Obama to Ban Recreational Fishing?

[FastpitchDad]

The Obama administration is considering new environmental rules that would, in effect ban recreational fishing in the United States, according to ESPN. This move is apparently being contemplated under pressure from environmental groups.

"The Obama administration will accept no more public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters.

"This announcement comes at the time when the situation supposedly still is "fluid" and the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force still hasn't issued its final report on zoning uses of these waters.

"That's a disappointment, but not really a surprise for fishing industry insiders who have negotiated for months with officials at the Council on Environmental Quality and bureaucrats on the task force. These angling advocates have come to suspect that public input into the process was a charade from the beginning."

The excuse for this contemplated ban is the notion that recreational fishing as well as commercial fishing is depleting the stock of fish in American waters. This notion is disputed by fishing groups, which fear not only that a ban would prohibit Americans from pursuing a traditional form of recreation, but also devastate the industry that supports recreational fishing. Angling groups maintain that there is no basis in science for an attempt to ban recreational fishing.

If the ban is ordered, it would likely come via executive order rather than an attempt to have Congress pass legislation. Various environmental groups are demanding that such an executive order be issued as soon as possible.

The idea that any president would contemplate arbitrarily banning a sport that millions of Americans enjoy, from young boys dropping lines at the local fishing hole, to adults struggling with Marlins on the high seas, is just mind boggling. A potential ban on recreational fishing suggests that this administration is possessed by a myopic version of environmental ideology that transcends common sense. It also feels empowered to tell Americans what they can or cannot do at a whim.

If a ban on recreational fishing were to take hold, one would suspect that a ban on recreational hunting would not be far behind. Environmental groups have been trying to stop hunting for decades and now seem to have an administration willing to do their bidding.

There will almost certainly be a pushback against these plans. To paraphrase the president himself, Americans have traditionally clung to their fishing rods as much as they do their guns and their God. The writer Norman Mclean wrote a story, 'A River Runs Through It', that explored the spiritual aspects of fly fishing. The story was made into a film by Robert Redford.

Incidentally, one of the most famous anglers in the United States is a former vice president named Dick Cheney. So far Cheney has not commented on the proposed ban on recreational fishing. When he does, the effects should be interesting to behold.

Sources: Culled out: Obama administration will accept no more public input for federal fishery strategy, Robert Montgomery, ESPN Outdoors, March 8th, 2010

A River Runs Through It and Other Stories, Norman Mclean, University of Chicago Press, 2001

http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl ... html?cat=9

[ironmen1987]

Thats really funny..... Let them try to stop us.

[swbaseballfan]

thats just ridiculus.

[biggdowgg]

[Space Cowboy]

thats just ridiculus.

Dont bet on it being rediculus. Almost every fishing magazine has carried at least one article on this, for the past 6 months. Really shows how much Obama cares about the economy, doesnt it? Recreational fishing is a $125 Billion a year industry.

[goldenboy]

Just show how dumb our new president really is! Wow I hate ignorant people!

[Boonedawg]

This would end my career....It's past time to end more than a few careers in D.C. Seems taking folks ability to feed themselves is a priority of the current administration.

[goldenboy]

the problem with dc is they need to stop worrying about feeding and helping other countries and worry about feeding and helping the people in there own country!

[OZZIEOHIO]

IMPEACH Obama

[Space Cowboy]

This would end my career....It's past time to end more than a few careers in D.C. Seems taking folks ability to feed themselves is a priority of the current administration.

........its called trickle-up poverty.

[Boonedawg]

If we are dependent on a hand out instead of getting our own then they own us that much more.

[ball hound]

A guy I worked with printed out the entire report. He and I read it cover to cover and it says nothing of the sort. It does say, however, that they are promoting recreational fishing by preserving fisheries. And that is basically all the report says about fishing at all. I am by no means a fan of Obamas, but this is not true,in fact, the guy from ESPN had to write a retraction because the entire story was opinionated and not based on fact.

[sprinter14]

What a joke. This is nothing more than Republican propoganda. If you really believe that Obama is going to take away your right to go fish your local spot, then I have some ocean front property in Kansas I would love to sell you. So many people are so desperate to come up with some dirt on Obama they will stretch anything they can to make him look bad. Any fishing or hunting magazine is sooooooo biased toward Republicans that it makes me sick.

[biggdowgg]

^^^^ how do you REALLY feel

[Boonedawg]

What a joke. This is nothing more than Republican propoganda. If you really believe that Obama is going to take away your right to go fish your local spot, then I have some ocean front property in Kansas I would love to sell you. So many people are so desperate to come up with some dirt on Obama they will stretch anything they can to make him look bad. Any fishing or hunting magazine is sooooooo biased toward Republicans that it makes me sick.

That's because the Democrats are so biased against hunting and fishing. Stop the presses people actually pay attention and see who is on their side....duh.

[KVDW]

What a joke. This is nothing more than Republican propoganda. If you really believe that Obama is going to take away your right to go fish your local spot, then I have some ocean front property in Kansas I would love to sell you..

and if you really believe obama is going to take away MY right to fish....... i've got some ocean front property in arizona i'll GIVE you.


.... and this is NOT a political forum so get off of it.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

my shimano fishin stick,

FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS

[toddallman]

Don't believe the GOP hype...it was a rumor started by ESPN. Check out this link for some factshttp://deadspin.com/5490210/espncom-helps-launch-false-obama-wants-to-ban-fishing-rumor
It's about sustainability of food supplies not "taking away your right".