The European Tackle and Trade Association is up in arms over a new law taking place next year in Switzerland.  It has been reported that the Swiss government has passed a law that will take effect next year, that will force fisherman to kill every fish they catch immediately.  What this means is there will no longer be any catch and release fishing in the country.  They are also enforcing a ban on all live bait and any hooks with barbs on them. 

     Essentially this will end all catch and release fishing.  It will also decimate the fish population in that country.  No longer will a fisherman be able to throw a fish back!  It will either end fishing or force people to fish the waters out.  This will have an extreme impact on the reproduction of fish in their waters. 

     The law doesn’t mention specifically Catch and Release, which is the same as it is in Germany, but instead it says that it is illegal to go fishing with the intent of releasing the fish!  How can you enforce intent!  There is no way to read someone’s mind.  I guess these people had better just kill all fish caught.  The method of disposing of said fish according to their Swiss Parliment is: “with a sharp blow to the head with a blunt object”. 

     I can see nothing good coming from this one, this will do nothing but hurt the fishing in this country.  I’m not into fishing that much, but I do know that there are many good things that come from Catch and Release!  Hopefully the ETTA can try to impart some common sense on the Swiss government!