Hi,
I'm out today. I saw a man and a boy fishing. I also saw a fish that had been caught flopping on the ground. This upset me. I think it is wrong to catch fish using hooks. If they put the fish back, at least they have a chance, but it would be better for the fish if all sport fishing was banned, including catch-and-release fishing, as fish often die after being caught anyway. Why catch fish cruelly if we don't need to in order to survive? It's cruel.
Sport fishing also endangers wildlife, including seabirds, who can swallow hooks with bait on, getting injured. They can also, maybe, get caught in fishing lines...
Some fishers may get angry and defend their "right" to fish, but if they were doing an equivalent of fishing to dogs, cats or even deer or rabbits, more people would be opposed to it. Fish probably do feel pain. Fishers can and should find other, more humane and ethical hobbies. If they want a wildlife/nature/sea hobby, why not birdwatching, going on boat trips, kayaking, sailing, wildlife art, wildlife photography, fish-watching, insect-finding or even fish/ocean/seaside photography?
Please do whatever you can (ethically, within reason and whilst still looking after yourselves and others, and doing other good) to help stop sport fishing.
Thank you 😊.
