Disregarding if it is legal or not, do you feel that it is ethical to clean fish at a public access point and leaving the waste

[ozark_ghost]

Disregarding if it is legal or not, do you feel that it is ethical to clean fish at a public access point and leaving the waste in the water at the edge of the river/lake?

[JM]

-Every public fish cleaning station I remember using has had a slide/drain that goes straight into the water. Whenever it is possible I throw the fish in the cooler and clean them once I get home. When cleaning fish at home I either toss the guts/carcass in the woods far from the house(to avoid any smell), use it for bait during trapping season, or freeze it and bring it to a dumpster on the day they pick it up. I never throw the fish back into the lake on our farm pond due to always being told that it only benefits the turtles(which I do not really want to begin with).

[pineywoods]

If it's a river with a current to disperse the offal to the scavengers, I'd throw it in, but not if it all went to the same place to sit there and decay. These days, nearly all my fishing is done from a long pier in the Gulf and all guts and carcasses go over the side for the sharks, crabs and hardhead catfish---no problems.

[makenziesch]

Yes and it helps.

[huntfishtrap]

On a river yes, on a lake or pond no. If on a river, the current will take it away, and scavengers downstream will make use of the offal. When on a lake or pond, I usually take the fish home to clean them.

[ozark_ghost]

Let me clarify a little. The situation arose at a public access on a slow moving trout stream where there is only a boat ramp and no other facilities. The current is not strong enough to disperse the offal down stream so it just sits by the shore until it decays or is eaten by snakes or turtles.

[Gary Devine]

I would not stink up a public area with fish remains.
How would you like to take your wife and kids fishing with that rotten fish odor still lingering in the air because some selfish person contaminated the area ?

[6phunter]

The old adage goes way back, leave it the way you found it.Clean up your own messes leave no evidence that you were ever there.

[officerdom1987]

I was also told to bring a plastic bag with me put entrails inside of it, and dress then on the truck bed. I was taught not to dress the fish by the river, not only because it's courteous to you and other fishermen, but if the fish slides out of your hand, your losing the fish and stabbing your thumb with a knife.