Spearfishing World Records Association

[QueenMackerel7]

PLEASE READ>>>VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION>>>>
To all of those who do not know me or are unfamiliar with what we are trying to develop, let me fill you in!

BACKGROUND:
My name is Abbie Eubanks, I have been spearfishing for over 12 years now in the GOM off the Louisiana coast along with other remote destinations. After recently researching womens scuba world records, I was baffled that no such organization (i.e. IUSA, IBSRC, etc.) for scuba exists. After much research and brainstorming, I decided to form such an organization for current scuba spearfishers and future generations to come. As you should know, this is not an easy undertaking, therefore your help is essential. A board of directors is currently being formed, which anyone can apply to be a board member and it is encouraged. You can find an attached application.

I think the International Underwater Spearfishing Association, IBRSC, South African Freediving Association and other organizations that retain spearfishing records have done a great job, but for the freediving community. My goal is to have a similar organization but solely for fish taken by scuba. Rules and regulations for records will be set along with a plan for record fish taken before the organizations existence.

The Board of Directors is my number one priority at the moment. My goal is to have a broad, diverse board that can bring a fresh outlook to the scuba spearfishing community. I hope to establish international representatives as well as create a general membership to help further scuba diving and spearfishing. I have had many submissions from potential, qualified applicants thus far. Thank you to those of you that have or plan to apply. Applications must be submitted by Oct. 20th. (If you are just seeing this for the first time, sorry you didn't have more notice but it only takes a few minutes.)

Attached is a drafted mission statement of the organization along with nomination and application forms and requirements of board members.

Please feel free to email me or call me with any questions. Helpful advice and resources are appreciated and please pass on to others who may not know.

Thank you,
Abbie Eubanks
Abbiegail563@yahoo.com
225-571-4954

Disclaimer:
***To whom it may concern: YES I am a woman and YES i am from Louisiana, and if you have a problem with that or you overlook my efforts based on those facts than shame on you and please keep your opinions to yourself. This is going to happen, period. So please accept it if you dont like it or help in any way you can if you agree this is a great thing!

 

[DivingDane]

HI

i think you may find it quite challenging on a global level because in many countries (such as Australia) spearfishing on Scuba is almost completly against the law (with the acception of WA who are soon to change policy as well)

on the personal side of things i think you will also struggle a little as many spearfisherman and for that matter scuba divers find it unacceptable to spearfish on scuba.

but regardless good luck with the venture.

Not sure how many divers on here are scuba based spearfisherman though it will be interesting to see what eventuates.

DD

 

[Don Paul]

After recently researching womens scuba world records, I was baffled that no such organization (i.e. IUSA, IBSRC, etc.) for scuba exists.
Quote: QueenMackral

I would do some research on how many countrys ban the taking of game on SCUBA. I have no dislike for those that chose this path personally if legal, but would not do it my self.

Don Paul

 

[Mr. X]

Good to see a woman spearo Abbie. Most of DeeperBlue's spearo members are freedivers (i.e. use a snorkel & a breathhold rather than SCUBA) but there are some that use SCUBA. In the past, some found it controversial but the steadier old hands (such as the late, great OldManDave) were usually able to cool things down, explaining some of the difficulties & challenges involved. We require forum members to show respect, if they don't - please report it.

Good luck.

 

[jtkwest]

you are on the wrong website for this. as was previously mentioned, most of the people who post on this site are from places other than the U.S. and as such, have sensibilities that are different than ours (as americans) europe in particular, is a very different place. especially in terms of fish availability. they are very badly fished out in that part of the world, so conservation is probably at the forefront of their reasoning. it seems to me that spearfishing, in general, (scuba or freedive,) just isnt taking that much fish out of the ocean. they just arent. one huge commercial fishing boat, takes more out of the ocean in a season, than all the scuba spearos who ever have- or ever will- live. so, as far as i am concerned, you can put on a rebreather, with a gas powered gatlin gun- speargun, dive down 200ft and kill all the huge groupers you can carry home, you still wont make a dent in the fish population. not compared to if you bought 1 deep drop power reel, and used that to drag them up. as long as the meat isnt wasted, more power to ya. just post the pics on spearboard and spearfishing planet, and bloody decks too. they will love to see them, but not on deeper blue. half of them dont even spearfish, anyway, just freedive. but they do read the posts. i personally go scuba spearing occaisonally. i like to freedive more, but if you want to see some of the deeper wrecks ,(and you are not a world class frrediver, as i am not!) around here (in the florida keys) we have some of the best wreck diving around , but some of the good ones are deep. and i GOTTA bring a gun. i mean, what if i see a monster? screw you guys, i'm killing it, and eating it, but i will post the pics on spearboard.(not d b) BTW: scuba is no guarantee! i will tell you that! most fish dont like the look of a scuba diver swimming toward them, and its not like you are moving fast, or quietly. we get ALOT more fish freediving than scuba, its just those fat groupers that sit on those deep wrecks, you need scuba for those, or just leave them alone, so the fishermen can have them all? when THEY stop fishing for them with rods, i'll stop fishing for them with spears. good luck on those records!

 

[DivingDane]

fair enough JTK wasnt having a go at anybody, was just laying out some of the hurdles Queen Mackerel may come across.

as for the big fat grouper again in our little upside down country they are protected from all fishing with strict size (both max and min) to prevent over fishing of them. but your right the USA based websites will probably give a greater responce. and as for most people on here not spearing you';d be surprised most of us started spearing before freediving and alot of us STILL spearfish but find the lure of the deep more addicting so spearing becomes the secondary aim.

DD

 

[jtkwest]

fair enough JTK wasnt having a go at anybody, was just laying out some of the hurdles Queen Mackerel may come across.

as for the big fat grouper again in our little upside down country they are protected from all fishing with strict size (both max and min) to prevent over fishing of them. but your right the USA based websites will probably give a greater responce. and as for most people on here not spearing you';d be surprised most of us started spearing before freediving and alot of us STILL spearfish but find the lure of the deep more addicting so spearing becomes the secondary aim.

DD

didnt mean to suggest that you (personally) were being overly aggressive or whatever. your responses were probably average (and expected) responses from someone on your area of the world. i think scuba spearing should be thought of on a case by case basis., depending on where you live, etc.. i DONT believe in the moral dilemna part of it. our group is so small(spearos) that i dont think we can afford to fracture ourselves into smaller groups. we need to stay together to fight for our rights, when they get challenged(and they DO get challenged!) even with scuba, it is still by far the most (only?) method known to harvest fish with zero bycatch. actually preselecting your catch is way better than fishing blindly. especially deep water dropping with power reels. those fish getting pulled up from hundreds of ft deep, dont have good survival rates if they are determined to be small or whatever and have to be thrown back. venting may seem to help, but the sharks probably get most of those on the way back down-lets face it. really i dont get what the objection even is, fishing with poles is legal, and certainly not selective. nets are far worse.and they are legal. why not scuba spearing? if nothing else, the simple fact that not that many people choose to do our sport at all. so fish stocks just arent in danger from spearfishing- period. there just arent that many of us(or them (scuba spearos)) to do enough damage to warrant attention from anyone. i dont really see how we have even come into the spotlight enough for them to make a law. fishing with nets has done most of the damage, and everybody knows it. we must just make easier targets, since we dont have a ton of money like the giant fishing fleets do , to bribe ( or influece LOL) the laws

 

[DivingDane]

JTKwest

i agree 100% that commercial fishing accounts for FAR more of the annual catch than spearos ever will and that they should be controlled more rigidly. with you 100% on that.

however i have personally seen reefs stripped of their big grouper and DHUfish by scuba spearos, fish that line fisherman *(recreational) could not hope to land in the environment (wrecks with countless snags etc) were completl empty of these species. these are fish which are not commercially targeted and i am sad to say i know the divers who stripped the reef bare (at least 2 of them anyway).

i'm not saying that all Scuba spearos are like this but from my experience in my region (former region now) i found that far more scuba spearos were responsible for LARGE hauls of fish with the purpose of "filling the freezer" than freediving spearos.

again thats not to say that freediving spearos dont do the dsame, i have just found that of the people in my line of work i have met the Scuba Spearos seem to be a decade behind when it comes to fish conservation.


and only my opinion.

DD
DD

 

[jtkwest]

yeah, i see your point. some of the wrecks around here look pretty barren. i'm sure the scuba guys have done their part in it too. its actually so fished out in certain areas, that it IS actually challenging now- even WITH scuba. now its hard to FIND the fish. not so much to shoot them!LOL btw: whats a DHUfish? scuba is a pain in the ass. too much equipment. its only worth it if you dive down 150ft plus. i chose not to do it because of the equipment- too heavy! not for the moral part. i'm not much of a conservationist, too be honest. i pretty much figure this world is on a collision course with disaster- no matter what i- or any other of the western world does.

 

[DivingDane]

Google Image Result for http://fishwrecked.com/files/images/PA280120.preview.JPG

that is a due fish! very good eating pretty stupid and generally found in deep water, they can be speared on breathhold to though. grow to a max of around 75lb i think?

JTKwest cynical much things can still be turned around if we all do a bit to help out. you'd be surprised i think.

DD

 

[Mr. X]

So where do your SCUBA spearing friends spear now that they have stripped the reef bare? (Hopefully no where). Britain's herring & pilchard fleets fished themselves out of business - will we never learn.

 

[DivingDane]

Mr. X agreed! they moved onto other grounds no doubt but havent seen them in a couple of years. but by the looks of those things the laws are finally being changed it been in the process for a couple of years now but i believe (and hope) next year is the year it all comes together.

as a side note the image above is NOT on spear it was just to show the fish i was talking about. they are heavily fished and hunted for in western Australia but thankfully the fisheries department has placed very strict bag and size limits to try and make the fishery sustainable.

DD