Spearfishing and diving and how to stay stafe

[Hatul]

I'm of the opinion that recreational scuba diving and spear hunting do not mix. It's a hazard to the diver, to those around him and to the marine life.

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This post and a number that follow have been split from a thread in Accidents and Incidents as they were more general in nature and did not speak specifically to the accident itself.

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[dumpsterDiver]

I'm of the opinion that recreational scuba diving and spear hunting do not mix. It's a hazard to the diver, to those around him and to the marine life.

I'm of the opinion that recreational scuba diving is a hazard to the diver, to those around him and to the marine life.

---------- Post added May 11th, 2012 at 10:52 PM ----------

 

[Scott L]

Why struggle with fish in the first place? Shoot, quickly affix a lift bag to the rear of the gun and let the top-side crew have fun wrangling/gaffing the catch, gun, & liftbag. More fun than a barrell of monkeys...

This spearfishing specific lift bag can be deployed in an instant with a large CO2 cartridge.

Spear Fishing Bouys Safety Sausage

 

[Hatul]

Thankfully we now have a legal ban on killing marine life here in Laguna Beach.

 

[Scott L]

Thankfully we now have a legal ban on killing marine life here in Laguna Beach.

Yes, the Vandenburg should be in a legal no-take zone. Why allow spearfishing to eliminate marine life on a major tourist destination when 98%+ came to see fish, as opposed to being in the cross-hairs of spear-fisherman who may or may not be dangerous to other divers in a highly traffic dive site?

 

[The Chairman]

It's a hazard to the //snip// marine life.

Ya think? That's the whole point of fishing!

I have no problems with peeps spearing on the Vandy. This is the only spearing related accident and it only hurt the shooter.

 

[waterpirate]

While I am sorry for the loss of any life, the tone of this thread is disturbing to me. diving is risky, undertaking task loading activities while diving increases the risk. We can not mitigate those risks through legislation or by harping on the low hanging fruit. Solo and spearing are the low hanging fruit that is being harped on here.

What we do everyday is a choice, and I choose not to interfere in other divers choices as I do not want any interfearances in my choices. Mutual acceptance of others, without the attached crap.
Eric

 

[ktomlinson]

I never really wanted to solo until I started spearing...if I'm down and other spear fisherman come to the area I'm hunting, they can have it, I'll get another area. I just do not trust random people with loaded spearguns.

 

[Scott L]

While I am sorry for the loss of any life, the tone of this thread is disturbing to me. diving is risky, undertaking task loading activities while diving increases the risk. We can not mitigate those risks through legislation or by harping on the low hanging fruit. Solo and spearing are the low hanging fruit that is being harped on here.

What we do everyday is a choice, and I choose not to interfere in other divers choices as I do not want any interfearances in my choices. Mutual acceptance of others, without the attached crap.
Eric

Key Largo and the Dry Tortugas curtail fishing/spearfishing in certain areas and all sportsman seem quite satisfied. I am a spear-fisherman myself, but would not do so on the Speigel Grove as a matter of respect to most divers who tend to conservation minded. I believe most of my peers feel the same...

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary - Marine Zones

 

[bleeb]

I'm not a spear fisher and I don't mean this to be a critical of the activity but would just like a better understanding of how those who do engage in it approach the particular risks and tradeoffs involved.

It seems like a significant fraction of spear fishers prefer diving alone. Maybe this is a misunderstanding, but it seems some of this is out of concern of being accidentally speared by a buddy if diving and spearing with one. However, this particular accident involved spear fishing in an area where there might be a lot of other divers in the area. It seems like there's a possibility of a bit of a contradiction here. Or is it something like it's not a significant hazard to other people in the general area because you're off in a separate area, and only a buddy would likely be routinely close enough to actually be at risk? Hoping the spear fishers can offer some thoughts or clarifications here.