question about spearfishing seattle area

[airsix]

So if it isn't illegal and the person is responsibly taking game... what is the problem?

I have no problem with people hunting for food. I have no problem with hunting for my own food. However, I don't hunt in city parks, back-yards, wildlife preserves, and mall parking-lots. There's a right and wrong place from a etiquette standpoint regardless of what's legal or not. Alki is like a city park or petting zoo. You don't harvest game in a petting zoo filled with people who came there to see the 'aminals'.
Legal is not the same as 'the right thing to do'.

I hope the hunter in question finds a great place to hunt. I have no issue with someone harvesting and eating a fish. Just don't do it in front of an audience or in a location that diminishes the experience of others (in this case many others).

-Ben

 

[SkullDeformity]

I do understand spearfishing, but I've heard too many horror stories about people killing for fun and then leaving the corpses out on the beach because they didn't want them. You can have responsible spearfishers and irresponsible spearfishers, but I'd rather have neither.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I do understand spearfishing, but I've heard too many horror stories about people killing for fun and then leaving the corpses out on the beach because they didn't want them. You can have responsible spearfishers and irresponsible spearfishers, but I'd rather have neither.

I dunno ... although I choose not to spearfish, I have had fresh ling cod ... it's tasty ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fishb0y]

Unfortunately this thread had the potential of putting out some decent info, but instead turned into an anti-spearfishing thread. It's kinda upsetting that a simple question was asked and I get jumped on because some people would rather trust a commercial fisherman to our marine resources (from what I am hearing here, I guess they do a better job).

I've been looking forward to moving to Kitsap county and the diving there. And sorry gcbryan and dsteding, but the attitude that you say the locals have here in Hawaii sounds an awful lot like what I've been hearing in this thread. Hopefully I don't experience it when I move up there.

Well, I guess I'm off now to the Honolulu Aquarium where I can get some decent seafood.

 

[Blitz]

Tree huggers are the issue.

Don't get me wrong, I really don't want to see anyone taking big Ling or Cabs out of Alki either, but it is legal. Not my first choice of hunting grounds, but legal.

So if it isn't illegal and the person is responsibly taking game... what is the problem?

 

[RockyHeap]

The "Tree Huggers" comment fits this whole thread perfectly.........23 posts in one day, 95% negative of spearfishing........

Do I feel guilty about crabbing while diving now too? Pass the butter please!

What about vegetarians who won't eat meat because that's cruel to animals, but they wear leather tennis shoes?.

Pot, Kettle, Black.........

and no, I'm not a hunter or spearfisherman, but bring on the crab season!!!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Unfortunately this thread had the potential of putting out some decent info, but instead turned into an anti-spearfishing thread. It's kinda upsetting that a simple question was asked and I get jumped on because some people would rather trust a commercial fisherman to our marine resources (from what I am hearing here, I guess they do a better job).

I dunno ... I really only see one person posting here who I'd say is anti ... most of the rest are simply saying you shouldn't spearfish at popular local dive sites. The OP specifically asked about a dive site that's probably the most popular one in all of Puget Sound ... and for a lot of good reasons, you shouldn't spearfish there, even though it's legal to do so. Personally, I wouldn't eat anything that lives there ... but if you want to be putting high levels of toxins in your body, that's your decision. Thing is, the type of fish you'd catch there take years ... if not decades ... to mature. Once you take them, they're gone for your lifetime. If you can't understand why the local diving community wouldn't approve of you doing that, then nobody's gonna be able to explain it to you ... just because something's legal doesn't mean it's a good idea.

I think there HAS been some decent info offered ... gcbryan's suggestion to head out to Neah Bay is great advice ... once you go out there you'll understand why he said so (and possibly thank him for the good tip). And although I'm not a spearo I did try to give some tips about where good spearfishing can be done, and did provide the name of the most spearo-friendly LDS in our area.

What more would you want ???

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fishb0y]

Sorry, my original message disappeared when I went back to check something, I meant to say that some good info was put out, but...

Anyhow the point was I asked for info, not a public flame-fest.

 

[airsix]

I hope you didn't feel flamed by my comments. I'm not at all anti-hunting, just anti-hunting-at-Alki, which is what the question was about.

Personally I'd love it if commercial fishing were banned and you had to go get it yourself. I think the resources would be managed much better if the consumer had to do a little work. I also think that hunting or farming your own food is more honorable than shopping for it. Not always practical, but great if you can do it.

-Ben

 

[tiberiu]

Unfortunately this thread had the potential of putting out some decent info, but instead turned into an anti-spearfishing thread. It's kinda upsetting that a simple question was asked and I get jumped on because some people would rather trust a commercial fisherman to our marine resources (from what I am hearing here, I guess they do a better job).

I've been looking forward to moving to Kitsap county and the diving there. And sorry gcbryan and dsteding, but the attitude that you say the locals have here in Hawaii sounds an awful lot like what I've been hearing in this thread. Hopefully I don't experience it when I move up there.

Well, I guess I'm off now to the Honolulu Aquarium where I can get some decent seafood.

I bet a lot of people that don't want others to spear fish if they are invited for dinner and will be served ling cod they will not arque or say NO to good food. Just my thought .
I have never eat ling cod and I want to try it out.
If the law alow it to spear fish I dont understand why people get mad. Is like saying don't go deer hunting in the forest because I will go camping and there will be no more deer to see.