does anyone know if my husband can use a speargun in bleize???

oops me again,i guess its called a sling gun

Yes, As long as you are not diving with tanks or in a protected area. Remember the do and don't of spearfishing-always keep your catch on a long line trailing way behind you, so you don't get mugged by bigger fish.

Dear Hapihapi,

I know for sport fishing, the policy for gringos is catch and release. Maybe spearfishing isn't the most environmentally friendly vacation pastime? Lots of nice underwater cameras out there these days...we'd all like to see the fish. If you want fresh fish for dinner, there are lots of fishermen who could use the extra dough for their catch.

Thanks, Mary

maybe he likes to catch his own. some people do that. and as long as he's staying within the limits, not killing mass numbers and eating whatever he catches, what's the harm? it's no different from getting the fish from local fishermen as long as he is respectful of the area

and, to be honest, it's more civilized than catch-and-relase if he's eating it. at least then the fishing serves a food-chain purpose. you think catch-and-release isn't still painful for the fish?

Mostly, I'd like to see as many fish left in the ocean as possible. I know that in certain areas of the Caribbean, and in the Mediterranean, that in the past spearfishing has severly depleted reef stocks. I don't know what Belize's policy is about this, but if tourism continues to grow, too much of this activity will cause problems.
As for what the fish feels, that's anyone's guess. If they swallow the lure while sportfishing, probably best to keep the catch. However, if you only catch them by the lip/jaw, I have to think the pain would be akin to getting your ear (or whatever) pierced. While I agree this is not their choice, I have to think they would prefer this to being dinner.
In any event, I'd just rather snorkle or dive and enjoy them alive.

Just my opinion, Mary

i'd lke to set the record straight. we plan to eat what we catch, as we are ataying in a b&d wiht our own kitchen. this trip is titled"belize on 100 a day for 2" wish us luck!! oh yeh, rooms already paid for.i don't think the fish we catch will feel anymore pain the the ones we eat in a restuarant. could be wrong though1!

Some perspective on spearfishing. When I go and spear a grouper, snapper, hog fish or whatever I want to eat, I am harvesting only that fish. When I fish with hook and line I am catching and releasing fish I do not want to keep. Some of those fish will die do to being hooked in the gills or harmed in other ways. When people eat their shrimp cocktail, alot of other fish, marine life, corals and vegitation have been destroyed and wasted so they can enjoy their treat. When the demand for fish is great, fishermen turn to gill nets and beach traps for a more productive way to get fish. The problem is alot of non-edible or non desired fish are also killed and wasted. Bottom line. Spearfishing is one of, if not the best, ways of harvesting fish for food. If you look at the damage done to fisheries around the world, long lining, gill neting, shrimping trawlers and over fishing for commercial purposes have done the damage. Not someone spearing a fish for supper.
Twospotdog: I respectivly submit that your premise spearfishing has depleted reef fish in the Mediteranean and Carribean has failed to correctly identify the problem. Marine fisheries are a renewable resources and if managed and harvested properly will sustain themsleves. What destroys these resources is over harvesting. It is not spearfishing that is the problem. It is the over harvesting by what ever means.

[This message has been edited by bywarren (edited 05-20-2002).]

[This message has been edited by bywarren (edited 05-20-2002).]

Sorry, I don't mean to be diss'n those who are consciencious about their spearfshing. I guess it just brings visions of old James Bond movies into my head, with people people swimming around shooting at anything that moves.
And of course, trawlers and such do have a much greater impact on fish stocks. That said, individuals can have a big impact too. I'll relate a story, if I may:
We were in Huatulco, Mexico in February, and did a number of dives. After a couple of dives, I asked the divemaster why there weren't any big fish around, just the small guys and moray eels. He said that unfortunately, the bigger fish had been fished out. A grouper had come back to the area several months earlier, and had hung around for a couple of weeks. It was killed by someone, and now there were no more groupers again. I found this extremely sad.
Thanks for letting me say what I felt I had to.
Mary