When I was looking for fishing rental gear for recreational fishing in Vancouver, I found that I needed a fishing license to fish. This fact really surprised me because, in Japan, fishing is barrier-free to any generation and gender without any prerequisites.
The fact made me wonder about the impact of implementing this system. To summarize, although this system is very friendly to the environment and sustainable, I feel this system is strict and losing some opportunities. The opportunities I am talking about are the chance to stimulate the economy and boost the fishing industry.
(image from https://hdmooers.com/category/blog/)
According to a professor named Terashima at Kyoto University, Tango Bay, a famous bay for recreational fishing in Japan, can create a total annual consumer surplus of approximately JPY 11.7 billion, about $85 million. I understand it will not be the same in Canada since the popularity and culture differ; however, I believe we can make more money in this industry.
Moreover, I believe the rise of interest in fishing could also save some who fishers work as professionals since there are good possibilities that new people joining the industry. It may not be a big problem now in Canada, but in an aging society with a low birth rate, it is often the case that people avoid those professions that belong to the primary industry. Additionally, it will be an excellent chance to let people know how the fishers are struggling and how the government is trying to solve it.
At last, I understand this would be a controversial subject. We have problems such as overfishing and tons of plastic waste thrown away by recreational anglers, which is deeply related to my idea. Therefore, I would appreciate hearing some thoughts and ideas.
References
https://hdmooers.com/category/blog/
Terashima, Y., Yamashita, Y. & Asano, K. An economic evaluation of recreational fishing in Tango Bay, Japan. Fish Sci 86, 925–937 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-020-01453-
Firstly, I loved where you caught your attention, which is the area in which I personally do not really think of, but also is not discussed in classes usually. I also liked how you related the issue of overfishing to something closer to our normal lives.
However, I believe that sustainability, and protecting the marine environment is something that cannot be compromised with profitability. I believe that whether recreational fishing should be encouraged or not should be based on a thorough analysis on the environmental impact of it.