KidsFish - Teaching Kids to Fish Ethically

Teaching Kids to Fish Ethically

The most important thing to consider is that kids are the future fishing. The way people will or will not fish in the future will be a direct result of the way kids are taught how to fish.

We as fisher-persons have to determine how much we value fishing. To determine this value we have to look at what fishing has done to our lives. Has fishing helped in family bonding, such as a father and a son or a mother and a daughter? Are you more relaxed after fishing? Once determine this, we have placed a value on fishing. If we love fishing, we should do everything we can to preserve this spectacular sport. One of the most important things is pass on our knowledge to the future generations. As with anything else in life, it has to be done in a manor so that the outcome is the way we want it to be.

What does the word ethically have to do with teaching kids how to fish? In this day and age the word ‘ethically’ has many meanings and this depends on how the word is used. What ethically means to fishing is to have a respect for the the sport and the people who take part in fishing. Once your have a respect for the sport all of the ethics of fishing will fall into place. In fishing we will use the word ethical to describe the way we want fishing to be. The accepted standards that we want fishing to conform to. These standards are a code of ethics. Fishing has to have ethics to protect the sport, not just from other people that do not think fishing should be allowed but ourselves as well. This is as far as I am going to discuss this, because there can be several books written on the pros and cons of fishing ethics. Besides as with anything that has ethics, There are always two sides. This is my side.

	Treat everything with more respect that you would like something of yours treated. After all it is yours.

	Respect everyone's right to fish.

	Always give more back to the sport than you get out of it.

	Respect all of the rules and regulations of the sport, they are there to protect the sport.

	If you think of a way to enhance the sport or something needs to change, speak up. This is how ethics become more effective.

	If you have a camera, bring it. Take a couple of pictures, great for show and tell.

There are more, but this just about covers it. This is how to teach a kid to fish ethically and not a political discussion. But if someone has any insight, please e-mail us at: kidsfish@pafweb.com

I am not a child psychologist and this is just my belief from my experiences with my own children. One thing I do know is that children do learn from the power of example. To teach a child to fish ethically we must fish ethically. None of this ‘do as I say not as I do’. This is because the child will do as you say in front of you. But always in the back of there mind there is a seed, ‘it was o.k. for my teacher to do it’.

What if a kid wants to eat a fish the he/she has caught? This should be encouraged as long as it does not go against your family values or heath risks (are the local fish o.k. for children to eat?).

We must remember that when teach a kids how to fish, we are making the future of fishing.

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