I am relatively new to fishing tournaments and every tournament I have fished is a catch and release event which I support. Yet others may take the big ones away from the fishery. I know thats their right as long as they are licensed and the fish is within the limit and slot but morally is it the right thing to do. Is this a resource that can be sustained when this takes place too often? Just thinking out loud and gauging how most of you feel about this. I have seen numerous trolling arguments about this and that is not what Im after. Just an honest consensus from TFF navy.
There are management strategies that need to be considered. I don't eat fish, so I don't harvest. But, thinning the herd is needed to allow for full potential growth. Imagine a big girl who successfully conserves her energy having to compete against a ton of smaller fish.... There is a careful balance of taking some smaller fish to keep the big growth potential. They practice it in crappie fishing on fork with the 'must take' periods.
It is the same as planting for a harvest, one has to remove some of the seedlings.