Posted on 5/9/2008, 11:20:03 AM by tlb
Editor’s Note: Today’s story comes to us from the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association.
Catch and Release fishing will be banned in Switzerland from next year, it was revealed this week.
And anglers in the country will have to demonstrate their expertise by taking a course on humane methods of catching fish, under new legislation outlined by the Bundesrat - the Swiss Federal Parliament.
The new legislation states that fish caught should be killed immediately following their capture, with a sharp blow to the head from a blunt instrument. Under the new regulations, the use of livebait and barbed hooks is also prohibited except in certain situations.
The laws come into effect in 2009 but while the Swiss government does not mention Catch and Release specifically, it does say that "it is not permitted to go fishing with the 'intention' to release the fish."
EFTTA lobbyist Jan Kappel has been in contact with Martin Peter, Vice President of the Swiss Angling Federation, to see whether a joint approach to the Swiss government could persuade them to amend the legislation - which forms part of a much wider animal welfare programme.
The law on the protection of animals was passed by the Swiss parliament in 2005 and officials have spent three years refining the details, taking into account the comments of interested parties.
Said Jan: "Catch and Release is one of the most difficult issues we have to deal with, and one of the most important in my opinion.
“The new Swiss law doesn't make use of the term 'Catch and Release', which is the same as in Germany – but I don't see how governments can enforce legislation which makes 'intent' illegal.
“And demanding that people kill the fish they catch gives no thought to the conservation benefits from releasing them."
Angling Codes of Conduct with regards to proper handling and releases can be found for practically any fish species caught by anglers in Switzerland and the rest of the world. The new Swiss law makes it obligatory for anglers to take lessons before being granted a fishing license. So there is absolutely no need for an outright ban on the release of fish in Switzerland.”
It’s believed that the legislation could affect as many as 275,000 anglers in Switzerland, who generate around 30 million Euros in annual tackle sales.
EFTTA acting president, Pierangelo Zanetta, said: "EFTTA does not believe that forcing anglers to kill their catches is either good for nature or for recreational sport fishing - which makes a significant financial contribution to the EU economy.
“Making the killing of fish obligatory will simply reduce fish population and, at the same time, run the risk of having a negative impact on sport fishing.
"Anglers and the sport of angling invest time and money to improve water quality and create larger and healthier fish populations. We believe is it far better for the fish if the fisherman decides, according to the situation, whether to keep and eat the fish or to release it."
"Certain situations," such as being hungry?
Their regulations are getting to be almost as totalitarian as those of Washington state.
Fishermen don’t kill fish, Socialisim kills fish.
A whale of a pun! (I know, I know: a mammal, but they both swim in the ocean.
What I want to know is, would fish give us the same breaks?
hey this is switzerland they do nothing without a vote. so i´m not shure but it´s possible that this has been voted out. it´s ok for me if the people who are living there don´t want it. it´s their country. believe me in switzerland they have elections on everything.
Global warming?
while wearing high heels, suspendies' and a bra.
It sure would be nice if these legislators knew what the he// they were talking about before passing these stupid laws.
I think I read a properly released fish such as a trout has a survival rate of 66%...[and lets not quibble over proper vs “improper” and all that. The point is at least half will live to fight another day]. Studies have shown that fish hit in the head with a blunt object have a much lower survival rate, like close to 0%...plus they tend to swim awkwardly on their sides.
[Yeah yeah...I know...very few legislators anywhere know what they are talking about.]
This from the land where every man of age is required by law to be armed with a rifle and a set minimum limit of ammo??
Bureaucrats are the same everywhere I guess, idiots all.
Ingredients
5 (3/4 lb) trout
1/2 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
fresh ground black pepper
salt
1/2-3/4 lb fresh mushroom
1/4-1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumb
4 green onion, sliced
3 fresh lemon (or lemon concentrate)
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Directions
1. To cook trout, wash and dry the fish inside and out and coat sides with a little olive oil.
2. Slice mushrooms and place half in the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
3. Salt and pepper fish, inside and out, to taste and place in dish on top of mushrooms.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs over fish along with the minced parsley, chopped garlic and the green onion.
5. If using fresh lemons, squeeze 1 or 2 directly over the entire trout including the inside.
6. Meanwhile melt butter, add to olive oil and the juice of 2 lemons.
7. Pour slowly over fish saving about half of the mixture.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees or until they are tender and bread crumbs are light brown.
9. Fish is done when the meat flakes easily when a fork is inserted into the flesh and lifted up slightly.
10. Just before the fish are done, saute 1-2 minutes , the remaining mushrooms in the sauce that is left and pour over top after placing trout on a serving plate.
11. Garnish with a few lemon wedges and a few sprigs of fresh parsley.
12. Serve this Italian Trout recipe with rice, or Italian pasta, and a vegetable.
Nonstick cooking spray
2 whole rainbow trout (about 12 ounces each), cleaned, boned, butterflied
2 green onions, chopped
2 large fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil; coat with nonstick spray. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Open fish like a book and arrange, skin side down, on prepared baking sheet.
Mix next 5 ingredients in bowl. Sprinkle mixture over fish, drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil, then top with cilantro sprigs. Bake uncovered until fish is opaque in center, about 20 minutes.
As Western countries abort and homosexualize themselves out of existence, our Governments resort to this type of lunacy.
The Authoritarians have prevailed.
I didn’t see anything about using explosives. I guess that dynamite fishing is still OK.
....hmmm....using barbless hooks means some of those fish are going to release themselves...hook ‘em and cook ‘em.
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