How will we know when we catch the last fish?

November 03, 2008

Portland Oregonian

 

Steve Nehl/The OregonianFishermen have proposed creating a marine reserve at Redfish Rocks near Port Orford.

I have a deep respect for the natural world. I also like to fish. I've dedicated my whole life to studying, exploring, enjoying and working to sustain the richness of the natural world. You can be sure that I would not like to be the person responsible for the extinction of any species. As one who likes to fish I would not like to be known as the person who caught or ate the last tuna, or the last rockfish, or the last lingcod.

Like others who fish, when I go fishing, I like to catch fish. Sometimes I'm successful and sometimes I'm not. If I don't catch a fish does that mean there are no fish? Not catching a fish is common dilemma of fishing and highlights our lack of understanding of the ocean realm. If we understood the fish in the ocean, we'd catch a fish every time. On the other hand, if I catch a fish, what does that tell me? At the end of any day fishing how would I know if the fish I caught was the one and only fish in that place? That is something we'll only be sure of well after the fact. We'll know when someone looks back and says "Hey, didn't we used to catch (insert fish name here) out here? I haven't caught one for years ...".

Even though I don't want to catch the last fish, our present relationship with the ocean leaves open the possibility that I may be the person to do just that. I want, and believe we need, a system that makes sure we won't catch the last one.

Throughout the world people are designating places in the ocean designed as study areas;
places to improve our understanding of the ocean; areas that define the things we can, and the things we cannot do. To best learn about the ocean and our role in it, ocean study areas should be as free from human alteration as possible. As a hedge against our ignorance, people in other states and nations are dedicating parts of the ocean as no-fishing zones - marine reserves - places where we can be certain it is not possible to catch any fish, including the last one.

Designating marine reserves and marine protected areas may seem new to Oregon, but others are using these approaches and they work. If Oregon identifies some spots to study the ocean, and that means fishing is off limits, I'll know one more thing about the ocean. I will always be able to fish confidently knowing I won't be the person who catches the last one.

Mike Graybill lives in Charleston, Oregon.