Japan Spear Fishing - 日本 やり釣

[spaghetti]

Originally Posted by monchan

got twins on the way and look like they might come anyday.

That's brilliant good news, Monchan. Best wishes for the event!

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by spaghetti

That's brilliant good news, Monchan. Best wishes for the event!

Ditto. More at My twins have arrived

[case]

hi guys ,theres a spearfishing shop in osaka,in umeda.is pretty near that hep 5 building.its well worth having a look

[fishimani]

I am heading to Japan (Shimada...kawane in particular) to visit my wife's family in about a week or so. She told me that spearfishing is not legal out there but i dont know what her sources are. it seems like there isnt any hope for spearfishing while i am on my vacation. I dont know why they are so down on spearing.....

-Pete

P.S. I will try and do a little recon for the forum while i am there. Hopefully i can find something helpful!!!

[kelp princess]

Originally Posted by fishimani

I am heading to Japan (Shimada...kawane in particular) to visit my wife's family in about a week or so. She told me that spearfishing is not legal out there but i dont know what her sources are. it seems like there isnt any hope for spearfishing while i am on my vacation. I dont know why they are so down on spearing.....

-Pete

P.S. I will try and do a little recon for the forum while i am there. Hopefully i can find something helpful!!!

Please take photos and tell us what you find and see, also i'd be curious to hear if people there have heard of or are talking about THE COVE

The Cove Movie: Welcome

cheers,

kp

[monchan]

Fishmanni,

most places allow polespears, but may say otherwise. If you have one I say go ahead and use it. definately no problems bring one in to japan.
The local fishermen will probably have a go at you, just do your best to explain you are only taking fish. I'm not familar with the area you are going.

[Mr. X]

The spearing situation seems unclear in Japan, with angry fishermen enforcing their own "law". I wonder if Japanese law is like the UK, where everything is allowed unless specifically restricted? [When you say fishermen, I take it you mean commercial fishermen rather than recreational anglers?]

[monchan]

The laws are fairly inconsistant, depending on where you are and whose version of the law it is. Guns are out, poles are ok in most places, again depends on whose version of the law you listen to.

the abuse is mainly from the commercial fishermen, but I havn't had any for a while, as I've said before they have gotten used to me. Actually I feel a bit like a novalty. But the rec fishermen give me a serve to, I guess they think I am doing the wrong thing or that I'll scare the fish away. I ignore them. None of them has ever come up to me after I've got out so I dont care. but it's tempting sometimes to give them the one finger. but that would be just asking for grief.

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by monchan

...it's tempting sometimes to give them the one finger. but that would be just asking for grief.

I wouldn't do that, respect seems real important over there and then there are all those martial arts experts too I met an Aikido expert last year who a mugger might mistake for a very easy mark (small, lightly built older gentlemen) - man that would be a big mistake. I see they even have a martial arts weapon based on a wooden fisherman's oar.

[Mr. X]

It has been a bad week for Japan in the British press this week. The Times carried a story titled, "Japanese 'stockpiling tuna to cash in when fish are all but gone'" - concerning illegal overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea. Apparently with ultra-low temperature freezing, Tuna has become a commodity to speculate on in Japan.

On the plus side, Japan is probably the greenest G20 country in the world, being the only country to keep its population constant (almost 0% growth ). [Controlling (i.e. stopping) the growth of the human population worldwide is the only real, long term way to reduce carbon emissions, war/conflict, reduce pollution & destruction of the environment/wild habitat and prevent destruction of fish stocks IMHO].

[Mr. X]

Watch out: Giant Jellyfish Capsize 10-Tonne Fishing Boat off Japan: In the News...

[killertuna]

I know this thread is almost a year old, but it was an interesting read. I've lived and fished in Okinawa for almost 30 years. Here's the no-bull low-down from the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency (Coast Guard)


You can not take any of the following unless you are licensed to do so:

Coral
Sea turtle or sea turtle eggs
Any variety of giant clam
Spiny Lobster
Collector Urchin
Silvermouth Turban
Pyramid trochus
Trochus
Green Turban
Hizikia
Sea lettuce



You can not do any of the following unless you are licensed to do so:

-Take anything out of the water while on SCUBA (including rocks or other dead stuff).
-Shoot anything with a speargun or anything using a trigger mechanism.
-Use a gill net.
-Use crab traps
-Use electricity or chemicals.


The use of a "Hawaiian sling", pole spear or other non-trigger band-powered device is legal for use as long as you are snorkeling or freediving.

Penalties: Maximum sentence under Japanese Law is a fine of 4,000,000 ($40,000) yen and 3 years imprisonment.

Different prefectures have different additional penalties.

Okinawa Prefecture law is an additional fine of 100,000 ($1,000) yen and an additional 6 months imprisonment.



Hunting with guns was always a gray area here. Nobody cared as long as you weren't on SCUBA and you were obviously catching "dinner". I've hooked up with "big name" spearos that have come here (won't mention names). Believe me...it's never been a big deal.

Until now...

In recent years it's come under severe scrutiny due to, for the most part, American servicemen and civilians attached to the bases involved in wholesale killing and selling through friends to the local fish markets. While this involves freedive spearos to an extent, most of the dammage has been done by people hunting at night, on SCUBA. We're talking about two guys in one evening removing upwards of 50 parrot fish, 10 lobster, etc.

For the record, until this year I hunted with a gun for myself and my neighbors. I now use a pole spear and have a much better time. Hitting a big jack with a pole is a lot bigger challenge!!

[Mr. X]

Welcome KillerTuna. By all means keep this thread alive. That's a very useful, comprehensive and concise summary on the state of spearing in Japan. Those fines and prison sentences sound very high, no wonder Japan has such a reputation for low crime rate. I wonder if it would be worth gently campaigning for restrictions on recreational spearfishing with a speargun to be relaxed (perhaps balanced by a tightening on unsustainable practices, such as you described)? Or do you think pole spears suit Japan/the Japanese better?

The news here in the UK reported, a month or so ago, that there were some efforts in Okinawa to get the US military to leave. The US apparently aren't keen to leave. We have US bases here in the UK too, mostly folk are happy with them as long as folk behave, keep to the laws and provide employment for the locals - which invariably they do. I had a good friend, an officer in the USAF, who I met while he was stationed over here.

[killertuna]

Thanks for the welcome. Getting it legalized will be a long row to hoe...

Up until a few years ago you could buy guns everywhere. They're still legal, you just can't shoot fish with them...

The news about the Okinawans being anti-base are way overblown in the media. It's more on the order of 1% of a population of 1.5 million. You know how it goes, though... squeaky hinge gets the oil.

Like I said, the free divers aren't really the problem, it's the scuba guys diving at night, just killing everything in sight and then selling it at the market, back-door at resaturants, etc. The local fishing unions are sick of it, and the economy isn't helping matters. They really hate unregistered boats on the payo's too. They don't care about your recreation, and they have a very, very powerful political voice.

Most of the Japanese freedivers I see out and about are just looking for tako (octopus) and other shell fish. It's pretty rare to see someone with a gun or a spear. For the hard core old guys, the pole is probably more appropriate, though.


You can still hunt safely with a gun, just stay away from people.

[monchan]

Originally Posted by killertuna

We're talking about two guys in one evening removing upwards of 50 parrot fish, 10 lobster, etc.

For the record, until this year I hunted with a gun for myself and my neighbors. I now use a pole spear and have a much better time. Hitting a big jack with a pole is a lot bigger challenge!!

There is always someone who will ruin a good thing. here where I live its a hand full of locals and others from different prefectures who take all the shell fish they can. there are not many spearos at all, so the fishermen just assume anyone in the water is doing the wrong thing. Here in Tottori Tako is also prohibited to take.

I also have put my gun away, havnt had it out once this year (marlin carbone) Been having too much fun with my new pole (Ohara) its so quick.
I`d love to get down your way, but babies, $$$, wife all say noway.