Jett 9
Nolan Jett Self-directed prompt: Write about why fishing can be helpful for the
a environment and not harmful as some people may think.
English
4-19-17
ish 4 Life
It's the initial take, the screaming of the drag, and then holding it in your hands.
Everyone has some memory of a fishing adventure they had at some point in their life. Whether
it was when they were young or old, everyone has been fishing. Some believe that fishing is
damaging to the environment and some are even very strongly opposed to it. Fishing however, if
done correctly, is very sustainable and can actually be healthy for an ecosystem because it can
help people learn about the environment and can even help save species.
When fishing, one has to be in syne with everything around them. ‘This includes knowing
about the environment and everything in it. Fisherman, more than most people, understand that a
healthy aquatic ecosystem and a healthy environment go hand in hand. The salmon population is
good example of this. In places where salmon spawn, almost the entire ecosystem relies on
them. Species such as Rainbow Trout and other fish eat their protein rich eggs. For bears,
wolves, fox, birds of prey, and many other animals, the salmon is a key part of their diet. Even
‘once mostly eaten, what is left of this valuable fish decomposes giving the soil vital nutrients and
allows plants to flourish. Those plants can then support other organisms. Fisherman who lear
about the environment in which they practice their art are more conscientious towards things
such as this. Their love for what they do motivates them to take action and step in to support the
environment in any way they can with hope that future generations can enjoy it just as they have.Jett 10
Fisherman even help save entire species. In the late 1970's, the population of Redfish and
Speckled Trout on the Gulf Coast was dwindling due to commercial overfishing. To face the
problem, “14 concemed rereational anglers created the Gulf Conservation Assocation to
combat commercial excesses and conserve the resource,” (CCA), Due to the spirit and hard work
of these people who were passionate about their sport, “the campaign soon swept across the
entire Gulf Coast. By 1985, Gulf state chapters had formed from Texas to Florida,” (CCA).
Without this organization and the ardent people who started it, itis possible that the Redfish and
Speckled Trout populations could have gone extinct. The Coastal Conservation Association now
protects many species along the coast preserving them for the future generations to enjoy. This is
jjust one of many examples showing how fisherman can protect the environment and save
species
Fishing, if done correctly, is sustainable and can actually be healthy for the environment
because it can help people learn about the environment and can help save species. It is something
that people from all ages all around the world are passionate about. These people are willing to
do whatever they can to keep the sport alive and to pass it down from generation to generation. It
is a tradition that has been alive and will hopefully continue for hundreds of thousands of years.Jett 11
Texas, CCA. "About CCA." CCA Texas. Coastal Conservation Association, n.d. Web. 09 May
2017.