The system of enacting laws at so many times is reactive rather than proactive. Nowhere is this more evident than in the laws the regulate limits on fish. Everyone knows the story of redfish and how the combination of commercial and recreational pressure really hurt this species for a number of years. I lived through the good times, bad times, and know the good times again as it pertains to this species. It took many years for laws to be passed to set up strict limits and it took even longer for the species to rebound to the great fishery we have today.
We are a gluttonous society. It is evidenced by our appetite for bigger and better and having more, more and more. This appetite can have a big impact on our fish. While many people have grown up around the coast and realize their impact on our resources, there are many people, not from this area, that do not realize just how much their decisions can impact our fisheries for future generations. Not to fault these people, when you come to a new area and you see all of the fish being caught, it truly seems like an endless resource. Unfortunately there are also individuals that come here and/or already live here that just do not care about the future of fisheries as long as they get theirs.
The truth of the matter is that as stewards of our resources we have a responsibility to educate others and do out part to assure that we do not abuse the opportunity we have to catch fish and even keep a few for dinner from time to time. These comments do not come from me standing on a soapbox and tell people what they should and should not keep, but asking people to think before they act. A prime example would be flounder gigging. By current laws you are allowed 20 fish per angler. With some quick math a boat with 3 people could keep 60 flounder and if you are in the right spots this number is quite attainable. There are many people that would keep this number of fish without batting an eye. I’ve witnessed guys catching spadefish on reefs and scooping up two at a