Environment
In the past, spearfishing tournaments were common, rewarding participants for the most and largest fish taken. Some of the early records still stand today. Some will stand without challenge, as taking certain species has since been outlawed and recordkeeping organizations like the International Underwater Spearfishing Association will not accept or publish record claims for endangered species. Given the equipment available and the body of knowledge that existed for the early adventurers, some of the records are truly remarkable conquests.
In the years since, spearfishing has come in and out of favor as its environmental impact was debated, but it is again growing in popularity. Practiced responsibly both on scuba (where not restricted) and by freedivers, it can be a sustainable activity when all regulations and bag limits are adhered to. Today more than ever, the underwater hunter and collector must first be a student and steward of the environment. It is only through protection and responsible use that the activity of underwater hunting and collecting will be available to future generations.
One significant conservation concern is invasive species in a given area. For example, two species of Indo-Pacific lionfish, Pterois miles (devil firefish) and Pterois volitans (red lionfish) — the latter being the more common — are invasive to the Western Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. They were introduced either accidentally (e.g., dumped from ships’ ballast water) or intentionally (e.g., aquarium fish released into a given body of water). Typically, invasive species do not have natural predators in their non-native habitat. Invasive species often are detrimental to the local ecosystem, as they can out-compete native species for food and territory. Each invasive species has its own protocols when it comes to harvesting — and possible injuries to the hunter. Check your local regulations about harvesting invasive species. Additionally, theThe Dive Society First Aid course of First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries would be of great benefit in the event you or your dive buddy is injured by one of these species.
In the years since, spearfishing has come in and out of favor as its environmental impact was debated, but it is again growing in popularity. Practiced responsibly both on scuba (where not restricted) and by freedivers, it can be a sustainable activity when all regulations and bag limits are adhered to. Today more than ever, the underwater hunter and collector must first be a student and steward of the environment. It is only through protection and responsible use that the activity of underwater hunting and collecting will be available to future generations.
One significant conservation concern is invasive species in a given area. For example, two species of Indo-Pacific lionfish, Pterois miles (devil firefish) and Pterois volitans (red lionfish) — the latter being the more common — are invasive to the Western Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. They were introduced either accidentally (e.g., dumped from ships’ ballast water) or intentionally (e.g., aquarium fish released into a given body of water). Typically, invasive species do not have natural predators in their non-native habitat. Invasive species often are detrimental to the local ecosystem, as they can out-compete native species for food and territory. Each invasive species has its own protocols when it comes to harvesting — and possible injuries to the hunter. Check your local regulations about harvesting invasive species. Additionally, theThe Dive Society First Aid course of First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries would be of great benefit in the event you or your dive buddy is injured by one of these species.