Spearfishing with scuba

[SkipperJohn]

I'm not trying to be funny but spearfishing like hunting is not a sport and there is nothing sporting about it. For me it is grocery shopping.You would be amazed at the money I save in a year with a family of five.

 

[captain]

I would guess you could consider spearfishing a sport when it evolves participating in a tournament with other spearfishermen.

 

[Coll]

First, let me say, this thread has been very informative. I'm not a fisher/hunter of any sort but I did find it interesting comparing hook and line fishing to spearfishing in regards to the guesswork involved with H&S fishing, resulting in killing more fish. This thread, if anything has educated me as to what spearfishing really is and how many people use it as a way to feed themselves. I admire people that take the time and spend the money to go harvest their own food. That being said, it's exhausting to hear this "holier than thou" attitude from people who kill their own dinners. I think it is very cool that you eat something you caught that day, and I'm jealous because it's fresher, cheaper and probably tastes better. However, don't look down your nose at me because I don't take a spear gun on my dives, honestly, I don't do it because I can't afford more gear and I have a pretty healthy fear that I will spear myself in the leg. I think it is great that you catch your food but don't judge me for my style of hunting which involves matching coupons to items I enjoy eating. I do consider myself an environmentalist and only eat what Seafood Watch Cards tell me to... usually. I agree that commercial fishing is the biggest butcher to the oceans but really, I just wanted to say, just because you can shoot something does not mean you have more of a right to eat it than I do. I simply rely on other people to shoot things for me so that I don't have to do the work myself. Is that lazy? Perhaps. I also don't make my own paper, I let other people cut down trees but I do use as little paper as possible. Just because we don't don't go out and catch us some meat, does not mean that we aren't all on the same side -- people who love the environment and want to protect it. Some people are just more avid than others.

 

[SactoMitch]

Wow, interesting thread!

First off, I do use SCUBA to spearfish as well as occassionally freedive depending on conditions.
Where I live visibility is usually 10-15', water temp is 50º and very kelpy. It is pretty frustrating not being able to see the bottom in 15' or more of water let alone wearing a 7mm wetsuit - not the most favorable diving conditions while "looking" for fish.

As stated previously, most people who SCUBA do not spearfish, and the small percentage that do, do not get have the ability to do it on a daily basis where you would be depleting or damaging the ocean. Like hunters, fisherman pay for a fishing license which a portion goes to a certain wildlife fund, DFG, conservation etc. Also, taxes that hunters pay for bullets (not a "land" hunter myself) goes towards conservation of their lands. While most people chastise land hunters (deer, fowl) they contribute millions towards conservation efforts every year.

DFG take surveys and make take regulations state by state for good reasons. And I am pretty sure they do not even consider SCUBA divers as a threat and do not put them into their equation.

Also stated is that most who use SCUBA got into the "sport" for a LOVE and RESPECT for the ocean and go back to traditional hunter and gathering methods to live off the land once in a while. I don't go down with a "must shoot something" attitude and only shoot what I need - no more.

Yes, it is sporting and should not be "outlawed". Anytime you gear up, pay your license fee, surface swim a quarter mile in Neptunes unpredictable forecast, dive in shark filled waters while chumming with a few fish attached to your waist seems pretty sporting to me!

 

[peterbj7]

I haven't read this thread, but just want to mention that spear fishing with scuba is illegal in Belize. With snorkelling or free diving it's OK, though it's rarely practised.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

As stated previously, most people who SCUBA do not spearfish, and the small percentage that do, do not get have the ability to do it on a daily basis where you would be depleting or damaging the ocean. Like hunters, fisherman pay for a fishing license which a portion goes to a certain wildlife fund, DFG, conservation etc.

There is no such thing as a fishing license in Hawaii. Many spearfisher's in Hawaii do have the ability to do it on a daily basis, including some scuba spearo's.

DFG take surveys and make take regulations state by state for good reasons. And I am pretty sure they do not even consider SCUBA divers as a threat and do not put them into their equation.

In Hawaii scuba hunters are in the equation, and if you were in charge of maintaining the spiny lobster population you would consider scuba divers as a threat.

Also stated is that most who use SCUBA got into the "sport" for a LOVE and RESPECT for the ocean and go back to traditional hunter and gathering methods to live off the land once in a while. I don't go down with a "must shoot something" attitude and only shoot what I need - no more.

So you think "most" scuba divers "go back to traditional hunter and gathering methods to live off the land once in a while", leading me to wonder how many scuba divers you know?

Yes, it is sporting and should not be "outlawed". Anytime you gear up, pay your license fee, surface swim a quarter mile in Neptunes unpredictable forecast, dive in shark filled waters while chumming with a few fish attached to your waist seems pretty sporting to me!

I now work a dive site that has scuba spearo's on a weekly basis. A couple weeks ago I was conducting an AOW Naturalist dive with these spearo's on the same site. I was avoiding them to the best of my ability, until I came across a speared convict tang on the bottom. Now enraged, I swam to the nearest murderer and wrote on my slate "are you just here to kill?" He took my slate and replied "chumming for popio."

Seems pretty sporting to me as well!

When I related this to my employer, along with the address of the spearo's who I saw return home after the dive, the boss said "is it Sunday?" So now I know, Mala Wharf is not on my site list on Sundays, and not all scuba spearo's are conservationist sportsmen.

Too many of the replies to this thread are made with blinders on. This is not the "kelp divers" forum, this is the "world wide" forum, and not everywhere is exactly like your murky backyard. Being responsible many times requires seeing the whole ocean rather than just the kelp forest.

 

[Wayward Son]

I dunno, I tend to not think of it as a sport. But then when I shoot a decent sized greater amberjack or barracuda & have to subdue it, it gets "sporty" rather fast, LOL

 

[SkipperJohn]

Why is identifying it as a sport an issue? If not a sport then what?
I have often wondered why Texas Hold'em is on ESPN. Does participating in a sport make you an athlete? if so, then who wants to tell the 300lb+ golfers out there? Or how about darts players?
Sport or not, it's an activity and I don't think spear fishing has any possibility of depleting any ocean as indicated by someone above. Also, another poster said hook and line fishermen, not being able to pick and chose "kill" more fish. No, they hook more fish. But most responsible fishermen release most of what they catch if not by law then by choice. On my boat we release well over 80% of our catch on any given day. Hmm... Is that sporting?

 

[Air On]

There is no such thing as a fishing license in Hawaii. Many spearfisher's in Hawaii do have the ability to do it on a daily basis, including some scuba spearo's.



In Hawaii scuba hunters are in the equation, and if you were in charge of maintaining the spiny lobster population you would consider scuba divers as a threat.



So you think "most" scuba divers "go back to traditional hunter and gathering methods to live off the land once in a while", leading me to wonder how many scuba divers you know?



I now work a dive site that has scuba spearo's on a weekly basis. A couple weeks ago I was conducting an AOW Naturalist dive with these spearo's on the same site. I was avoiding them to the best of my ability, until I came across a speared convict tang on the bottom. Now enraged, I swam to the nearest murderer and wrote on my slate "are you just here to kill?" He took my slate and replied "chumming for popio."

Seems pretty sporting to me as well!

When I related this to my employer, along with the address of the spearo's who I saw return home after the dive, the boss said "is it Sunday?" So now I know, Mala Wharf is not on my site list on Sundays, and not all scuba spearo's are conservationist sportsmen.

Too many of the replies to this thread are made with blinders on. This is not the "kelp divers" forum, this is the "world wide" forum, and not everywhere is exactly like your murky backyard. Being responsible many times requires seeing the whole ocean rather than just the kelp forest.

If they don't have a fishing lisense requirments... then go participate in things and get one passed.

So a fraction of the population who hand catch the lobsters are making a worse impact then commercial crab boats with bait pots who catch everything large and small? I think you need to go really look at the numbers on animals harvested...

Look at Florida's laws... They let divers have a small window pre season to hand catch lobsters. Pretty much like the bow hunting season with most land based game animals. Is a tree stand and scent marking less sporting then dropping a bait pot for the crabs or mile long nets for fish?

If you don't like the local laws then change them. Otherwise its your fault for not participating. At the same time, if its legal for what they are doing currently, you don't have the right to be telling them they cannot do it.

Just as with anything in life though, some people will abuse things. You can't just take averything away from the majority who DON'T abuse because of the few that do. I've found freshly killed deer and elk before that some bozo had poorly shot and didn't track to where they fell. I contact the local game authorities and then we donate the animals to food charities...

At least you don't have a bunch of drunk hunters sitting in blinds taking pot shots at any that moves, if its safety orange or not. Deal with the problem people, not just assume everyone is the problem and make it so no one can do ANYTHING.

Also if the spear hunters want to protect their rights, they should be self policing fellow spear hunters who are abusing the system.

Basicaly... Everyone just needs to be more responsible. While not imposing the lowest common denominatior on everyone just because of a few dumbs.

 

[SactoMitch]

Originally Posted by halemano
Too many of the replies to this thread are made with blinders on. This is not the "kelp divers" forum, this is the "world wide" forum, and not everywhere is exactly like your murky backyard. Being responsible many times requires seeing the whole ocean rather than just the kelp forest.

I was just stating why I sometimes use SCUBA in conditions like this. When I dive places like your precious blue waters, I have respect for these places and would never even consider spearing there. You're the one not taking into consideration what happens outside your waters.

Originally Posted by halemano
In Hawaii scuba hunters are in the equation, and if you were in charge of maintaining the spiny lobster population you would consider scuba divers as a threat.

So what you are saying is Hawaii doesn't have a Lobster season or a bag limit? That is why there are seasons and bag/size limits to protect populations and not allow hunting during spawning season. And I did metnion that laws vary state-state so don't put it out there that others are out there doing something illegal or unethical when they are not if they are following the regs. Maybe some are unethical, but don't lump me in there.

If they do have seasons, what the hell are you complaining about? If they were in danger, I am sure they would take this into the equation and ban lobster hunting until populations replenish themselves - much like consevation efforts to repopultate the Red Abalone here in my murky waters.

If you have a problem with the regulations in Hawaii, do something about it! Why bag on me when all I want is to get a few rockfish?