Posted by TDI_2 on August 07, 2002 at 11:56:23:
In Reply to: HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SEEN A SPEARED BLACK SEA BASS ??? posted by Jane on August 06, 2002 at 19:03:51:
Jane, it is too bad that slob hunters spear fish around non-hunting divers. They should not be diving in the same places.
Accept our apologies that this happened when you saw it. I know it must make you feel bad. You shouldnt have to see it happening.
It not pretty either when a beautiful blue shark grabs a beautiful reef fish. Death is death. But death is how most species, including us Humans, eat.
Not everyone is a vegetarian or herbivore. And not everyone needs to be. Freedom is a whole lot more important than political correctness.
It has been forecasted in economic studies that when the Earth nears it current maximum 10 billion population carrying capacity, that all people everywhere will of necessity become vegetarians then, because there wont exist the excess resources to raise up and slaughter meat for food. By then, the oceans and reefs may become barren as well.
In the meantime, the main danger is depleting the oceans and reefs, by overfishing mainly, with nets. Fish farms may hold a partial solution to the overfishing of the oceans.
Slob hunters who spear fish around non-hunters wont impact the reefs much, not individually. Spear fishing contests, on the other hand, can hurt a reef for a long time, several years.
If you want to channel your energy into conservation, then activitist efforts against spear fishing contests and against boats with nets at in-shore reefs would be gladly appreciated by all, divers and nondivers, hunters and nonhunters. Good luck.