Ireland spearing 2008

[sunfish]

The part about sale of speared fish is the present law.
The proposal is to make spearing illegal and it clearly states that the changes apply to both recreational and commercial fishing.
In the present law, article 31 states that using poison, explosives or electricity is illegal and-
fish caught using projectiles can't be sold.
The proposal is to replace this with article 12 of the new law which states that:- "The catching and retention on board, the transhipment, storage, landing, sale, display or offer for sale of marine organisms caught using methods incorporating the use of explosives, poisonous or stupefying substances, electric current or any kind of projectile shall be prohibited."
In other words, it's now illegal to sell speared fish but next year it will become illegal to spear fish at all.
paragraph 2 states that " The commissions proposal will apply to all commercial and recreational fishermen...."
You are a "recreational fisherman" using a "kind of projectile". Make no mistake about it, this applies to you and is planned for some time in 2009.

 

[sunfish]

I haven't dived since last Monday, when I got one pollack off a local headland. Sea was a bit choppy and unsettled but I managed a few dives in the 15ft vis before I had to paddle back to do the school run. The pollack was no great size and I was so hungry I ate both fillets as soon as I got home.
Sea conditions have been marginal all week but I'm hoping to find a spot for a shore dive in the morning. I haven't been before but it looks "bassy" on the chart. It's sheltered from the West, and given a bit of vis, .........

 

[danas]

hi lads
question - why is no spearfishing shop in Ireland ???

 

[togo]

Hi guys Went out this morning in Howth (north dublin) as it was the only place protected by the south west wind blowing for the week. Oak cancelled the dive as he fought that water will be not diveable.
I pacted my gear last night with my rod as it was a big chance to get brown water.

What a surprise when arrived this morning by 8 and see that the place was diveable with my new 70Rob Allen. Found 2 lobster in 2 dive as they where in a cave by a fishing pot where other lobsters where in. Got those 2 lobster and heading off to the end of the pier see if the fat mullet where around. No mullets but a nice white seal was there looking at me a young slim one where pollacks swiming around him??? Surprise that the seal was not trying to get the fish. I did wait and finally aa sizeable one came to me perfect shot in the spine the fish didn't move at all. It weight 1,5kg not za big one for you guys as you used to have nice ones in Ireland but in france it's quite hard from the shore.

Anyway that was a good dive even if the fish were not there.

One guy from the london club i used to be years ago wrote a good letter to government as they were planning to ban spearfishing in some place in UK. We have to introduce our passion as a activity and not a sport as people will think that we kill fish just to kill it and not for food.

Hope this wil go well.

Cheers Togo

 

[sunfish]

Well done with the lobsters Togo. I enjoyed reading your report.
I went to the spot I'd picked for today and it was sheltered enough but vis was only 2 feet. A fair tide was pulling through and it looked like someone had set a net across the tide. I decided it was too dangerous to chance it, but I'll be back when the weather settles enough to spot nets!
In the meantime I need to dive, tomorrow or Monday, so it's back to the charts tonight.

 

[sunfish]

hi lads
question - why is no spearfishing shop in Ireland ???

Spearfishing was popular here in the 1970s. Ireland sent a team to Cuba for the ninth world spearfishing championships in 1971 and hosted the sixth european spearfishing championships at Kilkee (County Clare) in 1974.
Spearfishing then declined and all but died out as divers became conservation minded and lost interest in competing.
It remains a minority part of diving here, in spite of the fact that pretty much all spearfishers put conservation as their first priority these days so I guess it's not worth anyones while to start a business selling gear.

Anyone interested in the history of spearfishing in Ireland should read "Submerged"-a lifetime of diving by Mick Moriarty, published by the CFT/Irish underwater council.

 

[Huan]

I dunno if the projectile ban will have any affect on spearos at all. Having had a quick look over the proposal its clear to see it's about commercial fishing on a large scale and I dont think it will have any affect on me jumping in my car, heading to the coast and taking a bass for dinner.

Regards Denis

When you get out of the water and there are a couple of nice people from the SFPA wanting to have a word with you because you have been seen spearfishing then this will all be too late.
Trust me this is worth making some noise on because If you don't and think that it won't affect you then you are mistaken.
Do you think the problems the commercial fishermen are having with the SFPA are their own making?

 

[fcallagy]

Huan,
I was at fish 2008 in Killybegs because a friend was going and I tagged along. the SFPA was pretty empty most of the time and I felt like I had the plaugue when i took a few leaflets from it. Reading the marine news and irish skipper they are certainly on the recieving end and seems to be mainly because they seem to target Irish fishermen rather than the other europeans when landing the catch.
I,m not a spearo per say but feel this is worth fighting as many of my friends are and I can see it as being a valuable tourist area if properly marketed.

 

[johnnybuoy]

Headed out sunday morning with my girlfriend to loch Hyne where i met donnachad and his buddy richie. nice day and ok vis of about 5m. probably the most sheltered place to go in cork!!
did only a handfull of dives but we both broke our personal best depths. I managed a 17.9m and donnachad did a 19m(I blame the 7mm suitroflrofl). was great to get into the water after all this crap weather.
hopefully will get a good day soon again.

 

[fcallagy]

I nearly got out tonight sea was rough so we decided to stay in near the harbour and pontoon and do some dynamics at 3m. went to get changed and found i had everything except the box containing suit,mask,socks,knife!!!
went to the pool so at least got some training in as i had packed my shorts.

 

[sunfish]

Headed out sunday morning with my girlfriend to loch Hyne where i met donnachad and his buddy richie. nice day and ok vis of about 5m. probably the most sheltered place to go in cork!!
did only a handfull of dives but we both broke our personal best depths. I managed a 17.9m and donnachad did a 19m(I blame the 7mm suitroflrofl). was great to get into the water after all this crap weather.
hopefully will get a good day soon again.

I headed out in Loch Hyne direction too. I intended to look at one or two places and see what the sea conditions were like, then meet you guys at Loch Hyne if I found no where to spearfish.
I looked at the east side of Toehead first and it looked do-able, but the only way to get there was through some rough looking water so I carried on.
I finally launched from Tralispeen. It's only half a mile East of the loch and I tried to text Dennis but couldn't get a signal, even when I stood on one of the picnic tables holding the phone in the air.When the table collapsed I gave uprofl.
Tralispeen is well sheltered from western weather.Vis was about 15ft. I swam out into the open sea from a gap in rocks and found swells there to be 6 to 8 ft. The vis was still OK and there were some pollack but the rock structure came near the surface in places so I didn't stay long in that swell.
Back in the cove there didn't seem many lobsters or crabs. I found no lobsters, only small spiders and mostly small browns. I found one good sized brown, a female,deep in a crack, and I left her there.
I don't know why there weren't more as there were no pots there and I found great caves and overhangs-the ground seemed perfect.
I swam for around four hours making 68 dives, mostly less than 30ft.

 

[sunfish]

we both broke our personal best depths. I managed a 17.9m and donnachad did a 19m

Well done on some good dives. I hardly need say it but be careful though

 

[johnnybuoy]

Cheers dave. sorry we missed you. we were watching eachother all the time and diving down to cover eachother on ascents in case of SWBO's.
I never go that deep alone and its good to have denis there as he is trust worthy.

 

[fcallagy]

What I intend to send to my three MEPs. Anything I should omit I don't want to add anything else as it's long enough already and I'm afraid it won't get read otherwise.



Dear Sir and Madam,

It has been brought to my attention that there is a proposed change to the Technical Conservation Regulations as part of a current consultation. The change is part of Article 12 of the Tech Con review document:

Article 12
Destructive fishing practices

The catching, retention on board, transhipment, storage, landing, sale, display or offer for sale of marine organisms caught using methods incorporating the use of explosives, poisonous or stupefying substances, electric current or any kind of projectile shall be prohibited.

This is a significant change from the current legislation which is Article 31 of Council Regulation 850/98 which permits spear fishing but prohibits the sale of fish caught using a projectile:

Article 31
Unconventional fishing methods

1. The catching of marine organisms using methods incorporation the use of explosives, poisonous or stupefying substances or electric current shall be prohibited.

2. The sale, display or offer for sale of marine organisms caught using methods incorporating the use of any kind of projectile shall be prohibited.

I would like to object most strongly to the inclusion of spearfishing (the passage I highlight above ‘any kind of projectile’) as part of this proposed ban. Spearfishing is the only form of fishing which is entirely selective in the capture of fish and when compared to other fishing methods has a negligible impact on fish stocks and zero by-catch. We spearfishermen only take fish for our own consumption, and I don’t understand the logic of including another restriction on our human rights to catch fish when there are no ill effects either on the fishery or the local environment.

The benefits in my opinion are below.
Spearfishing is highly selective, for species and size; low volume; negligible impact. Requires a relatively high level of skill and physical activity (while our country struggles against increasing obesity), and favourable weather and water conditions. Relatively low cost of participation means participation is across socio-economic and age groups. Enables and encourages a healthy diet, low in fat but rich in Omega-3 fatty acids - good for the heart, health and brain. It encourages a greater knowledge and appreciation of the marine environment and coastal areas.

There is also huge potential for tourist activity with recreational spearfishing. Last year I met two fishermen from Greece who came to spearfish in Sligo and Donegal. They stayed in Ireland for one week staying in bed and breakfast and eating out every night. They contributed greatly to the tourist industry in Ireland. Any fish caught were eaten. Spearfishermen do not shoot just for sport usually only for the dinner table and it is a skill to be able to sneak up on fish. The divers hold their breath while diving down to 5 or 10 metres on average, no scuba diving tanks are allowed as that is illegal and rightly so in the opinion of most European spearfishermen.



Please can you tell me how I can keep abreast of developments in this consultation.

 

[johnnybuoy]

nicely written feargus. that looks like a winner.

 

[fcallagy]

I can't take any credit Johnny its a hybrid of cut and past from the UK thread on the same subject. But we should try and push the tourist end of it to our MEPs as its a big industry in Ireland and spearing could be a part of it.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Nice letter, well written and well put. However, don't wish to nit pick but unless the law is different in Ireland then "no scuba diving tanks are allowed as that is illegal" is incorrect. It is not illegal in the UK. Definitely do not want to start stir up the scuba/freediving arguement as this will only divide and weaken our case but it's best not to include factually incorrect statements when argueing your case. It is correct to say that scuba spearing is banned in say France and Spain but think it's best not to mention scuba at all as this will only confuse the issue.

Dave

 

[fcallagy]

Hi Dave I,m 99% sure its illegal here but i think if its not mentioned they may not know that we hold our breath while spearing.

 

[sunfish]

Hi Dave I,m 99% sure its illegal here but i think if its not mentioned they may not know that we hold our breath while spearing.

Hi Feargus, I'm 99% sure it's not illegal here.They never banned breathold spearfishing as it just lost its popularity and scuba wasn't banned since spearfishers just didn't do it. It wasn't considered "sporting".

 

[KWM]

Hi, just wanted to say thanks for all the effort you are taking to object to new EU regulations.

So far we have been in contact with associations/spearo's in Denmark, Spain, France, Portugal and and yourselves. With support from all over the Med.

thanks Kev