:08 EDT
Organization: Pediatric Surgery, U of Michigan
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1b2

Watched a very intense feature (Channel 9, Canada) produced by
environmentalist/author Farley Mowat re:destruction of aquatic and
coastal life in the North Atlantic.  It basically reviewed the
destruction of Whales, seals, lobster, cod, herring, swordfish, bluefin
tuna etc, mainly by commercial fisheries, but not solely.  Case-in-point
was a section on tournament sportfishing for bluefin(?) tuna whereby
author depicted multitudes of fishermen catching thousands per year and
thus contributing to the tuna's current demise.  These unregulated
tournaments over the years helped destroy the fishery.  Similarly, all of
us, as consumers, deplete the fishery.  The main point seemed to be that
commercial fisheries deplete fish stocks substantially, whether
intentionally or not, whether regulated or not, due to the almighty
dollar.
	Although many countries with coastal water contributed in the past to
overharvesting, seems as though Newfoundland, Iceland and Japan still
harvest whales and other species to overabundance.  The Japanese
apparently treat whale meat as a gourmet food, as well as herring roe,
which contributes to the demise of all fishes due to overfishing and lack
of forage.  In addition, the supposedly last few remaining Bluefin tuna
(10-20 at 150Lbs apiece) were in enclosed pens and harvested for profit,
rather than released so that these fish might reproduce and increase the
near extinct populations.  Lobsters (hundreds of thousands) are
warehoused in individual pens, their metabolic rate reduced substantially
by dripping COLD seawater through these pens for 6-8 months until the
market price brings substantially higher profits.
	I see some parrallels to what Mowat depicted occuring in Michigan. 
Commercial fishing of lake trout has been banned in Lake Michigan (except
for tribal indians, who take a bundle) while current sportsfishing limits
are 1-2 per boat (I think) compared to 5 per person a few years ago   The
lake trout fishery is s-l-o-w-l-y rebounding, but the impact of limited
commercial fishing (Indians) is still severe.
	In addition, Large Charter Boats with LORAN locators are currently
severely impacting the Steelhead (Rainbow Trout) population.  These fish
live in the Big Lakes, and return to the streams to spawn in the Fall and
Spring (2 seperate runs, I think different subspecies).  I used to be
able to catch 2-3 per weekend a few years ago, but the last 3-4 years
have been almost devoid of fish.  The Charters are taking their limits at
the SCUM line (interface of warm and cold water, harboring many dead
insects upon which the steelhead feed) which is formed 30-40 miles out
(6-7 people per boat, 5 fish per person) twice per day.  These Charters
(10 ports, maybe 20-30 boats per port) are affecting the fishing like
never before due to the ease of catching these fish at the scum line  
Charters seem like a form of commercial fishing to me.
	If anyone else viewed this program I would be interested in their
comments and viewpoints.  Also, does anyone else see reductions in local
fisheries due to poor regulations, overharvesting or other reasons??
BOB DRONGOWSKI--"ICE FISHING IS REALLY A MISNOMER, MOST OF THE TIME"  The
Polish Fisherman
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.fishing