Here's why ...

Growing up poor and  landlocked, the nearest I ever came to saltwater fishing was reading about it in the pages of the (then) big three sporting magazines. 
 
And while I'm not yet an old fart, I'm also old enough to remember reading stories by the likes of A.J. McClane, vicariously living out saltwater fishing adventures through the pages of Field & Stream and whatever books I could find at the library or used book stores ...

One such long out-of-print book in my meager collection is "Fishing in America" by the late, great, Charles F. Waterman.  Published in 1975, the book features a photograph and caption that warned us  - almost 40 years ago - where we were headed, and as it turns out, where we  are now.
 
The black-and-white photograph shows a huge  696-pound bluefin tuna being hoisted aboard a boat off Cape St. Mary in  Novia Scotia in 1972. The caption reads "This splendid fish is no longer plentiful in most of its former haunts. Certain age classes have almost  disappeared. Those caught are larger and fewer, an indication that basic stock is not being replenished"
 
I thought of that photograph  when I saw this story the other day
 
ScienceDaily  (June 22, 2009) — According to the most recent report on the status of the  world's fisheries by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization,  fisheries supply at least 15% of the animal protein consumed by humans,  provide direct and indirect employment for nearly 200 million people  worldwide and generate $US85 billion annually. This same report indicates  that 28% of the world's fisheries stocks are currently being overexploited or have collapsed and 52% are fully exploited.

The full report can be found here.

The language is dry, technical and devoid of emotion but like virtually every other depressing ocean study we've seen in the past decade  or so, the message it sends is heartbreakingly simple: we're killing our oceans, we know we're killing our oceans and despite a lot of warm and fuzzy international treaty agreements and non-binding platitudes  about doing the right thing, we're not doing the right thing and we're going  to continue not doing the right thing until our oceans are, quite literally,  empty; a watery version of the surface of the moon. Hooray for us.
 
I've always dreamed of fishing for tuna, so here's the message the study is sending me: Whitetails will always be here,  Chad, so go pawn a few guns, book a trip and catch a tuna before it's too late. Because at some point, and probably sooner rather than later, it's  going to be too late and you don't want to spend the rest of your life gazing at pictures of things long gone.

Comments (8)

from seadog wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

I'm not so sure that pawning your guns would be the best way to finance your fishing trip, but I hope you get a chance to go. Tight lines!

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from Elmer Fudd wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

An aside: In case you are in doubt about whether scientists can be influenced by politics, the great Cod depletion disaster in the early 90's was done with the complete blessing of the biologists in charge of making sure that didnt ever happen

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from jbird wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

Sad tale. Would love to go ocean fishing someday, but just don't have the money. Can't see myself pawning any of my guns to finance it, love em' too much.

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from Big O wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

I ain't pawning no guns for no fish. Even Marlin. Sorry.

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from shane wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

Yeah, or not.

Seriously though, we should probably get our act together soon...

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from Don Mitchell wrote 17 weeks 2 days ago

pawn my guns to go fishing,?????? NOT
Don M.

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from ggmack wrote 17 weeks 1 day ago

i am lucky enough to live where i can both hunt whitetail and fish in bluewater. i have had a debate with a couple of captains and others who hunt and fish we are not sure what s more rewarding caughting a 400 pound tuna and releaseinfg it or letting a 140 class whitetail walk at 50 yards.

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from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 16 weeks 6 days ago

I get your point, that fish in the water are going to be far gone before any deer or hogs or such are extinct. But regardless, I do not think I would be pawning any one of my precious guns to go on a fishing trip. Sadly to say, you are right, I do not think we will actually realize what the hell is going on until it is too late...

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from Big O wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

I ain't pawning no guns for no fish. Even Marlin. Sorry.

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from seadog wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

I'm not so sure that pawning your guns would be the best way to finance your fishing trip, but I hope you get a chance to go. Tight lines!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Elmer Fudd wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

An aside: In case you are in doubt about whether scientists can be influenced by politics, the great Cod depletion disaster in the early 90's was done with the complete blessing of the biologists in charge of making sure that didnt ever happen

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jbird wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

Sad tale. Would love to go ocean fishing someday, but just don't have the money. Can't see myself pawning any of my guns to finance it, love em' too much.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from shane wrote 17 weeks 5 days ago

Yeah, or not.

Seriously though, we should probably get our act together soon...

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Don Mitchell wrote 17 weeks 2 days ago

pawn my guns to go fishing,?????? NOT
Don M.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ggmack wrote 17 weeks 1 day ago

i am lucky enough to live where i can both hunt whitetail and fish in bluewater. i have had a debate with a couple of captains and others who hunt and fish we are not sure what s more rewarding caughting a 400 pound tuna and releaseinfg it or letting a 140 class whitetail walk at 50 yards.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 16 weeks 6 days ago

I get your point, that fish in the water are going to be far gone before any deer or hogs or such are extinct. But regardless, I do not think I would be pawning any one of my precious guns to go on a fishing trip. Sadly to say, you are right, I do not think we will actually realize what the hell is going on until it is too late...

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.