Another Spearing in Dania

[showboat]

What is wrong with our ocean patrol these days?? I went out to Ero Jacks in Dania yesterday morning with my partner Joni, and was having a great time untill she spotted a Nurse shark that was speared.. I tried to help getting it free, but the spear was thru its side and came out just below its mouth and I had no luck. Now its laying there waiting to die.. This has been on my mind all night and day today.. Then finding out today from my diveshop that a divemaster there has spotted a bull shark that was caught, gutted and left its head back in the ocean. Then also has told me that now both groupers at the Sea Emperor was speared and killed by some yahoo's....

I have heard that our shores are not as protected anymore and I also noticed on the jacks that the lobsters were also being grabbed before mini season... Has anyone also noticed that our dinners are being grabbed too early????

What can we do as a diving community do to have our ocean protected from these morons like it was before??? IE take away their boats, dive gears or homes as it was once before and now they are just getting a slap in the wrist!!!! All I heard was that there was a lot of cutbacks in having our ocean protected....

I just needed to get this off my chest and any feedback on how or what we can do would be appreciated...

 

[DennisS]

That really sucks that someone speared one of the nurse sharks on the jacks. They're probably related to the hunters up north that mistakenly shoot goats and cows. You can't legislate stupidity unfortunately.

 

[Divergirl4U]

This is terrible
I enjoyed looking for the sleeping nurse each time I dove the Jax

 

[OBXDIVEGUY]

Wow! That sux! I guess the best we can do is if you witness it, report 'em.

 

[ChillyWilly]

There are a lot of pricks out there that can care less about marine life, well just drive in south Florida and you will realize how much people care about eachother. People run pedestrians over and then take off!! whats wrong with that picture!!!
I'll never forget how people became very caring after september 11th, everyone suddenly became kind. Well it was good while it lasted, too bad that something really bad has to happen for people to care about each other.

At least there are still a few that do !!

Cheers friends!!

 

[Divergirl4U]

Cheers Willy

Sharks are becoming more and more endangered, a creature that has survived 100's or 1000's years before man is now becoming another species that we have wiped out. What trill is there in shooting a sleeping shark, so sad.

 

[drbill]

Good spearos are careful about what they shoot, know the size and bag limits and only target species they will eat. I buddy up with several of them/

However, there are so many bozos running around with newly purchased spears that have the attitude (as quoted directly from one I witnessed two years ago) "I'm going to kill something today." And that idiot and his four friends, also armed with new spears, did just that... killed fish that were of the wrong species, under legal size, etc. That included one 6" sheephead. All that after the captain, the DM and I each spent 10-15 min with them trying to get 5them to understand what they could take. I filmed several fish on the bottom dying of spear wounds that day as well.

 

[Kafer]

You will find idiots in all walks of life. To bad that these people will never learn.

 

[danvolker]

And don't forget fisherman...if you are going to even "consider" complaining about stupid spearfisherman, the damage they do is nearly impossible to measure when compared to the exponentially larger killing of fish by fisherman. Divers SHOULD know better....and if you witness something like the OP, it is your responsibility to say/do something. But for divers to whine about a speared fish, and completely ignore a fishing boat 100 yards away makes no sense to me at all.

 

[Orlando Eric]

I hate to do this to my brother officers but here is what you can do. Firstly understand that trying to catch and prosecute a BG who commited a misdemeanor is alot of work and a wild shot in the dark which most LEO's do not care to do when I can catch others in the act and it is a MUCH easier case.

#1) You see the BG committing a Misdeameanr offense. Pictures help, Video is better. Get a tag number, hull number something. Pictures of the people helps. This could put you in jeapordy of a butt kicking, hoever that is another misdemeanor charge they can face.

#2) When the BG leaves and the Po Po arrives you are going to get the soft sell of .. "they got away.. I'll see what I can do." Here is where you have to swallow hard step up and firmly yet politely insist on specically an offense report and the case number so you can follow up on the charges. You may get some serious attitude so be ready after the officer blows a gasket again ask calmly for the case number, in case you see them again and get more information.

#3) Now you have a crime committed. Suspects in the crime. And a LEO offense report. In a few days call the Department who took the report and ask for the investigator assigned to the case. Do not be surprised to get someone on the line who is reading the file for the first time and have no idea what you are talking about. Explain to them you are an avid Diver and memeber of a ecological group concerned about the wanton reckless killing of protected species around the ____ area which has recently started becoming rampant.

#4) If for any reason they person on the phone states the case is going to be suspended or sounds like it is not going to be looked into call the state attorney's office. Explain to them what you saw. Tell them you made a LEO report but it appears to you they are not going to take the crime seriously. Provide them with a case number. Tell them you are very serious about following through on this case and expect the leads to be followed through to the conclusion not stuck in a dead end file somewhere.

#5) Follow up on all of these things at least weekly. You are going to get voice mail a lot. They do listen to them and will more than likely not call you back. However shame on the jerk that gets caught red handed shooting protected fish in that area... they are going to get the unholy wrath of vegence for every call you made unleashed on them.

Personally I'd get your written statement. Submit the report and apply for a warrant for the bad guy.. but most 80% will not do that and will only respond to the above plan.

PS- Yes this will put you on the short list for "psycho dialers in this jurisdicition" and all the fun that goes with that, but if you love your fishes enough and really want something to happen this will work. Pictures of the peoples faces and a tag number is really the key to this resulting in an arrest.

Or INVITE a Sworn LEO to go on every dive with you. If we see a crime commited we can get them right there right now, do not pass go, go directly to jail and do not collect $500.00