Conservation
Although, Spearfishing is a regulated, selective, and ecologically sustainable method of catching fresh fish it has developed an unfair reputation in some countries. Even though spearfishing has the least impact of all known fishing types, with it being responsible for taking less than 0.4% of all sport fish taken, some parties feel that spearfisherman are ecological threats. This is a naïve and ignorant viewpoint.
Spearfishing by its very nature is a very efficient method of harvesting and is the only method that allows the fisherman to determine in advance the fish that he will or will not catch. In fact, when compared to angling and commercial fishing, spearfishing is ecologically friendly because bycatch is completely eliminated.
Bycatch is the name given to all unwanted or undersized creatures that are caught and killed along with the intended fish in other forms of fishing. This bycatch is often simply shoveled back overboard, dead, unused, and can have a profound effect on the local environment. For example, on average, the shrimping industry discards over 50% of all shrimp caught, and in the NorthEast Atlantic discard rates range from 44% to 133%. 133%! Yes, sadly this means that they throw away more than they keep.
For more information on the global effects of commercial fishing, please visit this report: A global Assessment of Fisheries Bycatch and Discards.
As divers improve their skills, most divers establish more restrictive personal minimums, and are continually raising the bar in terms of what they will or will not shoot. Undeniably, with more experience, better divers tend to hunt fewer but larger fish, and the best divers refuse to shoot anything less than trophy caliber specimens.
Furthermore, most divers are true friends of the sea, and many of the current conservation laws were prompted by spearfisherman, who through their familiarity with local reef fish and conditions, were the first to bring conservation issues to the attention of regulators.
At Sumora, our guns are powerfull and have increased ranges, so we ask that you obey local regulations. Remember that once a fish is shot, even if you don’t land it, it is unlikely to survive. So please be discerning, we recommend that you only shoot at fish you are confident you can land, and never shoot more fish than you need.
