Scuba spearfishing allowed in the US?

[toddthecat]

New Mexico spearfishing = Identical limits and laws as though you were fishing with a pole

Just don't talk to the competitive anglers about it. They get kinda mad when you show them pictures of small mouth bass that you've shot that are huge. They call it "cheating". I call it "hunting" and "eating". I do it to put food on the table. Plus, it's not my fault I can drop down on scuba and pick and choose what I shoot.

 

[Grocio]

Actually I know little, if anything, about spearfishing. Since in my country of origin spearfishing on scuba is prohibited, as it is where I live now, the Netherlands, I assumed spearfishing on scuba was prohibited worldwide...

Once again, thanks for your replies. This is one of the beauties of life: we always learn something new!

 

[Dr. Lecter]

There's currently a bill awaiting the governor's signature here in Hawaii to bar SCUBA spear fishing in certain parts of Oahu's costal waters, which bill also cracks down on aquarium collecting (which unsurprisingly does a lot more damage to fish populations). Exactly what this busybody piece of paper proposes to outlaw is unclear, as is where a DLNR that cannot even police its current marine sanctuaries like Shark's Cove will get the manpower, funding, and motivation to enforce its terms. But they're thinking of the children!

Since the only things I care to spear are Roi, which one does not eat unless one likes ciguatera poisoning, I'm not terribly concerned about it. Lots of others who do spearfish on SCUBA for food, however...are also not terribly concerned about it. As Andrew Jackson said, "[he has passed his bill], now let him enforce it."

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I've been fascinated by the strong feelings here on the Big Island against scuba spearfishing. I was raised here, and in the 1970's spent my weekends as a teenager spearfishing (as did most of my friends). Mainly freediving, but also using scuba.

The argument that scuba provides an "unfair" advantage always seemed strange to me, based on my experience.... My experience is that it is much harder to approach a fish on scuba than it is freediving. Yes, of course you can stay down much longer on scuba; but that does not help if the fish hear you and can simply swim just out of range.

Freediving I could (but never did) fill a cooler with fish. Not so much when spearfishing with scuba.

Best wishes.

 

[njdiver1]

New Jersey regulation:

§ 7:25-18.4 Spearfishing

It shall be lawful to take, catch, or kill all species of fish by means of spearfishing, during the respective open season, except for those species of fish specifically protected. For the purpose of this rule, spearfishing shall mean the taking of fish by means of a spear, harpoon, or other missile, or by hand, while completely submerged in the marine waters of the State.

HISTORY:

Amended by R.1985 d.609, effective January 7, 1985
See: 16 New Jersey Register 2478(a), 17 New Jersey Register 79(a).

Amended by R.1995 d.82, effective February 6, 1995.
See: 26 New Jersey Register 4277(b), 27 New Jersey Register 487(a).

 

[mathauck0814]

Surprisingly enough, California is free game for scuba and rebreather spear fishing in state and federal waters (obviously outside of the protected areas)

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Surprisingly enough, California is free game for scuba and rebreather spear fishing in state and federal waters (obviously outside of the protected areas)

Why is that surprising? Spearfishing is probably the most environmentally responsible means to harvest fish from the sea. No discarded fishing line on the reefs and wrecks, normally no bait is used, undersized or unwanted fish species are not taken or discarded dead (or it is relatively rare occurrence) and the fisherman gets to choose exactly which fish he desires to eat.

Hook and line fishing, the commercial use of traps, trawls and multi-mile long lines have the potential for significantly more damage and bycatch. Some people may even argue that it is more ethical to take a fish (with scuba gear) than for a recreational hook and line fisherman to fight a fish to exhaustion (for fun) and then "release" it after it has been killed from the exertion or is so compromised that opportunist predators devour it almost instantly or it dies several days later from the barotrauma of being hauled to the surface etc.

People really seem to HATE my video..

I thought my young son did a good in a true emergency situation, the spearing was just part of our normal diving routine.

[video=youtube;Bap2PxetarQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bap2PxetarQ&feature=share&list=TLIxt8gohzO-zmfwViIX9U94OZeD5b0Kjl[/video]

 

[mathauck0814]

Why is that surprising?

Agree with everything you said - it's surprising because nothing is allowed in California

 

[tracydr]

Hi there,

Please watch this video posted on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bap2PxetarQ It's about scuba spearfishing somewhere in the US. The person who uploaded the video claims that scuba spearfishing is allowed in the US. I wonder whether this is really true.

Any comments?

Not trying to be rude but you're not from the US. What difference does it make to you if the US allows spearfishing? Are you just trying to stir up controversy?
Oh, and I recognized the video of one of our SB members, Dumpster Diver and his son.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I think it was a fair question. Spearfishing has had a bad rep. for a long time. Ignorant, disrespectful, indiscriminant, barbaric killers who enjoy killing for the sake of killing has been the perception put forth by some people.

However things seem to be changing rapidly with the acceptance of the activity. Now, in Florida at least, spearfisherman were given special rights to target the exotic lionfish (by removing the need to have a fishing license). Now, suddenly, spearfishing is promoted as fun, responsible, even beneficial to the environment.

We no longer seem to hear that the practice is "cruel", now that it can be applied in an attempt to control an exotic infestation. I always figured that the goal of feeding my family was as worthy as trying to manipulate a marine environment.

Recently Aqualung purchased a major spearfishing gear company. This might also be indicative of a changing in attitudes toward spearfishing? US divers stopped selling spearguns a long time ago.