Too bad a lot of anglers think about their own interests over the entire salmon stocks. Then proceed to point the finger at other groups for the "blame".
Serious question, as I agree with you to a point. Do you honestly believe that if all sport fishing was stopped tomorrow, but every thing else was to stay the same, that fish stocks would recover?
If the only issue facing salmon was the sporties then there would be no conservation concerns. In my personal experience many, many anglers are actively trying to improve their plight. The same can not be said for many of the other threats facing them. To place the blame on us is unjust.
Earlier there was a post about the diversity of Anglers. I agree, but that is not to disparage others.
A person can walk to the river, floss his two fish and then leave. A different person can jig for pinks and catch 20, drag them on the beach, kick them back in the water and then post on here about his day and be praised while the if the flosser did that he would be ridiculed. A person who only drives to Hope to catch a few salmon then complains about the FNs, the poor regulations, and mismanagement of the DFO is some how worse than the guy who drives past all of these issues on his way to 100 mile house (if you want trout the fishing is better, if you want variety continue to Prince George). The examples are too numerous to mentions, but you get the point. I fear the day when I will not be able to fish anymore will come soon, not in the name of conservation but because anglers themselves demanded it.