Think before spearing a grouper...

[agarcia]

Maybe I don't get it either. Just to clarify...you have in the past hunted grouper, your views have now changed because you are a scuba instructor and your livlelyhood benefits from these fish and now you think other people are losers because they choose to hunt grouper? Please correct me if I'm wrong but you don't see this as slightly hypocritical?
I'm new to spearing but I've been H & L fishing all my life and I have had many people try to force their views or fishing ethics on me. I'm all for conservation, its what I practice, its what I promote but I don't push it on people, call them losers and get in fist fights... or judge them because they disagree.

Also, for me, spearing is a sport. A physically challenging activity that requires specialized techniques and equipment from which I derive a great deal of satisfaction. I can put food on the table by visiting a grocery store but I enjoy harvesting fish myself. I don't take more than I need, I take great care of my catch and I follow all regulations. I don't see anything wrong with that.


BTW, my intention was not to have my first post be so contradictive or argumentative...its just the first thread I've read.

 

[octpora]

Dear agarcia;



roflroflroflrofl You must learn to temper your replies with sarcasm, humor, and baseless reasoning. Displays of mean behavior only invite gratuitous heckling or the old:rcard Please do give us all a howdy in the forum section so designed for it. Make sure to expose the soft underbelly of your psyche as if it were a farm raised grouper begging to be skewered. Then feel free to attack with rabid insincerity any opinions you deem to be foolish or just plain stupid

:wave Welcome to DB

 

[spadefish]

There are hundreds of species of groupers. To classify them all in the same way as the meru is unfortunate.

Here in SA we have a different problem in that scuba divers feed potato bass (a lot bigger than the biggest meru). These become so incredibly agressive that whenever a fish is shot - even 20kg king mackrel - these gluttons try to swallow the whole fish, fail to succeed, then drag you, and all your equipment all over the reef. This is a direct result of their normal behaviour being modified by the scuba diver. To make things worse these same individuals have now taken to feeding sharks - we all know where this will end one day - then the same scuba divers - especially those who witness it - will change their tune.

It is quite amazing seeing the same species of fish in other areas (despite being protected by law - so not hunted) where they do not interact with scuba divers being incredibly shy. They keep their distance and only very rarely do they come anywhere near to the range of a speargun.

The way I see it, domesticate a fish in a marine reserve - fine. Do so in an open area and YOU are responsible for that fish eventaually being taken. I ask, how is one to know that the given fish is tame? Does it have a sign saying so? Perhaps as scuba divers you should try to place a tag into a fish marking it in a way which would make the fish identifiable - this will not be a big problem with a tame fish. Possibly the reason why this is not done is because it requires some action!

To say that 'wild' groupers are easy is a load of rubbish. These fish know every hole in their range and the larger ones have cave systems which are impossible to get to. I have the utmost respect for freedivers diving to 40+ m to get a fish. Just getting there deserves the fish - tame or not.

 

[greendiver]

Maybe I don't get it either. Just to clarify...you have in the past hunted grouper, your views have now changed because you are a scuba instructor and your livlelyhood benefits from these fish and now you think other people are losers because they choose to hunt grouper? Please correct me if I'm wrong but you don't see this as slightly hypocritical?
I'm new to spearing but I've been H & L fishing all my life and I have had many people try to force their views or fishing ethics on me. I'm all for conservation, its what I practice, its what I promote but I don't push it on people, call them losers and get in fist fights... or judge them because they disagree.

Also, for me, spearing is a sport. A physically challenging activity that requires specialized techniques and equipment from which I derive a great deal of satisfaction. I can put food on the table by visiting a grocery store but I enjoy harvesting fish myself. I don't take more than I need, I take great care of my catch and I follow all regulations. I don't see anything wrong with that.


BTW, my intention was not to have my first post be so contradictive or argumentative...its just the first thread I've read.

Hi, I have been scuba diving for many years, and fishing for a while aswell.
No, I have learnt more.
Some of the famous, and I mean really famous, go to places where they have heared, from local scubadivers, there are big groupers...and then take em out, afterwards you can find them on a site, showing of there fish:head...that is not correct I think.:naughty
I will probably still shoot a grouper, but not a tame one!
I dont know if you ever had an encounter with a tame grouper,...you can stroke him, even hold on to him whilst swimming!
It would be like putting a fish in an aquarium and then shoot it..

 

[shooter]

I'll think about it as long as it takes to line up and pull the trigger.

Have you ever considered that you bear the responsibility for altering the natural behavior of this fish so that it thinks scuba divers are a source of food?

Don't get me wrong. I don't to go shoot some tame fish that you depend on for a living, but normal grouper who haven't been habituated to scuba students are plenty spooky, and are no more special than any other species of fish. As long as I am observing legal take limits and otherwise acting within the law, I don't see why grouper deserve to be treated differently from other fish.

.

I'm with Bill on this one. Except I'm not sure I would think about it as long as he wouldrofl

As for the author of this thread, I suggest you get some real friends,maybe even a girlfriend,:inlove so you don't have to kiss fish.

 

[portinfer]

I propose an international grouper register - exact locations, identifiying marks and names. That way we can be sure that we only catch wild fish... in the, erm, wild.

Ed (Also more interested in food rather than sport. Let's say I see at least 5 fish each dive, sometimes I'll shoot at none and other days I'll shoot at all 5 (and some days I even catch 1 ) - all depending on whether the fridge is empty and I haven't managed to prise any out of OMD's hands ). Tricky one, tame fish in a wild environment.

 

[azapa]

I'm with Bill on this one. Except I'm not sure I would think about it as long as he wouldrofl

As for the author of this thread, I suggest you get some real friends,maybe even a girlfriend,:inlove so you don't have to kiss fish.

real smooth first post shooter you'll do great around here: welcome..

 

[shooter]

real smooth first post shooter you'll do great around here: welcome..

Was that a little too harsh for you? Maybe I should try to water down my passion for the sport a little bit.......



If you want to talk about not spearing fish I don't think it belongs in the spearo forum. Maybe in the FishingHurts.com forum.


was my second post more acceptable to you?

 

[JPPLAY]

I'm with Bill on this one. Except I'm not sure I would think about it as long as he wouldrofl

As for the author of this thread, I suggest you get some real friends,maybe even a girlfriend,:inlove so you don't have to kiss fish.

I agree that people should not feed and make an animal more used to people when they are likely to be a target of hunters. You are taking away the chance for the animal to live. I don't think you can complain about it not being fair when you are the reason that it no longer fair to shoot the fish.

shooter even though your comment is rather funny it still not appropriates. This is not a place to insult people behind the cover of a fictitious username. Though you will see jokes like this happen but usually from people that have known each other on the board for some time.

 

[azapa]

it's all cool dude. you'll find very high shooting ethics here.

I shoot fishies too, to eat, of course. There are many bloody spearo sites, and many bloody spearos too. But DB is not one, and its members are quite careful to observe the subtleties between the two (well, maybe not bill :t) .

I hope you like this site and stay here. Here's a grouper that fed 25 happy guests at my wife's bday party a week ago, indian style . To put things in context. ..

oh: IMHO shooting ethics are:
is it sporting?
is it legal?
will I clean it myself and eat it myself?
do I really need more fish in the freezer?

if so, I guess your good to pull the trigger?

I guess shooting a tamed grouper may not comply at least with the first guide, and maybe not the rest?

 

[shooter]

that it no longer fair to shoot the fish.

shooter even though your comment is rather funny it still not appropriates. This is not a place to insult people behind the cover of a fictitious username. Though you will see jokes like this happen but usually from people that have known each other on the board for some time.

My appetite has more to do with shooting fish than fairness.

 

[Pastor]

i
is it sporting?
is it legal?
will I clean it myself and eat it myself?
do I really need more fish in the freezer?

if so, I guess your good to pull the trigger?

Not a bad list of guidelines that

 

[octpora]

azapa, those are some sexy fish you got there. Real nice. Raise em yourself?:t


Actually, wondering what kind of grouper that is. Looks almost like our tautog.

 

[JPPLAY]

My appetite has more to do with shooting fish than fairness.

If you read what I wrote you would see that I agreed with you. You completely misquoted me.

 

[azapa]

azapa, those are some sexy fish you got there. Real nice. Raise em yourself?:t


Actually, wondering what kind of grouper that is. Looks almost like our tautog.

Thanks! They are called "viejas" or "mulatas" here, latin name Graus nigra.

here are most of our fish, sorry, in Spanish, an online translator should do:

Pagina nueva 1

auto translated (many errors, but not bad)
Translated version of http://www.cazasub.cl/peces/Peces1.htm

 

[shooter]

If you read what I wrote you would see that I agreed with you. You completely misquoted me.

Sorry about that. I was a little fired up about a spearing trip that was canceled due to weather. I sort of got the impression that this web site leans a lot more to the politically correct side than I'm used to. I'm used to having to defend my hunting practices, I just didn't expect it here in the spearo forum.

Again, my apologies,

 

[mupwi]

I think if youre going to have a pet fish in the open ocian than put a colar or somthing similar on it so that others can identifie it just like if you take youre dog or cat out of the yard els someone els might just take it home. where would this all end next thing you know someones going to have a pet tuna someone els a pet cuta ect. then what are we going to eat. I dont beleve in pushing ethiks on anyone but we sholdent eliminate a whole species just coz one is someones friend.

 

[riffehunter717]

where i spear its hard to find a "tame" grouper, most i see wont even let you get in gun range. Except one trip when the wreck was covered with their gaurdians(SHARKS)

 

[alexg]

I agree with bill and kale.
I have dove Hatteras, North Carolina and had 48 to 50 plus AJ's brush up against me. They were so easy to shoot I couldn't shaft them. I found my self poking them with my tip. I have to say, it took a lot for me to not take a fish that size, especially when my larges speared fish to date is 16 inches.
I did video one dude spear a A.J., two days in a row. but for me It was not good sportsmanship to take such easy pray. If i was starving then OK but I would sell my gear before I allow my family to starve..........but
I did kick my self in the ass when I got home & my wife gave me crap for not bringing her diner.

I also believe that the smaller the fish the better the flavor. I also cook my fish whole. it tends to yield more meat and the head has the tastiest

 

[shooter]

I agree with bill and kale.
I have dove Hatteras, North Carolina and had 48 to 50 plus AJ's brush up against me. They were so easy to shoot I couldn't shaft them. I found my self poking them with my tip. I have to say, it took a lot for me to not take a fish that size, especially when my larges speared fish to date is 16 inches.
I did video one dude spear a A.J., two days in a row. but for me It was not good sportsmanship to take such easy pray. If i was starving then OK but I would sell my gear before I allow my family to starve..........but
I did kick my self in the ass when I got home & my wife gave me crap for not bringing her diner.

I also believe that the smaller the fish the better the flavor. I also cook my fish whole. it tends to yield more meat and the head has the tastiest

Sell your gear?! :head So by selling your gear, You get to feed your family, a couple of times. But by keeping your gear, and actually shooting fish. You could see feed them forever. If by your own admission, the largest fish you have ever shot is only 16 inches, How do you know what the big fish taste like? Yes this is a sport, but it mimics basic survival instinct.Remove all the politically correct BS,and that's what you're left with. I have always believe there are two types of people in the world .....hunters and gatherers. I heard somewhere that the word vegetarian Is an old Indian word For bad Hunterrofl