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The Status of Spearfishing and the Use of SCUBA in Fish Management Programs in the Freshwaters of the United States
Author(s) -
Poole Richard L.,
Kuester Donald R.,
Witt Arthur
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1963)92[30:tsosat]2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , scuba diving , threatened species , enforcement , law enforcement , geography , law , ecology , political science , habitat , biology , zoology
This paper is based on a questionnaire which was answered by the fishery departments of each of the United States except Alaska and Hawaii. There was an increase in the number of states that permit general underwater spearfishing; from 42 percent in 1957 to 73 percent in 1960. Over 30 species classified as rough fish could be speared legally in states that allowed spearfishing in 1960. Limits were liberal, the spearfishing season was generally unrestricted, and only three states required spearfishermen to have special licenses. Fourteen states had various kinds of restrictions on the types of impaling devices used by spearfishermen; i.e., explosive guns, spring‐ and rubber‐operated guns, or hand‐held spears. Eleven states indicated that illegal activities by divers were or threatened to become law enforcement problems. In 1957, 14 states used SCUBA in their management programs; in 1960, 21 states used SCUBA, and 13 states planned to use it in the future. The various ways in which SCUBA is being used in state fisheries programs are summarized.