[News] $1,500 reward for information leading to arrest of poachers

[DeeperBlue.com]

Walt Stearn has posted an article on www.wetpixel.com where he talks about endangered goliath groupers being speared and killed in Florida waters.He has posted some photos and also says that there is a highly disturbing trend being witnessed in the waters...

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[octpora]

Someones gonna turn someone in when they need to replace $1500 in bent spears.

I have heard that some spearfisherman see the goliath as more of a nuisance than something to protect. To be shure, i've seen some densely populated zones.Is it possible that in some cases these goliaths have learned to be looking at people for a meal as some like to feed them? On one spearo vid they are talking about how aggressive the goliath can be at pinching a kill, 5 min later they are on purpose serving it a snapper lolipop. Perhaps there should be a limited tag system in some zones. But may the ones Killing only for sport get a wicked nasty water allergy.

 

[jwells1989]

do people really do that, just kill for sport,

 

[tribs]

do people really do that, just kill for sport,

Check out every guy with a fish over 15kg. Then ask yourself the question, is he really going to eat all that meat? Wouldn't it have been a better idea tio shoot a smaller one and come back when you've eaten it and get another?

All these big fish kills are for the most part penis extensions from my view!
take the small ones-leave the breeders. fresh fish often is better than eating one big fish for a year out the freezer.

Again, Penis extensions

Tribs

Highly controversially

Out

 

[kmo]

Well Tribs, you've probably just caught your biggest fish to date because I am going to bite the bait here...

I do spearfish for sport. Not competitively (no-one keeps a score anyway), but I treat it as a sport and I train and I keep tabs on my improvements and I enjoy the thrill of the hunt. When I shoot a big fish I will admit that it is good for my ego and I pose for a photo with it to showoff to my friends.

I am still selective in what I kill, and in how much I take. We have some large groupers in Australia too, and we don't target those. I only shoot what I really like to eat, and I don't find it a pain to have 10kgs of spanish mackeral or dhu fish in the freezer. It doesn't last long anyway as I will eat it happily every day and give it away to family and friends or have a barbeque.

Having said all that, the people shooting these goliath groupers should be castrated. They obviously aren't eating the fish and it couldn't even be justified as sport considering how territorial and confident a fish they are.

I just don't want to be lumped into that group because I like trying to shoot large, tasty, and mainly pelagic fish for the dinner table. And I don't feel bad for enjoying it with a passion.

P.S I could count on one hand the number of 15kg plus fish I've shot, but I'm eventually hoping to start using my toes.

 

[octpora]

oh no you did not just accuse me of wanting to improve my size through spearfishing. If we could get the Medical boards to sign on just imagine the business that could be generated! Actually, i think a diet high in fish is known to help the lambada and the libido.

I ask you this: Since the taking of meat involves death, is it better to kill two 7.5kg fish or one 15kg fish? A large fish has already had, most likely, a chance to breed. Maybe fish don't like to die as virgins!