The Observer Sunday newspaper - attacks recreational fishing / PETA

[Mr. X]

We don't normally read the Observer Sunday newspaper and having bought yesterday's edition, I must say it is the worst newspaper I have come across in the United Kingdom. And achingly PC with it (except that it had a Woman's supplement:naughty). I'd formed that opinion even before I came across this article - no doubt intended for preaching to the converted/choir. I will just make one comment -- since when has PETA been a reputable source?:head

Ethical dilemma: Does angling damage fish stocks? | Environment | The Observer

A few quotes:

...the decline of the River Wye's stocks shows that anglers are indeed culprits of overfishing

But anglers can be their own worst enemy. Right now, we're in coarse fishing season, but almost as soon as this ends there will be lobbying to get rid of the closed season, when fish spawn....

Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has lobbied the Oxford English Dictionary to change its definition of the word fisherman to "a person who 'relaxes' by impaling water-dwelling animals; often a person too out of shape to participate in a real sport". Ouch, as the fish itself might scream - a recent study found that fish both feel and remember pain. Peta's message is very much: "Do not take the bait. Ever."

The author was: lucy.siegle@observer.co.uk

Of course fish feel pain :head (Although the same small shark which took hooked bait from 3 different anglers on Miles' boat in a single session didn't seem overly concerned about being hooked.) Fish is a natural food source - even fish eat fish. One trawler catches far more fish in a day than all of the British spearos catch in a year.



I must say the header for the article on the sex therapist wearing a Burkha was eye catching. But what a load of drivel.

More on PETA here:
http://forums.deeperblue.com/search.php?searchid=879041
http://forums.deeperblue.com/regulations-conservation/64215-peta-f-ers.html

 

[spaghetti]

Almost every time I catch a fish and gut it, I find its stomach full of other smaller fish which have been, probably, eaten alive.
Why so much HATRED among our fishy pets?

I'd suggest PETA to lobby the Oxford English Dictionary once more, to change its definition of the word "fish":
Fish: a cruel evil creature who enjoys eating its peers alive, as it's too out of shape (it has no legs at all!!!) to walk to the grocer's for buying some transgenic soy wrapped in plastic carcinogenic package as a fair, sustainable protein sorce.

Time to face the horrific reality: fish are monsters!

 

[Adrian]

And I always thought the four letter word was F$%&!

 

[Mr. X]

Almost every time I catch a fish and gut it, I find its stomach full of other smaller fish which have been, probably, eaten alive.
Why so much HATRED among our fishy pets?...

Ooh, nasty "Sea Kittens"!

Yup, some years ago they reckoned 40% of soy was genetically modified. Could well be more by now. A bit of a slap in the face to my vegan friend and his family who use quite a lot (although, knowing them, I expect they use only organic, non-GM sources if/when labelled).

 

[Magpie]

I liked this bit:

Lakes in southern Ireland are currently struggling with the curly leaved waterweed, originally from South Africa, which is in turn getting to grips with boats and fishing tackle (meaning they can't get anywhere) and depleting the lakes of oxygen.

And there was me thinking water plants oxygenate the water! rofl

 

[Lazuli]

Serves you right for opening up the Observer X!!! What a load of tosh. The bit that gets me is where it stipulates that catch and release should be the order of the day. How many times do they think a fish can be struck, reeled in etc before it is wounded and suchlike. I saw an angler strike too hard on a wrasse and the hook came out of its eye. Better to kill the poor thing really.

Not sure I even call that journalism. Uk press is terrible.

 

[Broseidon]

Almost every time I catch a fish and gut it, I find its stomach full of other smaller fish which have been, probably, eaten alive.
Why so much HATRED among our fishy pets?

I'd suggest PETA to lobby the Oxford English Dictionary once more, to change its definition of the word "fish":
Fish: a cruel evil creature who enjoys eating its peers alive, as it's too out of shape (it has no legs at all!!!) to walk to the grocer's for buying some transgenic soy wrapped in plastic carcinogenic package as a fair, sustainable protein sorce.

Time to face the horrific reality: fish are monsters!

Epic post roflPure Genius!

 

[nigelr]

PETA, PITA, so similar in sound and effect........