I grew up in Menorca and my friends spearfished, I’d often go out with them on weekends, and some of my best times at sea were spent exploring new drop offs and underwater caves.Įnjoying our fish, somewhere on the East coast of Mallorca, 2003 When fish were plentiful I’m sure this romantic notion was true, yet how does spearfishing fit in with what we are now discovering about the state of our seas? Spear fishing is widely held to be a less wasteful form of fishing, with no by-catch, leaving behind no lines or ghost nets, requiring no bait, and with hunters being able to decide exactly which “piece” (they call fish “pieces”) to take. Only 20 years ago I remember larger fish around, close in shore, groupers in particular. It’s rare to see anything very big in the Mediterranean now, and even smaller fish like bream flee in terror at the sight of a snorkeler. Me looking for scorpion fish, rightĪcross the globe, now depleted reefs were initially fished with spear guns, fishermen systematically taking out one top predator species then moving to the next, until they had to resort to lines and nets to get the smaller remaining fish. Increasingly, thanks to satellite navigation and fish finders, previously inaccessible, remote reefs, are now also being targeted. Thus, there is ample proof of how damaging spear fishing can be. I have been battling with my position on spearfishing for years, until I came to work in Madagascar where subsistence fishermen still use spears everyday. My fellow western colleagues were intrigued, and for a brief period were all very interested in joining on a spearfishing trip. They were telling me “it’s fine because it’s very selective”. One day I came across a 20 yr old sitting with his prey before him, a squirrel fish and a young picasso triggerfish, he hadn’t hit it square and there was only about half left. It all made for a combined edible area of about 2 square inches. He looked up at me and smiled ‘I caught my first fish’. Then I realised that the drivers behind spearfishing are many, yet are similar across the world, no matter your income, culture, nor livelihood. #SPEARFISHERMAN ANGRY GIANT GROUPER DRIVERS# Juvenile Picasso triggerfish ( Rhinecanthus aculeatus ) Interestingly, food provision is but a small part of why people fish. I was surprised to find out that our Malagasy boat captain, even though provided with a good salary and thus having no need to fish for food, still goes out to spear fish most nights after work. This is also true for subsistence fishermen in the Pacific. When questioned they answered that they went because they enjoyed the challenge of the hunt, and being out together with their friends on the water.Īustralian recreational fishers explained that parents would far rather their children burnt off their energy out at sea spearfishing, or spending quality time with their friends and family on a fishing trip, than causing trouble on the streets. #SPEARFISHERMAN ANGRY GIANT GROUPER DRIVERS#.
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