# Does Obama Want To Ban Sportfishing?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [March 11, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152 "2010-03-11T20:23:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/1 "2010-03-11T20:23:40Z")
I frequent a lot of fishing forums and these rumors started to pop up a while ago. Checking up on it again today, and it seems like Rush has also jumped on in this controversy.
[Here’s the article that started it all.](http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/saltwater/news/story?id=4975762)
I’m not interested in taking part of the debate myself, but I do want to see what you guys think.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/2 "2010-03-11T20:32:11Z")
First off, examine what Rush says. Then, create in your imagination the direct, polar opposite of what Rush says. In all likelihood, that is the truth.
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### Author:  [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/3 "2010-03-11T20:46:17Z")
Reading the article, all I get is that there was a public input period, and it’s over. I can’t tell if there was a date set in advance and that date happened to pass, or if one day the NOAA just announced “OK, public input is over as of…now.” I see no evidence that the administration is actually planning on implementing any of the recommendations of the tree hugging organizations mentioned in the article, just fears from the sports fishing industry that they will.
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### Author:  [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/4 "2010-03-11T20:55:43Z")
This seems incredibly paranoid. While I can picture some limits being set on commercial fishing in the ocean, I’m sure that Obama doesn’t give a crap about recreational freshwater fishing. Further, all I see is that a federal agency has ended public input, followed by a bunch of hyperventilating. I don’t see any connection to Obama, other than the fact that this is the federal government acting. Banning sportfishing would make a bunch of people mad, screw with the economy, and provide little or no tangible benefit to anyone (including the fish). Therefore, I’ll eat my hat if _Obama_ bans sportfishing.
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### Author:  [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/5 "2010-03-11T20:59:49Z")
> [@elucidator](#):
>
> First off, examine what Rush says. Then, create in your imagination the direct, polar opposite of what Rush says. In all likelihood, that is the truth.
I mentioned Rush to show how “big” the story gotten. These types of stories usually don’t leave the die-hard fishing community.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/6 "2010-03-11T21:52:32Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#):
>
> [Here’s the article that started it all.](http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/saltwater/news/story?id=4975762)
This is part and parcel of the RNC election strategy being fitfully discussed in this thread, when bullshit healthcare hijacks are not allowed to dominate:
[Document exposes what the RNC really thinks of its donors, admits to using “fear.”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=554616)
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/7 "2010-03-11T21:52:53Z")
Generally, the POTUS concerns himself with issues of this magnitude. In the past, Kennedy was obsessed with the number of bird feeders in back yards and Roosevelt was very concerned about the emergence of canister vacuums. It explains why even today it’s difficult to find a “Y” bag for many models, and the whole “oiled vs unoiled” sunflower seed controversy.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/8 "2010-03-11T22:33:56Z")
He’s not going to ban sportfishing. That is, not until he takes away everyone’s guns first. Sheesh. Can’t those guys get Obama’s priorities straight?
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/9 "2010-03-11T22:37:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> He’s not going to ban sportfishing. That is, not until he takes away everyone’s guns first. Sheesh. Can’t those guys get Obama’s priorities straight?
I forget, is that before or after the mandatory baptism of all infants into the Islamofascist Church?
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### Author:  [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/10 "2010-03-11T22:39:22Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> He’s not going to ban sportfishing. That is, not until he takes away everyone’s guns first. Sheesh. Can’t those guys get Obama’s priorities straight?
😛
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/11 "2010-03-11T22:42:57Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> …and the whole “oiled vs unoiled” sunflower seed controversy.
One cannot help but notice how carefully you evade any actual position on the issue, a common tactic amongst closeted “oilers”. We are not fooled.
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### Author:  [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/12 "2010-03-11T23:13:07Z")
This is already on Snopes: [http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/fishingban.asp](http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/fishingban.asp)
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### Author:  [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/13 "2010-03-11T23:22:56Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#):
>
> I mentioned Rush to show how “big” the story gotten. These types of stories usually don’t leave the die-hard fishing community.
It’s SO big, that until Rush broke the story, there was no story? 😃
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### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/14 "2010-03-11T23:25:47Z")
> [@Manduck](#):
>
> This is already on Snopes: [Recreational Fishing Ban | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/fishingban.asp)
It’s amusing that just over one year of the Obama presidency has [generated twice as many items](http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/obama.asp) to be refuted on Snopes as [eight years of George W. Bush](http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/bush.asp). It’s going to be a busy time at Snopes for the next three to seven years.
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### Author:  [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/15 "2010-03-11T23:33:13Z")
> [@SteveG1](#):
>
> It’s SO big, that until Rush broke the story, there was no story? 😃
Glen Beck too!
Just sayin, a thousand angry fisherman knowing about a story is a lot less than his audience. I think most of the major newspapers have covered the story as well.
I could link to some of the threads but it’s a bit of bad form to link to other forums IMO.
It’s just interesting how it even got to this point. I like AppleCider’s use of “hyperventilating.” It seems to describe it perfectly.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/16 "2010-03-12T00:03:11Z")
We all need to rush out to our local sporting goods store and stock up on lures and rods so that when the ban goes into place we won’t be caught. . .ummmm. . .hmmm.
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### Author:  [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/17 "2010-03-12T00:05:42Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> We all need to rush out to our local sporting goods store and stock up on lures and rods so that when the ban goes into place we won’t be caught. . .ummmm. . .hmmm.
One step ahead of you! 😃
[(10 Things You Paid For Thread)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12210917#post12210917)
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### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/18 "2010-03-12T00:14:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> We all need to rush out to our local sporting goods store and stock up on lures and rods so that when the ban goes into place we won’t be caught. . .ummmm. . .hmmm.
Hmmm indeed,
> [@](#):
>
> … “When the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) completed their successful campaign to convince the Ontario government to end one of the best scientifically managed big-game hunts in North America (spring bear), the results of their agenda had severe economic impacts on small family businesses and the tourism economy of communities across northern and central Ontario,” said Phil Morlock, director of environmental affairs for Shimano. …
> [@](#):
>
> [**Feds to 60 Million American Anglers: We don’t need you**](http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/articles/feds_to_60_million.html)
>
> IRVINE, Calif. USA – October 5, 2009 – A recently published administration document outlines a structure that could result in closures of sport fishing in salt and freshwater areas across America. The White House created an Interagency Oceans Policy Task Force in June and gave them only 90 days to develop a comprehensive federal policy for all U.S. coastal, ocean and Great Lakes waters. Under the guise of ‘protecting’ these areas, the current second phase of the Task Force direction is to develop zoning which may permanently close vast areas of fishing waters nationwide. This is to be completed by December 9, 2009.
>
> Dave Pfeiffer, President of Shimano American Corporation explained, “In spite of extensive submissions from the recreational fishing community to the Task Force in person and in writing, they failed to include any mention of the over one million jobs or the 6o million anglers which may be affected by the new policies coast to coast. Input from the environmental groups who want to put us off the water was adopted into the report verbatim – the key points we submitted as an industry were ignored.” …
> [@](#):
>
> [Shimano](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimano), Inc. is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of cycling components, fishing tackle, and snowboarding equipment. …
CMC fnord!
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/19 "2010-03-12T00:38:46Z")
Ya know, when I saw “Shimano” in the ESPN article, without a qualifier as to who or what Shimano was, I had to stop and scratch my head.
“Aren’t those the guys who make bicycle parts?” I asked myself. “Why do they care about fishing?”
Then I remembered seeing their name in ads in my kayaking mags. So I guess they have a stake in this, but: why is it such a big deal?
Even if it happens, all they have to do is spend money like crazy next election cycle, and then this fine Japanese company can get the elected officials they want. Once they have their candidates in office, they can just write new legislation to suit themselves.
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### Author:  [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-want-to-ban-sportfishing/532152/20 "2010-03-12T01:55:56Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#):
>
> Glen Beck too!
>
> Just sayin, a thousand angry fisherman knowing about a story is a lot less than his audience. I think most of the major newspapers have covered the story as well.
>
> I could link to some of the threads but it’s a bit of bad form to link to other forums IMO.
>
> It’s just interesting how it even got to this point. I like AppleCider’s use of “hyperventilating.” It seems to describe it perfectly.
I like to fish myself. I’ve been bass fishing, rainbow trout, striper (the real ones off Long Island - not those lake runts), bluefish, surf, etc. I fly fih, baitcast, built my own 12 foot one piece surf pole with a Penn Squidder reall. I’m pretty “devout”. And I had no inkling of the magnitude of this, the clear and present danger to all that we hold dear.
So, I would guess it’s a nonsense story.
Actually it’s pretty damn sad if this is all the “loyal” opposition can come up with to drum up outrage. Well no, it’s pretty pathetic.
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