Charters and Spearfishing

[gchapman]

I have been diving for about 20 years. When I first got into the sport, it was common to spear fish. A good dive included a bag of fish. In the last few years, I have noticed a trend toward banning spear fishing on dive boats or when going with certain instructors. I don't appreciate this position, but that is their prerogative.

I fail to see how the eco-terrorism link fits here -- did she spike your tank with a nasty gas? Did she sabotage equipment? Did she try and run over spearfishermen with her boat?

Perhaps you're just being a bit liberal with the terrorism tag? It seems to be the "in" thing these days...

 

[cdiver2]

Wouldnt the non-divers (ie bubblewatchers dropped off boat) be good target practice for the spearfishers?

I know what you meant.

Again on the photo front, those who take quick snaps are one thing, those who spend a while trying to see the shot and then a few minutes lining up the shot are what i am talking about, not just click and go folks.

I'm one of them that takes 10 minuets to take a photo, but if I'm diving as a group then I keep up with the group.

 

[miketsp]

On top of the ecological question I don't think charters should mix spearfishing divers and non spearfishing divers on the same boat.

Echo that..

Plus much of my diving is done on wrecks and nobody can tell me that spearfishing on wrecks is sporting. It's too easy.

 

[pipedope]

The "T" word is entirely overused these days and is nearly always used to eliminate any chance of rational discussion.

Please refrain from using that word on the board as it is more likely to result in a political argument than a useful discussion.

I am leaving the thread here and not editing it as the discussion has been pretty well ballanced and on the real subject of allowing or not allowing spearfishing on charters.

Remember political discussions are not allowed on SB.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Personally I don't think spear fishing should be allowed in Scuba diving...........dive with snorkel, give the fish a fair chance..........

 

[Nineveh]

Just wanted to point out the irony in calling someone who is anti-spear fishing an eco terrorist.

I do most of my diving in reef reserves, where its generally frowned upon to take souvenirs of any kind home with you. In my neck of the woods, anyone who's killing the wild life for sport is the eco-terrorist.

I'm sure theres a time and a place for everything, but I hardly think not allowing spear fishing is eco-anything. I think the gripe here is about the execution of business policy, where you would have expected full disclosure.
By the same tocken, wouldn't it stand to reason that if you were looking for a specific activity to be going on that you would verify it was allowed before booking?

 

[FredT]

On top of the ecological question I don't think charters should mix spearfishing divers and non spearfishing divers on the same boat.

Generally on a mixed charter the hunting is done off the "site", if only for the reason the students will drive all the migratory fish off the structure, and the resident fish well into hiding. Normally the non-hunting divers will see me twice on a dive. Once as I suit up and fall over the side before they do, and once as I come up the ladder after they have finished their dive and are finishing undressing.

On heavily used sites it's considered poor form to shoot resident fish. Some of the residents have been hand fed and set up to be caught by the hook and liners. Other residents such as jewfish and nurse sharks are worth more as dive attractions than as lunch, at least until they start attacking divers. Migratory and pelagic fish are fair game since they will be moving on the next time the sun sets.

The captain has the right to limit activity on her boat. The individual divers also have the right to organize and encourage other people not to spend money on her charter.

BTW I've been similarly burned by "unannounced boat policies" more than once. Not only do I not support the operations who will do it with my $s, I encourage all other divers to avoid them as well.

FT

 

[The Kraken]

Mech,
I understand your point with respect to the individual's right to smoke and smoking in your personal (ie not-for-hire) vehicle.
As I stated, I've never spearfished and was ignorant to the fact that some boat owners would prohibit spearfishing activities on their charters.
Given that spearfishing is an integral part of scubadiving, although not all divers participate, I followed the train of thought, however wrong it may be, that spearfishing would be an active part of any charter.
Please forgive my ignorance.

 

[MechDiver]

Mech,
Given that spearfishing is an integral part of scubadiving, although not all divers participate, I followed the train of thought, however wrong it may be, that spearfishing would be an active part of any charter.
Please forgive my ignorance.

I would not say it was integral by any means. I have never been on a charter where anyone wanted to spearfish.

I took your question in error apparently, as I understood the "legal" part to mean a charter would have a legal obligation to let someone spearfish should they so choose. My post addressed that thought.

No biggie.

MD

 

[zboss]

Please post the name of the shop and boat captain so the rest of the ecologically divers can avoid them like the plague.

Spearfishing is THE MOST ECOLOGICALLY SOUND METHOD OF TAKING FISH AND SHELLFISH FOR THE TABLE, bar none. Captains, shops and instructors who discourage it do so because of their own ignorance, laziness, or stupidity!

FT

I don't like diving boats off the Virginia Beach/NC shores when there is spear fishing involved because -sure enough- the dead fish attract biting green flys on the way back in. I don't pay good cash to go on a smelly disgusting fishing trip and get bitten by flys during the two hour ride back to shore.

I also don't like the preferential treatment that spearfishers get, extra room on the boat to store their crap, the first ones in the water so the rest of the divers don't scare the fish away... etc...