The petition
Extract from the propasal paper Fisheries Management Paper No. 228
Strategy for Managing the Recreational Catch of Demersal Scalefish
in the West Coast Bioregion refer section 3.1.7, fmp-228 as shown below
Key issues raised in submissions and at public meetings..
GEAR RESTRICTIONS
-Concern was expressed in some submissions over spear fishing on compressed air.
-Spear fishing is highly selective and limited to relativley shallow water for dermasal species and has no barotrauma issues.
:Anecdotal evidence suggests that most spearfisherman that target demersal species do so by freediving. These individuals are often highly skilled and selective in the fish they take and are limited relativley shallow waters ( less than 20mts ). There was some concern expressed in submissions that spear fishing on compressed air was not " sporting" and some species such as dhufish are very vunerable, given there tendency to live around major demersal structures.
:To help protect vunerable speices such as dhufish, it is proposed that spearfishing on compressed air be prohibited.
I the undersigned, disagree with the proposal put forth to ban spearfishing on compressed air. I do this as the only evidence presented was very weak and was of questionable opinion. I am concerned that our equity of access is being challenged and i disagree with the proposal because i believe that on the grounds of sustainability and selectivity, spear fishing on scuba is far more ecologically sound than most other forms of recreational fishing. As such I ask that proposal G (i) be overturned...
PROPOSAL G
G(i) PROHIBIT THE TAKE OF FISH BY SPEAR FISHING ON COMPRESSED AIR ( scuba )
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