Posted by Melvin on August 07, 2002 at 10:16:57:
In Reply to: Re: OUTLAW SPEARFISHING posted by george on August 06, 2002 at 11:29:18:
I too am outraged by the spearing of a Giant Black Sea Bass, which is already a criminal act. An act with a bounty on it of several thousand dollars.
Now about your commentt that "...many GSB..." are speared. Please define many. I have heard and read reports in the past year of one, with another (possibly the same) seen in Santa Barbara Island area. How many is many? One, two, a dozen? What is your source. Credibility is injured by vauge numbers and by numbers pulled from the air.
If it were in fact "many" would not DFG mount an operation to apprehend the culprit. Would not someone file to claim the substantial financial reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone spearing a GBS?
Education is the key, not knee jerk reactions. I choose not to spear fish, but that is my choice. In managed (license manage fishing) fishing, it should be allowed. Better to practice relase and catch than catch and relase. Spear fishing allows the fisherman to determine it the fish is a keeper before he shoots it. Hook fishermen, catch, damaging the fish and then make that determination.
Why not outlaw fishing. Are there not many more fishermen than divers in general? How many divers spear fish. I do not know the numbers, but I would imangine they are realitively small when compared to fishermen in general.