Conservation Concerns: Measuring Up

By C.M. 'Rip' Cunningham

Measuring Up
A newly-proposed “Record by Length” category in the IGFA’s
Record Book could help conserve fish and promote the catch
and release concept world-wide as well.

Fishermen are known to be conservative by nature. While change is not easy, there is something in the conservative’s nature that resists new and different ideas even more. In many instances, though, when change is fully explained and understood it is embraced as a good thing.

In the last few years, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) has gone through such a transition. Several years ago, the Conservation Committee of the IGFA was urged by well-known marine artist Guy Harvey, and Bill Shedd of AFTCO Fishing Tackle, to consider a “record by length” category in addition to the existing World Record categories (measured by weight) that have been administered by the IFGA for many years. This idea has worked its way from the Conservation Committee up to the Board of Trustees, getting vetted along the way.

At the end of the summer of 2005, the idea was floated to the International Committee of Representatives, on which I serve and is how I became acquainted with this potential new program. It would be safe to say that after the request for comments went out, none of the International Representatives with e-mail access were at a loss for reading material. The response seemed to fall into two categories, love and hate. Captain Peter Wright, noted big game captain, wrote, “I think this is a Pandora’s box that probably should not be opened.” On the other hand, Darrell Ticehurst, a Representative from California, felt strongly that “any program that encourages the release of fish must help our image in an increasingly ‘green’ environment.” At this writing, it appears that the proponents have won the day and justifiably so. However, the program has not seen a public rollout and there is one major reason. The hold-up is the proper measuring device, which has to be accurate, user-friendly and most of all, fishfriendly. Over the years, the IGFA has maintained its integrity by being detail-oriented. As official keeper of the World Records, anglers would expect nothing less. Rob Kramer, President of IGFA, put it succinctly, “We have to get this right. It is more that just a record category, it is promoting good fish handling practices.”

Record and Release
The basis of the new record category is to allow an angler the opportunity to establish a new record for certain species by measuring a fish at the site of the catch and then releasing it alive. For 60-plus years the IGFA has promoted angler ethics and recorded angler achievement with unquestionable integrity and authority. This new record category is designed to build on that history and to promote angler achievement while promoting conservation on a worldwide scale.

This new category is likely to be called the All-Tackle Length Record category. It will be for both fresh and salt water fish, but will not include the bigger and hard-to-handle species such as sharks and billfish. Also, the program has been designed to have only one tackle category, not line classes.

At the time the proposed new record category went semi-public to the Representatives, there was a great deal of concern that it would replace or at least undermine the existing records, and by doing so have a deleterious effect on the integrity built up by the IGFA over the years. First, this new category was never meant to supplant the existing record categories. It was envisioned as a way to build the image of the IGFA as an organization interested in and actively promoting conservation and good fishing practices. In the UnitedStates., the concept of “catch and release” is well established and accepted. There are also a growing number of World Records that have been weighed and released alive. That is not the case in the rest of the world. Jose “Pepe” Anton, IGFA Board member from Ecuador, put it bluntly, “In my country, and all around the world, anglers will release more of their catch simply because the IGFA sanctioned a release category and established guidelines on how to properly handle and release fish.”

Lots of Feedback
Conservation Committee members listened to the concerns of those they asked for input and did a good job of trying to incorporate as much of the feedback as possible. One of the big concerns was the ability to accurately measure fish so that measurements reflected a straight line, not a longer curved line of the actual fish. This concern led to eliminating the larger species and also led to the effort to develop a certified measuring device. If a device proves out, it will be the only allowed means of measuring for the program and in the beginning may well be a limiting factor for participation.

Several different devices have been tested, by staff, board members and others, but most have fallen short of what is necessary for ease of use and for fish friendly characteristics. More recently, Conservation Committee members Bill Shedd and Neil Patrick came across a product distributed by Shimano in Australia called a Brag Mat. The IGFA is now working on modifying this product or manufacturing something similar. It is likely that this will be the basis for an acceptable measuring device. More will be known shortly.

It goes without saying that accurate measurement will be critical for this program, and the record application process will require a photograph of the fish on the measuring device. This, too, may present some problems such as a lens that can take in the entire fish in one shot. We know nothing is impossible, some things merely take a little more time. If one thinks back over the history of the IGFA and the World Record process, there has been a great deal of evolution. That will be the same with this program. It is a good idea that will change and grow with experience and time. It is not unlikely that in the near future a camera will be available that can take a photo and measure the object of that photo very accurately. A technology change like that would be a real boost to this type of program.

Promotes Handling Tactics

While promoting catch and release is a worthy objective, Bill Shedd has also felt that this new program will encourage the IGFA to assemble all the information available on the techniques of releasing fish. What works on one species may be harmful to another. This information could then be packaged in video and print formats for distribution to the fishing public around the world. The IGFA may also develop the capability of testing out new release devices to see just how well they work.

This information is currently scattered throughout the fishing world and very inefficiently disseminated. Good release technique starts with the type of hook used and progresses to handling, as well as procedures for returning fish to the depths. The critical point is that it helps anglers become an active part of sustainable fishing practices and ensures the future of fish and anglers alike.

While some are still skeptical, with good reason, and concerned that this new program will promote cheating, it is not a radical departure from historic practices. All of the same angling rules that have been in place will remain. Formal application procedure will have to be followed. Will someone attempt to cheat? Undoubtedly, the answer is yes. But there have been attempts at cheating with the current World Record categories and the system has rooted out most of them.

This is not exactly a radical change on the order of Major League Baseball allowing aluminum or corked bats, but it is a change and it will be resisted. In the long run it has the potential to promote better angling practices and to recognize angler achievement. It also promotes sustainability of our valuable marine resources. This is exactly what the IGFA has done for a long time and will hopefully continue to do well into the future.