The first time I fished I was 5 years old, it was during a vacation in Lecheria at my aunt's house. I remember I did it with a reel, I took out a crab and my cousin took out a boot, but we did not get any fish. Maybe the water channel in the back of the house was not the right place.

From there I continued fishing with my dad, my uncles and my grandfather, who taught me everything about sport fishing. Then I began to practice fishing selectively: underwater with a harpoon, mask, snorkel and clappers.

But beyond the techniques I learned to fish, my family taught me something very important, to respect and care for nature.

A fisherman's conscience

Being a child I learned about a law, and more than a law is human conscience. If we capture a species that has not yet reached its full formation, it is released. This is to preserve aquatic ecosystems, and allow them to develop fully.

The small fish represent the balance in the aquatic world, if we do not allow the fauna to reproduce we expose the species to extinction.

I know fishermen who catch fish even though they do not have the right size, just because they see them as food, but I believe we must respect the cycles of nature and allow the ecological balance to maintain harmony on earth.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Law of Venezuela encourages Responsible fisheries and defines it as the capture and aquaculture practice that is not harmful to ecosystems, resources or their quality.

They specify that Sport Fishing is only intended to capture certain species in permitted areas. This regulation aims to avoid incidental catches that affect natural resources.

For example, fry fishing (small fish and small size) is prohibited in this country, but it is in the fisherman's conscience whether to comply or not.

In each country there are laws that regulate fishing and in each country they specify the fish and the sizes allowed for their capture.

Experience

In Venezuela they fish for food, due to the serious economic situation that my country faces here, people do not waste any fish, but although life here is difficult I keep my word to respect nature.

At 26 years old I continue fishing, I do it on weekends thanks to the fact that I live very close to the beach, and I do it because I like it, because it leaves me a reward, distracts me and takes me out of the routine.

To fish you have to connect with the sea, feel the vibration of water through nylon, learn to recognize the subtle movement of a fish, and I love the feeling of finally catching one, but I like to go home knowing that it does not matter if I did not get the fish I wanted, but I helped maintain balance in nature so I could maybe get another day.

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In my next posts I will share more about the incredible world of fishing. Thanks Steemit! 🐟

(The photographs were captured with a Canon T2i camera on the banks of the Unare River in Anzoategui state).