Turtle speared

[chillyinCanada]

Sea turtle found with long spear in its neck

Sea turtle found with long spear in its neck - CNN Video

This thread also addresses this incident if you'd like to see more information.

Sea Turtle Shot In Neck With 3-Foot Spear

 

[CuzzA]

Sea turtle found with long spear in its neck

Sea turtle found with long spear in its neck - CNN Video

This thread also addresses this incident if you'd like to see more information.

Sea Turtle Shot In Neck With 3-Foot Spear

Unfortunately a lot of cultures eat sea turtles, especially around the Caribbean and in Cuba. Despite the turtle being found off the Keys, I'd bet my bottom dollar it wasn't an American who shot it. There's a lot of poachers in S. Florida, many are immigrants who are apathetic or ignorant to fishing regulations.

The shaft is also not a common shaft that would be shot from a typical speargun. Looks more like some sort of harpoon cobbled together with rope rather than line and a crab trap buoy rather than a typical spearfishing float.

 

[chillyinCanada]

The spear shown still has the casing on it that the vet surgeon used to be able to protect the turtle as the spear was removed.

 

[caydiver]

Not sure how we can surmise the jerk who shot it wasn’t American Regardless I hope karma comes right back at them.

 

[CuzzA]

The spear shown still has the casing on it that the vet surgeon used to be able to protect the turtle as the spear was removed.

They probably slide a sleeve over the spear to capture the barb so it could be removed. I am only speculating, but a typical speargun has a thin shooting line, maybe an 1/8" thick, not a twisted rope. This connection is made with a slide ring or shark fin tabs. The line connection in the photo just doesn't look like anything I've seen from a typical speargun. The shaft looks like it is from a pneumatic gun, not a band gun.

 

[CuzzA]

Not sure how we can surmise the jerk who shot it wasn’t American Regardless I hope karma comes right back at them.

It's a logical hypothesis because how many American's have you met, known or heard of eating sea turtles? None. Americans don't eat sea turtles. It's not on anyone's menu and they've never been raised to consider them as food. Then compare that with the fact many Caribbean nations do eat sea turtles.

In other words, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, well, it's likely a duck.

 

[caydiver]

Don’t know about ducks but do know that not everyone who hunts,American or not, does it to feed their family.
Cecil the lion's killer revealed as American dentist

 

[Caveeagle]

Don’t know about ducks but do know that not everyone who hunts,American or not, does it to feed their family.
Cecil the lion's killer revealed as American dentist

That may be true. However at least for now, trophy hunting has not been common with divers that I have met, or heard about. And NO dive charter I have ever met would tolerate this.

 

[Kharon]

+1 on Karma.