The Brutal Cost Of No Fishing Regulation Enforcement…
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
I just got back from a 10-day trip to Croatia.
Beautiful country. Amazing people. Incredible food.
But when it comes to fishing… I was stunned. And not in a good way.
I fished, I talked to locals, I scuba dove… and I hardly saw a single decent fish.
Here’s what I learned 👇
Key Takeaways:
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No enforcement = few fish. Croatia has rules on paper, but no one’s checking catches or licenses.
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Overfishing has gutted the fishery. Trawling, nets, and no catch limits have devastated once-thriving waters.
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Contrast that with Florida. We get frustrated with regulations, but they’re why we still have fish to catch.
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Enforcement matters. The FWC and other agencies aren’t perfect, but they’re doing essential work to keep our fisheries alive.
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The future depends on us. Conservation, catch-and-release, respecting limits, and helping young people fall in love with fishing… it all adds up.
I’m now more grateful than ever for the rules we do have here—and the people working to enforce them.
Want To Help Protect Our Waters?
Insiders, join one of our local Salt Strong chapters! We do boots-on-the-ground conservation: Helping Salt Strong Alliance projects, shoreline cleanups, and more.
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Final Thought:
Croatia is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen… but seeing a legendary fishery decimated like that was a wake-up call.
Let’s make sure our kids and grandkids don’t grow up wondering where all the fish went.
Tight lines and God bless,
Joe Simonds
Salt Strong Cofounder
Related categories:
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Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Joe & Luke,
A little closer to home…Same Scenario…
We had a Condo in the Dominican Republic, North Coast, Cabarete for many years: The ocean saves the offshore species, but all the rivers are devoid of fish as there are many nets each evening Subsistance fish’n, They have Blue Crabs, a big one is 3″…No marine enforcement…And the highways are as Bad…
Enjoyed your report on Croatia fishing. It’s too bad that they lost so much of their fishing heritage through overfishing! I’m a boomer and started fishing with my Dad before I even went to school. Now I fish with my Granddaughter and Grandson when we can get together! They are young but already have their own opinions on what baits work best for them.
Great topic Joe. I personally really appreciate the conservation concerns Salt Strong promotes. I realize you may have to walk a fine line with some members, but keep up the good work. Like you I have been fortunate to travel the world, and have seen first hand how fortunate we are to be a country of laws.
When I was a kid in Alabama in the 50s and 60s all we caught In Perdido Bay was catfish and pinfish. There were almost no pelicans. After the 1960s we started to regulate gillnets and ban DDT. Now there are pelicans galore, ospreys, and a few gamefish. Still not a good fishery because we never replaced the seagrass we tore out in the 1950s ( the Florida side of the bay still has grass and speckled trout), BUT SO MUCH BETTER THAN IT WAS.
Your video reminded me of …”Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” Mark Twain
Has personal sustenance depleted their oceans? Or Commerce? Approximately 10% of our global population owns a fishing device. And couldn’t deplete 80% of a specie if they wanted to.
Global commerce is taking more than can be regenerated. And are surpassing the 30% safety mark at 1% yearly. Look at US Sardine Canneries if you want to see where this ends globally. How long can salt cured fish last?
That’s sad to hear but it’s happening far too often in certain countries.
Hawaii inshore is the same way, for the same reason. Not to be confused with the pelagics
I hear everyone rant about our regs, but I know what de regulation brings
Same in Trinidad&Tobago. My wife & I went to Tobago over 20 years ago. We are avid divers and went on a dive trip with a local provider. We found out why Flying Fish was the prominent fish on menus. While the reefs and other bottom features were nice and should have held fish and lobster, it was devoid of either. Having snorkeled the northern Fl Keys since being 13 in 1969 I was shocked at the lack of sea life.
Thanks for sharing your observations about availability of good fishing when not controlled. Few of us would be able to visit and view what you reported.
I took my 4 grandsons fishing to Galveston last Friday. I bought two quarts of shrimp and fixed a couple of rods with free line circle hooks and several with popping corks. It was their first time fishing salt water. They caught over 30 speckled trout, all undersized, release unharmed other than a sore lip fron the hook. They also caught redfish, croaker, whiting, gafftop, piggy perch, lady fish and a hugh sting ray, all released unhurt other than the sore lip.
Needless to say I took the opportunity to teach them the sport of fishing with the right equipment and catch & release to catch another day. When I pulled up to the dock we were met a the Texas Parks and Wildlife fish survey
team. The grandson proudly told the team when asked “how many fish they caught and kept”, they boasted a boatload and all were released to grow bigger.
I grew up fishing with treble hooks and killed many fish. I would back a regulation on the use of treble hooks. Salt Strong has done a fantastic job promoting single inline fishing plugs and promoting catch & release to do their part on fish conservation.