I was thinking that DIR was crap......

[Rainer]

It's much much easier in our part of the world: spearfishing, lobstering and any other underwater hunting activity using scuba equipment or surface supplied breathing gas is forbiden. Take nothing, leave only bubbles. IMO destroying marine life is incompatible with scuba diving, especialy DIR diving.

Thank God your opinion doesn't count for much as far as US laws...

 

[dbulmer]

Rainer,
If cave divers can care about ecology in cave systems - why should it be any different for divers to care about ecology in fragile marine systems?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Rainer,
If cave divers can care about ecology in cave systems - why should it be any different for divers to care about ecology in fragile marine systems?

Well, because stalagtites in underwater caves don't reproduce ... among other things.

It's easy for people who dive in caves to tell everyone else "don't fish". But if you think your presence inside a cave doesn't have a long-term impact on the cave, you're kidding yourself.

Personally, as long as people hunt responsibly and legally, I don't see the problem ... nor do I see how it has anything to do with diving DIR ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dbulmer]

NWG,
You're right it's not a DIR issue.

In Europe in some environments stocks are so low that it does matter - In the UK crabs,lobsters scallops are sustainable but most of the time people just leave it alone - fish however are scarce -the point is that Rainer may dive in a place where stocks are sustainable where others do not and in places where stocks are low opinions such as Monkseal's do matter.

 

[MonkSeal]

Personally, as long as people hunt responsibly and legally, I don't see the problem ... nor do I see how it has anything to do with diving DIR ...

Overfishing is the result of legal fishing, so hiding behind the laws is no excuse. Responsibility is the cathegory that can be interpreted in different ways, so it's better not to bring it in any discussion.

I see DIR, besides equipment and procedures, as a more responsible way of diving towards the nature as well.

 

[Rainer]

NWG,
You're right it's not a DIR issue.

In Europe in some environments stocks are so low that it does matter - In the UK crabs,lobsters scallops are sustainable but most of the time people just leave it alone - fish however are scarce -the point is that Rainer may dive in a place where stocks are sustainable where others do not and in places where stocks are low opinions such as Monkseal's do matter.

And Monkseal made a blanket statement that I disagree with. As I said, thank goodness it doesn't apply to those of us where stocks are sustainable. And as we can all agree, it's not a DIR issue, so let's move along.

 

[MonkSeal]

Thank God your opinion doesn't count for much as far as US laws...

Unfortunately the time will come when opinions like mine will count all over the world. It will be at the moment in our future when marine life is almost wiped out. I would like you to explain me your personal benefits of spearfishing with scuba equipment.

 

[Rainer]

I would like you to explain me your personal benefits of spearfishing with scuba equipment.

Again, I rarely do it, but here are the benefits:

(1) Animal is allowed a natural life.
(2) We take only the species we want. This is based on taste, known sustainability of the stock, legal size, and any other relevant data.
(3) Animal does not suffer as with line fishing; we shoot to kill.
(4) We only take what we'll eat.

I see these benefits as outweighing either farmed fishing or line/net catching.

Other than seafood taken in such manner, I am an ethical vegetarian.

Edit: And again, what this has to do with DIR is beyond me. I'm done addressing this orthogonal issue. If you want to start a new thread go for it, but please stop hijacking this one.

 

[JeffG]

I see DIR, besides equipment and procedures, as a more responsible way of diving towards the nature as well.

Then you are attaching an attribute to DIR that is unique to yourself. Which is to say...it has nothing to do with DIR.

 

[MonkSeal]

Again, I rarely do it, but here are the benefits:

(1) Animal is allowed a natural life.
(2) We take only the species we want. This is based on taste, known sustainability of the stock, legal size, and any other relevant data.
(3) Animal does not suffer as with line fishing; we shoot to kill.
(4) We only take what we'll eat.

I see these benefits as outweighing either farmed fishing or line/net catching.

Other than seafood taken in such manner, I am an ethical vegetarian.

Everything you wrote applies for spearfishing in general. I specifically asked "with scuba equipment". So the answer above doesn't count.