Interesting point about fishing.

I'm surprised how many responsible fishermen are bitterly opposed to my proposed national Angler Education Course (AEC). Its entire focus is on humane catch and release, yet they turn downright ugly when I suggest a course designed to promote awareness for it.

These annual courses will be held at the nearest available YMCA or public swimming facilities for several weeks prior to the start of the summer's fishing season. The course itself is a very short class unit consisting of three separate parts.

Part one:
The applicant will be given a sandwich to eat, a sandwich that contains a large barbed hook. The applicant must succeed in jamming the hook into the roof of their mouth. If they do not, they fail the course since they "just aren't biting that day".

Part two:
A strong cable is attached to the eye of the hook and the applicant will be yanked into the water and then towed the length of the pool ten (10) times. This is necessary so that the applicant "fights the reel". Should either the hook rip out of the applicant's mouth or the cable snap during towing, the applicant fails the course since they were "one that got away".

Part three:
While underwater, the applicant will be hanged from the hook in their mouth while they are stretched out on a measuring board and photographed.

An administrator will then force some wire cutters into the applicant's mouth and clip the shank off. The hook will be absorbed "naturally into the roof of the mouth and should not interfere with eating after a short while".

The applicant will then be assisted out of the training pool. If the applicant drowns before then, they fail the course because they were "unsuccessfully returned to their natural habitat".

If the applicant passes all three parts of the AEC, they will be granted a recreational fishing license for that year's fishing season.

"I support humane catch and release fishing" boat stickers will be available for sale at all AEC testing sites.