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I keep an occasional fish, and I certainly don't have anything against
people who eat what they catch. However, I do think that fishermen need to
be a lot more conscious of the impact we have on certain gamefish
populations. Fish that have low reproduction rates or grow slowly, like
billfish, sharks, and certain inshore fish like kelp bass and grouper can be
seriously affected by indiscriminant sportfishing. I encourage readers to"Catch,
Photograph, and Release" (CPR) their fish, or find another way to
capture the moment.
One of the coolest alternatives I've seen is to have a custom Gyotaku
print made, instead of a photo. Gyotaku is the Japanese art of
taking an impression print from a real fish.
One of the modern masters of this art form is Naoki Hayashi, of
Kaneohe, Hawaii (http://gyotaku.com). Naoki is experienced with
both spear- and conventional- fishing tackle, and has a deep appreciation for
the fishing experience. He combines the original black-only ink print
with true-to-life colors to capture the essence of the fish in its natural
environment. He has a large library of stock prints available, and can
custom frame the print, with a shadow box containing the lure and leader used
in the catch. A beautiful and subtle way to relive a memorable
catch!
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