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Switzerland Bans Catch-And-Release Fishing
Switzerland Says Kill Your Catch

From Jim Shepherd, The Fishing Wire, for About.com
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."



On a related note recently the Swiss bank UBS just recently employed the same "kill the catch immediatly" when they released the names of US customers to the IRS.

that would result in tons of dead bluefish out here.... you cant have that policy and size restrictions.........total lunacy.

Could the US be next?
Resounding NO.
Catch and Relaese practices have been in practice for too long with concrete evidence of their effectiveness on many levels. Perhaps the most beneficial of which is sustaining fish stocks, thereby providing healthy populations enabling future anglers to enjoy these fish, and consequently involving them in conservation efforts to preserve the future of the fishery.
On the other hand, there are some instances designated as C&R only... which should be revised. Sustainable harvest is a good thing... if done correctly.

This anti c&r law seems like classic passive aggressive behavior from PETA types... I can hear it now...You know:
" If you're going to continue to pursue & cause harm to these poor defenseless lovable creatures, you may as well kill every fish. The damage done to these creatures, on the physical, mental, and emotional level from luring them to eat with the promise of their favorite meal, then piercing their flesh with a barbed hook, forcing them to fight for their lives until exhausted, and lastly removing them from their environment for the selfish goal of souvenier photo taking and invasive molestation, is irreversable to these fish. The damage is done and they cannot recover. Every fish caught is given a great disservice if it is not immediatley killed"

The law presently exists and is enforced in Germany.

Typical eurotrash booshat. The sad part is that the anti-commercial faction here in the US, most notably the idiots at gripers forever, are essentially the same ppl on the opposite side...

CMP

We may be fishing for subsistence before long if they don't make some changes in this country!

folks out here survived the depression mostly with clams and what they could grow . i was reading last week about a guy who survived a week eating dandelion greens.

I saw a show last weekend on ESPN regarding a group of anglers that fished a particular lake, (I don't remember the location), searching for a record largemouth bass. They ended up landing, weighing, and releasing a 21lb 4oz largemouth bass. I believe it came in one pound shy of the world record.

The following year, this same group, fished the same location on the same lake and managed to foul hook the same exact largemouth. They were able to identify it by a black dot on her gills, and affectionately named her "Dottie" after releasing her the first time. "Dottie" was again landed and brought to port for a weigh in, and she tipped the scale at 25lbs 5 oz. Because she was foul hooked she was not eligible for a record. She was again released. Near the end of that season, the report of a "floater" on that lake came in, and the anglers went to investigate and sure enough, "Dottie" had died of natural causes. She wasn't quite her previous 25+ lb mark, but still weighed in over the existing record.

So much for harming the animals with catch and release!!

Given the choice of keep or release, one is a sure thing. Keep is dead. Fishing can provide the thrill of hunting without the kill if you so choose. I've grown to the point where I believe that the smaller ones are better to eat, and the bigger ones will reproduce sooner if released. Given what I have seen over 60 years of fishing, the waters are much improved but the fishing is much diminished. The only way it's going to get better is if there is a higher reproduction rate and a lower kill rate. We can get into a long discussion about the commercial fishing establishment, but each of our personal choices count, too. I make mine based on the needs of the day. I'm the one that has to clean them. Walter

who survived a week eating dandelion greens

As a kid in the summer I helped my mom pick dandelion leaves from the yard for salad. It was a summer staple.

Just had to watch for where the dog had been.



Hard to get the fish to reproduce more when the fish habitats and spawning areas are constantly interrupted by commercial fishing especially those who disregard sensible catch quotas.

One good thing about the economy I've begun to realize in a number of areas is the lack of spendable cash will curtail the need for hugh quantities of fish and the price at the wholesale level should drop to the point that many will not fish and allow the sea to recover.

The problem that other countires have is the lack of food to feed their people like china, N Korea and the such and the sea has always provided the Asian nations with sustainance. They could and do remain a problem.

I hate to see the laws and regulations but lets face it, most of us here are responsible and don't take more than we need to live. But like the slaughter of the buffalo, many will kill till theres no more and then move on to the next species.

Under the current administration I would not be surprised at anything.