Spearfishing with scuba

[Vicksburg Diver]

I'll probably get flamed for this question but how sporting is it to spearfish while wearing scuba? Most of the fish simply allow you to come pretty close to them anyway and with "unlimited" air, I really don't see much sport in it. Plus, for those of us who don't spearfish, it tends to make the fish jittery over time and thus robs us of some of the pleasure of our dives. To me, the marine life/fish allowing you to become part of their environment and accept you into it is what distances scuba from other outdoor sports. Think about it...you walk through the woods, even slowly, and the animals don't really "embrace" you that much; they see you as a threat. Should spearfishing be outlawed while wearing scuba?

Responses/thoughts?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

You seem to contradict yourself by saying that the fish are tame and swim right up to scuba divers, but go on to worry that if spearfishng is allowed the same fish will be skitish.... Do you dive where scuba spearing is allowed?

If you are worried about the "sporting" nature of it, then the more skitish the fish are, the more sporting it will become. The more common scuba spearing is, then the more sporting it becomes?

 

[Ana]

Should spearfishing be outlawed while wearing scuba?

Responses/thoughts?

Depending on the location it is illegal to spear with scuba. so there you go. Move to one of those places and you'll have nothing to worry about.

 

[almitywife]

in my state, spearing or taking on scuba is against the law and to be honest i prefer it as it seems a bit fairer in regards to giving the fish a sporting chance to survive

cheers

 

[alcina]

The laws in WA vary from place to place - some allow it and some don't.

We spear on scuba and we spear freediving, depending on where we are. I have no problem with any responsible, legal spearing. I don't think it's "less sporting" on scuba - some fish hate the extra noise from a rig, some fish it doesn't seem to matter. I don't notice a difference in fish behaviour on sites that have both spearing and just plain diving for sight-seeing...I often photo on dives where others are spearing within my line of vision LOL

It's the idiots that make it an issue...and frankly in my experience it's the ones who are relatively new to spearing and/or freediving that cause the most problems as they are so desperate to kill something they don't care about the size, type, legalities or sport of it.

Thank goodness the vast majority of people I know personally are responsible spearos and help pass the word along to the newer, overzealous types.

 

[almitywife]

good points Alcina!

my old boss was president for the australian underwater federation and at that level of diving & competition i knew the freedivers were skilled and knowledgable... but every summer we hear about some idiot out there with a shiny new gun killing a blue groper (our state fish & a protected species)

 

[alcina]

And you can't legislate against people being idiots - it wouldn't matter what laws were in place, so knee-jerk reactions and blanket policies that penalize the VAST majority of people doing the right thing really gets up my nose

 

[matts1w]

just some points....

1. Why does it have to be sporting? It is about harvesting a fish from the ocean to eat. Marathons are sporting. Rugby is sporting. This is fishing.

2. However, it is far more "sporting" than going to the market and buying a fish filet and/or sitting down in some restaurant and ordering a mahi mahi sandwich that was processed on a giant fish factory commercial fishing boat.

3. I am an avid spearfisherman, and I will NOT consume any fish harvested by commercial fishing. Responsible spearfishing kills no turtles, underiszed gamefish, jelly fish, dolphins, tropicals, "junk" fish etc.... We select a legal gamefish and take it. No giant nets or mile long long-lines. I know exactly one fish died for my dinner (the one I am eating), can you say the same about yours?

4. Spearing on scuba in deep murky water such as the Gulf of Mexico is very challenging- more so than freediving crystal clear water twenty feet over a reef.

5. The behavior of fish on frequented scuba spots is different than fish who rarely/never see divers.

6. I invite anyone to join us on our trips off Fort Myers Beach and Naples. Trust me when I say it is not shooting fish in a barrel.

7. If you are worried about the conservation of gamefish then the commercial fishing industry is your enemy, not spearos or recreational fishermen and women.

Safe diving,
Matt

 

[cmburch]

In California, spearfishermen are selective. See what you want to eat of legal size and type - spear it. H&L recreational fisherman may kill upwards of 10 fish to keep 1 legal fish due to trauma. That is the reason for closures for H&L and not spearfishermen in certain areas. Fish are not all stupid. See or hear a SCUBA or spearfisherman stay away. It depends on the fish and the area. Why worry about sport. Just take what you like to eat.

 

[alcina]

3. I am an avid spearfisherman, and I will NOT consume any fish harvested by commercial fishing. Responsible spearfishing kills no turtles, underiszed gamefish, jelly fish, dolphins, tropicals, "junk" fish etc.... We select a legal gamefish and take it. No giant nets or mile long long-lines. I know exactly one fish died for my dinner (the one I am eating), can you say the same about yours?

+1 ... I do not eat commercially caught fish.

We have one of the largest prawning (shrimp) industries in Australia in the town where I live. I will not eat prawns harvested from our waters because I have seen exactly what damage is done to get those prawns and I choose not to participate, despite LOVING prawns...