Spearfishing - what or where do we stand?

[gcg]

I sat in utter dismay and anger when a friend of mine related a story that happened recently. This incident took place in or around Pulau Aur, recently. There it seems that there was a small group of divers who went spearfishing. I know that there are many divers who are into spearfishing but spearfishing in a designated Marine Park is as far as I know illegal and above all dangerous!!

Now, to make that story worse, is that there were a group of Open Water students who followed this small group in the same boat and dived in the same place. One of them related that one of the spear-divers actually shot his gun in visible distance of one of these open water students. How ludicrous, selfish and irresponsible can people be!! What if an arrow goes astray?  Do we need to wait for an incident to happen to reach realization that this spearfishing is dangerous! Like I said, I believe that there are many speardivers but please do it in deeper waters away from Marine parks or diving spots!!

Many remarks and questions arose as I heard this story:

1. Spear fishing is illegal in Marine Parks - where do we stand and how do we report such incident

2. Spear fishing with a group of open water newbies is beyond any excuse is WRONG

3. How come the instructor who brought the newbies did not stop them while being in the same boat? Whatever the reason, the instructor who took these open water newbies is at fault and is solely responsible to make sure that spearfishing did not happen! For the instructor to keep silent is to condone such activity which just portrays the instructor to be of poor judgement and irresponsible! For such an incident to happen just tells me that the instructor was involved in this spearfishing directly or indirectly and probably doing it for the money. How low will people stoop for money - willing to put his or her students life in jeopardy? How do we counter such instructors and protect the newbies from such irresponsible ludicrous instructor!

4. What happened to the open water newbies - you have a voice and I urge that you report such incident or at least enlighten other divers of such incidence. You definitely know that diving with a group of spearfishers is potentially endangering your safety - so why allow it to pass!? You may not be so lucky next time when you find a spear from a friend piercing your heart accidentally! Who is at loss?

5. Why are we putting scuba diving sport at jeopardy? " Cuma kerana setitik nila, rosak susu sebelanga" ( I hope I got that right )It is already a potentially hazardous sport and safety is always the number one issue. One incident and the whole sport comes under fire! Why are we acting like a bunch of Mat Rempits  - think of the sport in a larger picture which involves many other divers and just not you alone. There have already been to many diving related accidents lately please don"t add to it especially if it is at the end unjustifiable!

6. Why are we shouting about conservation when we cant even make a change in ourselves - look at what an example the instructor of the boat is setting to his new students! Rubbish!

I am sure that there is more issues than this but I am tired of being angry and sad at the same time. My question has always been the same: What does it take to learn and do it right? The thinking mentality that "it won't happen to me" has been many a times been proven wrong - so please, be mindful if not for yourself then at least for the others around you. 

"Malang tak berbau" a famous advertisement they had once! It was taken of air because malaysians in general, rather than learn, made a hell lots of joke about it and the accidents continued to rise!

[John F SeaDemon]

This is seriously crazy, and I agree to the points made by GCG.  If it was true, the first offence committed was doing an illegal activity in a gazetted marine park.  And to show to newbies?  Irresponsible.

[Peter Griffin]

I know for a fact that this illegal activity is widely spread in Perhentian and is also popular among the local DMs, instructors and DC owners. But nobody dares to report it to the authority since these people are somewhat considered as "otai pulau"(simply put - goons). If one reports on them, it means that one is looking for trouble. So, everybody basically treats it like it never happened.

: memories from my childhood, spear fishing in "sawah padi" with my home-made speargun. Way cooler than owning a GameBoy.

[gcg]

Well spearing in the sawah padi from my fond memories was fear of the unseen cobra! I digress

Hmmm.... why should we be fearful of reporting irresponsible people especially like bringing such people to the open forum such as this. Doing something like this will effect their coffer and would soon see a change to their ability to be responsible licensed individuals. On the contrary, not reporting such events will allow them to think that they are above the law. Keeping quiet is only bound to put more newbies thru problems and thus eventually leading to many fatalities as we have heard.

Safety in any aspects should not be compromised especially when the responsibility is placed upon the shoulders of those who are licensed such as DM's and DI's. If one cannot shoulder that responsibility than please refrain from getting such license!

[Syed K. A.]

WOW!!!! This is very serious, SPEARFISHING in MARINE PARK??!!!  .... Dont this people know what a Marine Park is all about?

Dont any of the divers onboard know that is wrong to do so in Marine Park?

Newbies sees this been done in Marine Park??? .... Do report it & please use this forum as a platform to inform others about it to Taman Laut & Marine Police.

This is like having fun 1st & forgetting about safety completely ... hope nothing serious happen as spearfishing always ended with the diver diving alone, you tend to forget about your buddy as you are busy hunting 

PULAU AUR & PULAU DAYANG are MARINE PARK area & PROTECTED from this type of activities.... I am very sure whomever involved in it are aware of it!!!

What happen if by accident the spear goes to one of the divers!!!!     

  This is an irresponsible act of divers!!! In a Marine Park some more!!! Make it worst when is done with recreational divers around.

   Did the organizer STOP the dive? Did the boat Captain stop the dive? Did the person in-charge of the diving stop the dive? Did anyone do anything about it especially the experience diver onboard?????

  
  

[MACHA]

Dey! This is serious la! Honestly spearfishing infront of OWD course student is lunatic, common fellas in Marine Park? Champion la this fellas!
If I'm not mistaken there's no Marine Park base in Aur,
but if there's any report to them the Coast Guard shall be the 1st there & thinks can get nasty fellas

Well am sure theres a lot of divers enjoy spearfishing...honestly I like fresh fish too
but not in Marine Park & infront of students

Do this spearfisherman practice safety?

Its also a speciality course from some
dive agency....just got to respect local law!

Why do it with SCUBA? Can't this fella skin dive

Are we waiting for another dive accident?

[jgshuwei]

gcg, did your frens voice out even after the dive?

[mocha]

well said gcg.... and i agree wif macha... we are just waiting for another accident to happen.... and guess what when an accident happens?? ppl will try to keep our mouth shut coz they wanna 'respect' the dead!!! we will never learn!!anyway, diving community aint really big and news do travel....

[freckled70]

aiyakk..this is totally serious  this is my first time to heard that..and very grumpy

[gcg]

jgshuwei, I think being newbies they had their trust in their instructor to keep them safe and that his practices are correct. However, as the events unfolded in front of their eyes, they were all lost of words and were dumbfounded. When I was being told the story, I realised that it only got into their senses that it was dangerous after the whole thing was over but I doubt if they realize that it is wrong to spearfish, as it was condoned by their instructor! :angry4:This is the impact of people who forget their roles and responsibilities and dont have the brains to see beyond their shoelace! 

People should be more vocal and be brave to voice their rights only then will such idiot instructors and irresponsible spearfishers will stop as they see their earnings go down!

What can one do:
1. Refuse to continue the dive and force a refund
2. Take pictures and report it to the relevant authorities and put it on the forum
3. Spread the word around of such practices and of such organisers and warn newbies of the dangers
4. Stand up for your safety at all times!
5. As a forum and a diving community we must stand together agaisnt such ridiculous acts and empower divers especially newbies of what is right and what is wrong and what is DEAD wrong!

[marlene]

I recalled on 2 occasions where i had brief encounters with divers doing spearfishing.  Both when i had done less than 15 dives. The first one was within reasonably close proximity and the diver immediately swam away and disappeared.  I was made to understand that the DM who was with us reported this.

The second was when we were doing our safety stop and another group of divers were decending carrying with them spearguns.  I remembered feeling relieved that I was leaving the dive site.  Later I was told that this was apparently a common practice by one particular dive operator and was advised to be cautious especially when joining dive trips organised with them due to the likelihood of spearfishing being part of the 'agenda' of some divers.  So I guess, being informed of which dive operators indulge in such activities made it easier for me to decide which dive operators to AVOID.

I fully support the notion to be proactive, take photos (if you have a camera) and report such activities but I am wondering if there is a way to ensure that newbies are aware of these dive operators?  Although the diving community is small and people are wary about treading on other people's toes, is there any way this can be done for the good of the sport and the safety of recreational divers?

My next question i guess is this... if i am in a situation where i am halfway through my dive and i noticed spearfishing in action by a different group of divers, what am i to do?..

Do i inform my buddy / dive guide and we abort dive immediately? 

If they move away, do i still abort for fear of being the target of a stray arrow or an overzealous hunter.... or am i simply being overly paranoid?

[irukanji]

I've been on a dive boat with divers who spear fish. They spear fish for fun. Not for survival. They shoot everything.
There were student divers and recreational divers on the boat as well. Student, fun diver, spear diver, all dive together.
I remember the one of the instructor says that it's OK to spear the fish because they reproduce very fast one.
I just keep quite, didn't want to mess with those who spear fish, they seem like people who do illegal stuff.

I'm not against spear fishing if it's for survival purpose, and not in marine park. But I'm against spear spearfishing for fun.

[elkhidr]

first i thought it related to spearfishers off a tukun in Terengganu. but it's not in a marine park. fresh fresh fish though. 

but this one mentioned here, if this is true la, inside marine park, new divers, got instructors with new students, tsk tsk tsk... maybe the organizers or whoever taikor owns the island there and got a grandfather in bukit aman, that's why they are so 'above the law.' 

how do u report this? police? navy? kdn? can someone do something!!!

[reen]

spearfishing is not bad..its the same case as pointers and gloves..give it to the wrong people..then you get bad result.

[mocha]

reen,

spearfishing is not the same as gloves and pointers, they are lethal!! they are as dangerous as a rifle or handgun.
but i do agree that it is not a bad sports provided they are being used in a proper manner.... same as short gun and hunting.....