According to recreational fishermen nearly a third of seafood species has declined 90 percent worldwide and for this recreational fishing is certainly not responsible. They said that none of the species that have declined in the worldwide slump of fish populations, that is, not one have done so as a result of recreational fishing in Florida waters. But still the no-fishing advocates want to put most of the no-fishing zones there as they say will alleviate the problem.
Recreational fishermen complain that though recreational harvest is not even a small part of the issue for most species, yet the radical environmentalists want to lock out sport fishermen along with the commercial anglers who have caused the decimation of fish worldwide. They exclaimed that the management of inshore fish in Florida, where the species that are being fished hardest recreationally, under regulations hammered out with the approval and often at the request of recreational anglers, continue to provide outstanding fish populations in a fishery that draws tourists from around the world.
The recreational fishermen said that they have no commercial harvest of popular gamefish species such as snook and tarpon, and very little on redfish and trout. According to them too much harvest by sport fishermen with rods and reels can be just as devastating as commercial fishing.
They told that the only species suffering in U.S. waters are those that are pursued by commercial fishermen. It is said that the long-line boats are almost entirely responsible for depletion of offshore populations of large grouper and snapper, as well as billfish – an unwanted bycatch.
