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Old 23-09-2016, 00:34   #31
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

I agree w A64 to a point about feeding a shark your food. I've speared since 1990 and up until 3 years ago it was an all the time deal.
The bulls I've had come in on me have shown agitation but made no move to get my fish. I quickly but calmly left the area. I have had numerous problems with grey reef sharks. These I hit hard with the gun (not firing it) and after a couple of bumps they would leave. I had an issue with a 14-16' tiger while doing a deco stop. I ended up blowing the stop and was followed to the back of the boat. I did not give up the fish but did have the stringer attached to my gun and could have dropped the stringer if need be. To me it was no guaranty he would have just gone after the fish. I had seconds to decide and I'm still here so guess I chose correctly. Feeding a shark is like feeding a gator, they never forget..

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Old 23-09-2016, 02:32   #32
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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I agree w A64 to a point about feeding a shark your food. I've speared since 1990 and up until 3 years ago it was an all the time deal.
The bulls I've had come in on me have shown agitation but made no move to get my fish. I quickly but calmly left the area. I have had numerous problems with grey reef sharks. These I hit hard with the gun (not firing it) and after a couple of bumps they would leave. I had an issue with a 14-16' tiger while doing a deco stop. I ended up blowing the stop and was followed to the back of the boat. I did not give up the fish but did have the stringer attached to my gun and could have dropped the stringer if need be. To me it was no guaranty he would have just gone after the fish. I had seconds to decide and I'm still here so guess I chose correctly. Feeding a shark is like feeding a gator, they never forget..

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Deco stop? Stringer attached to gun? You weren't spearfishing on Hookah or SCUBA?

It's definitely not a safe practice to spearfish on SCUBA; you have highlighted only one such reason for this. It's unethical everywhere and in most countries it's illegal.

Hold your breath or buy a fishing rod!
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Old 23-09-2016, 05:55   #33
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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Deco stop? Stringer attached to gun? You weren't spearfishing on Hookah or SCUBA?

It's definitely not a safe practice to spearfish on SCUBA; you have highlighted only one such reason for this. It's unethical everywhere and in most countries it's illegal.

Hold your breath or buy a fishing rod!
I was deep diving a wreck in 140' of water. I do free dive but only to 50 ish feet. Also if you knew so much you'd know you would never need to do a deco stop on a hooka
So to turn it back on you you could just say its unethical to spearfish at all, free dive or other but in reality an intelligent person would realise its more eco friendly than many alternatives of fish harvesting. Lemme guess you sail a wooden boat with canvas sails, rope rigging, no engine or refrigeration oh wait you own a L40 so no your definitely not " a holier than thou eco warrior" As to safe,
Do you have a clue as to % of people attacked , or killed by sharks while spearing vs not spearing? One of the best underwater photographers in the world was killed in the Bahamas recently and he sure as heck wasn't spearing, most shark attacks are at the beach, I guess that's more dangerous / facepalm
Oh and by the way not illegal in several countries and I guess its so much more unethical than netting, fish traps, fish farms, I could on and on, oh but just floors me people think its unethical to take a few select fish to eat on o2, like they just swim up to check you out ....

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Old 23-09-2016, 15:05   #34
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

It gets worse! Spearing fish on a 140 foot wreck dive and having to abandon a deco stop because a tiger shark was attracted to the dead fish. And then pretending that spearing fish while breathing compressed air is safe. LoL!

Sorry, calling me an "eco warrior" and comparing spearing on SCUBA or hookah with other forms of unsustainable fishing doesn't assist your cause. Nowhere in the world do spearfishing organisational bodies condone or accept this practice; for many, many reasons including safety.

I'd be interested to know in which countries this practice is legal. In a few decades of diving and spearfishing whilst travelling overseas, and participating in and organizing spearfishing events at a State and National level, I've had the great privelige to meet spearos from many, many countries. I know that there is universal distain for spearing on air.
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Old 23-09-2016, 16:27   #35
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

What I disdain is killing animals for fun. I've never speared a fish I didn't eat. Always in places where the fish population is healthy. If it's risky that's my problem. Catch and release now that's a needless torment for fish who are minding their own business. Governmental fish hatcheries, what's up with that?
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Old 23-09-2016, 17:00   #36
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

I share the disdain for spearing on air. I hope Americans don't go to The Bahamas and do it there.

There is one exception: lionfish. I believe that it is legal in the USA to spear lionfish with SCUBA. I've heard that in places that have not made it legal, the practice is accepted by law enforcement. I've seen beautiful reefs in the Bahamas infested by lionfish.

They are tasty, too.
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Old 23-09-2016, 17:08   #37
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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Originally Posted by tuskie View Post
It gets worse! Spearing fish on a 140 foot wreck dive and having to abandon a deco stop because a tiger shark was attracted to the dead fish. And then pretending that spearing fish while breathing compressed air is safe. LoL!

Sorry, calling me an "eco warrior" and comparing spearing on SCUBA or hookah with other forms of unsustainable fishing doesn't assist your cause. Nowhere in the world do spearfishing organisational bodies condone or accept this practice; for many, many reasons including safety.

I'd be interested to know in which countries this practice is legal. In a few decades of diving and spearfishing whilst travelling overseas, and participating in and organizing spearfishing events at a State and National level, I've had the great privelige to meet spearos from many, many countries. I know that there is universal distain for spearing on air.

Absolutely agree with Tuskie on the negatives of spear fishing with scuba and hookah in this current age of conservation.

Apart from the obvious issues with deco stops the relative lack of comparative agility and increased bulk of a scuba diver are potential safety negatives .

As with Tuskie I have speared many fish over the years all over Australia and overseas and as a scuba dive instructor/dive supervisor dived with sharks all over the GBR and Coral Sea and have never speared a fish on scuba.

Just retaining the right to spearfish free diving has been difficult enough let alone with scuba in Australia. At one stage diving interests had to battle university interests seeking funding extensions to research the affect blaming spear fishers killing Maori wrasse on the rise in crown of thorns populations.

In this age of conservation it is very hard to defend continuing to spearfishing on scuba although I acknowledge that many have fished that way in the past.

Good advise messias.

As others have suggested there are many more dangers to free divers than sharks. Shallow water blackout, currents , run down by boats but a few.

Don’t be concerned about sharks snorkling but be watchful if spearfishing.
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Old 23-09-2016, 17:14   #38
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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What I disdain is killing animals for fun. I've never speared a fish I didn't eat. Always in places where the fish population is healthy. If it's risky that's my problem. Catch and release now that's a needless torment for fish who are minding their own business. Governmental fish hatcheries, what's up with that?
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I totally agree. That's the beauty of spearfishing; you can select what you wish to kill and eat. Every competition that I've been involved in was at pains to make sure that all fish taken were eaten.

Spearfishing stands up well to scrutiny by environmentalists for two main reasons; lack of "by-catch" kill and limited impact on deeper waters (say over 25 metres) because it is done by freediving.

Many countries have well funded "green" groups dedicated to the abolition of all forms of fishing, spearfishing included. Somewhere, as we speak there is a spearfishing club representative on a Government planning committee stacked round the table with eco-warriors and left- leaning government scientists and bureaucrats. He or she is trying to maintain recreational spearfishing access to areas the others wish to close off, relying heavily on those two main rational arguments. Half the case for allowing spearfishing gets blown out the door when a report comes in of someone spearfishing deep water using SCUBA.

I've been that guy at the table.
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Old 23-09-2016, 17:43   #39
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

J WING
How do you safely deal with lionfish?
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Old 23-09-2016, 18:14   #40
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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I share the disdain for spearing on air. I hope Americans don't go to The Bahamas and do it there.

There is one exception: lionfish. I believe that it is legal in the USA to spear lionfish with SCUBA. I've heard that in places that have not made it legal, the practice is accepted by law enforcement. I've seen beautiful reefs in the Bahamas infested by lionfish.

They are tasty, too.
First off spearing on o2 isn't illegal or banned in The US, secondly I buy fish when I can from Bahamians because it helps them and their prices are decent. Funny thing is almost every boat that pulls up to us while anchored out to sell us stuff has a hooka rig of some sort on board.
And you worry about Americans
Spearguns are banned from use in the Bahamas by the way. If you want to know what countries allow spear guns I suggest you Google it, pretty easy to do.
What I have seen a a lot of is inexperienced " free divers" yeah you Know who I'm talking about . They can't do a breath hold longer then a minute and end up shooting / wasting small fish because they don't have the bottom time to make a smart decision.
Yeah much smarter than scuba. In the spearo realm this argument has been beat to death as much as guns and anchors and the rational verdict is overall it is easier for a scuba diver to make a legal selection because they aren't having to ascend every couple of minutes. It is also more challenging to shoot legal fish on scuba as the bubbles and noise scare many fish. So assuming we are law abiding and not being a jerk saying "I hope Americans don't do x&y&z,", scuba is ultimately safer and more eco friendly.
But I am assuming because a bunch of lobbyists(usually backed commercial fishing groups) want to ban something that will ultimately help them (under the guise of its bad for the environment) you and many others drink the coolaid
So you claim " See its unsafe!" aside from my having made a potentially risky decision in ascending 1 minute sooner than I should have, had then situation been different I could have dropped the fish, sat on the bottom and allow the shark to pass with free diving you don't have that option, its haul ass to the surface. Usually with shark in tow as well. Yet another reason spearing while free diving is more risky oh and I forgot to add SWB more free divers die from it than divers spearing on o2.
By all means argue with that...

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Old 23-09-2016, 18:36   #41
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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J WING
How do you safely deal with lionfish?
pdenton
Grip him by the bottom jaw, thumb just inside mouth. Cut off all the fins with kitchen scissors, then continue as per normal.

Antidote is HOT water.

Lionfish are venomous not poisonous.

Venom lasts about an hour after death.

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Old 24-09-2016, 03:18   #42
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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First off spearing on o2 isn't illegal or banned in The US, .......
By all means argue with that.
No, I won't argue. I've had my say, and will say no more. As someone who has dived a few sites in Florida, including the start of the lobster season with lots of "good ol' Florida boys", I have gained an insight into the demographic.

Save your arguements for this committee (or the next one after it).

https://www.deeperblue.com/florida-m...obster-limits/
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Old 24-09-2016, 13:10   #43
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

Nonsense, I only spear on Scuba, and usually do a safety stop and sometimes a 20' Deco stop, I don't do a 10 cause if any wave action, your not holding 10'. There is absolutely nothing wrong or immoral or any of that nonsense for shooting fish on SCUBA where it's allowed. I would argue that as I get to pick which fish I harvest that I'm way more Eco conscious shooting them than regular line fishing.

I'd love though to watch you or someone else free dive an oil rig or some of the sites I used to shoot fish, I usually stay at or above 110' cause I like to dive on Nitrox, but have gone much deeper on Tri-mix.
I rarely breather air, I'm one of those that believe that air is not a suitable dive gas, or said another way, there are gasses for any depth that are better and safer than air.
I don't do deep air.


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Old 24-09-2016, 14:24   #44
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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J WING
How do you safely deal with lionfish?
pdenton

They are very soft fish so I usually put the spear between my fins (not near the heel) and pull up ripping the barb out through the body. They are usually pretty dead after that. There is a commercial devise available made of 6" PVC pipe that has a one way contraption on the end where you stick your spear in and it comes out sans fish, handy if your spearing a bunch to keep as the fish collect safe in the pipe until you are back on board. I don't eat many of them though so mine just sink down to the bottom where even the trigger fish are afraid to mess with them.


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Old 24-09-2016, 14:33   #45
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Re: Spear Fishing - Dangers

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Theory is you do not want him to associate divers with food, that could be bad.
Trouble is, sharks already associate a distressed fish with food. There are millions of years behind that association.
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