Spearfishing with scuba

[ONESPEED]

I have heard this argument many times against spearing on SCUBA and quite frankly am growing tired of it. I have been spearfishing for many years both as a freediver and a SCUBA diver and I can say from experience it is significantly easier to sneak up on a fish freediving than it is with a load of bulky, noise and drag producing SCUBA gear on your back. Anyone who claims that spearfishing on SCUBA is too easy has clearly never tried to catch up to a fleeing black grouper while wearing many pounds of steel on their back. It seems the OP's issue is really with spearfisherman having the audacity to infringe on the sanctity of "his" sport. Newsflash: the oceans belong to us all and my spearfishing friends have some of the most vested interests in preserving our natural resources of any divers I know. Spearfishing is the most selective form of hunting there is, eliminate the commercial fishing that has been indescriminately raping our seas for centuries and watch the seas flourish, even with those evil spearfisherman on SCUBA.

 

[HowardE]

It's much harder to "sneak up" on a fish - while on SCUBA. They hear the bubbles from FAR FAR AWAY.

Are some fish dumber than others. Yep.

Freedivers = Silent

SCUBA = noisy.

Not just for fish... ask a rebreather diver.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Many scuba hunters seek to level the playing field by carrying noise making devices like quackers and rattles, and making alot of noise whenever they see a gamefish.

 

[ONESPEED]

Many scuba hunters seek to level the field by carrying noise making devices like quackers and rattles, and making alot of noise when they see a gamefish.

Now that's just good comedy humor.

 

[String]

Got a feeling spearfishing on scuba is illegal in all of the EU. If it is then good. I hate it.

 

[Hank49]

+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...

Do you eat farmed prawns?

 

[Vicksburg Diver]

http://www.helldivers.org/hdrpromo-3.wmv

Yes, this is really difficult! Check out this video link and you'll see what I'm talking about. Diver really has to "chase" them to get a shot.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[HowardE]

http://www.helldivers.org/hdrpromo-3.wmv

Yes, this is really difficult! Check out this video link and you'll see what I'm talking about. Diver really has to "chase" them to get a shot.

Thanks for the replies.

So... do you think freedivers would have it any harder? Or are you just anti-spearfishing all together?

 

[alcina]

I just generally avoid all commercial seafoods, fwiw. Thankfully I have a wide range of friends who provide a lovely assortment of seafood when I get the hankering and we haven't been able to get out!

I couldn't see the video but I'm sure it's an example out of context and/or one that isn't typical One can find exceptions to virtually everything if you look hard enough. Personal experience is more important when informing my choices.

 

[DOkie]

I don't have a problem with spear fishing while in scuba gear. I've found that it's pretty much like deer hunting here. Most of your hunters are folks who abide by the rules, leave the young bucks, etc. etc. etc. and then you have the ones that take out the backstrap and leave the rest laying in a field. (Generally, the worst offenders are on vacation).

Maybe it's a little off topic, but the only problem I've ever had with spear fishing is on a charter in Florida. We dropped down on a 80 foot reef followed by two sharks to the bottom who stuck around for quite a while only to find out when we surfaced that the group going in after us was spear fishing. It would have been nice to have a heads up I guess.