Newsletters

Newsletter # 89

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 20:29:35 +1300

Coming & Going
Of course it is summer! The calendar says so. No matter that the New Year was ushered in over most of NZ with torrential rain and that northern and eastern coastlines started the New Year catering more for surfers than they did for holiday campers and divers. We are informed that the latter could apparently do no worse than swim the waters around Invercargill. Being relatively sheltered from the northerlies that have swept rain down the length of NZ, the bottom of the South Island has basked in its best summer in memory of those who live there. Still, we can all anticipate better times to come, “Just as long as it doesn’t include persistent easterly winds,” we hear many of you say. Wherever you are diving though we wish you “a whale of a time” in great visibility, sentiments encapsulated in this Tongan scene!
Newsletter # 89.pdf

Newsletter # 88

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:48:08 +1300

Coming & Going
It has been a good start to summer spearfishing judging by the photos and comments we have received from around NZ. There are though many more divers joining your pursuit out there in the water so it is worth thinking about what that means in places that are fished almost daily by a number of divers when the weather allows it. Ask yourself if the fish in those ‘spots’ are getting smaller? If the answer is “Yes” as we are sometimes told, then for the more or less resident species it is not hard to work out why, is it!

Mind you, other recreational fishers in areas around NZ are making similar observations about smaller fish in respect of species that most divers do not spear such as Trumpeter, Hapuku, Gurnard, and even Blue Cod in some areas. The bag limit for Bluenose was 20, but this year it has been reduced to 3 and is now in line with the Kingfish bag limit. If that many are taken of either of these species even if they are smaller, it is still a lot of fish to eat if a fisher is going out every few days or as often as the weather permits.

Newsletter # 88.pdf

Newsletter # 87

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:45:11 +1300

It is spring!

Well, it is late September and daylight saving is heralding a changed season. Winter water was drear for many in NZ but not for those who ventured off shore. Tonga claimed the interest of a number of divers, some to spear fish like this superb 58kg Dogtooth Tuna by Geoff Crawford off shore from Nuku’alofa. Apparently the fish appeared while he was swimming the edge of a drop-off. He was not using a flasher and instead set about looking for something small to spear that he could use as burley when it returned and came in for a closer look! Not to be outdone, but to go one better, Paul Spence landed a Long Nose Emperor of 9.2 kg which has subsequently been confirmed by the IUSA Board as a World Record. Well done Paul!

Newsletter # 87.pdf

Newsletter # 86

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 19:02:12 +1200

Coming & Going
July, and it must be winter. But we have read and heard of plenty of divers groveling in cold, murky waters and others heading off for a spell in tropical waters where they won’t have to wear a 7mm wetsuit with all the extra lead weight that entails. However, deep diving exponent Dave Mullin’s account of his escapades in a 7mm wetsuit at around 40 metres in the cold waters of Cook Strait shows just what one spearfisher is able to in the circumstances. You can read it on the Sea Matters page of our website www.spearfishingnz.co.nz

That article mentions diving on a reef where some other line fishers often anchor and reminds us that we are presently in discussion with Water Safety NZ about further promotion of diving safety where boats are moving in the area. More will be said about that in subsequent Newsletters.

Our last Newsletter’s review of learned behaviour in bronze whalers gave us some interesting responses and observations by other divers. Various spearfishers amongst you reported shark’s relatively benign behaviour when no food was on offer while others wrote of unwelcome encounters with these sharks, more particularly when fish had been speared. Comments from Sam Barnes encapsulate both the ‘good and the bad.’

“Diving at Gannett Island off Raglan recently I counted seven bronzies at one time swimming around me in not brilliant visibility of about 15 metres and both Warren and Rochelle counted 11 to 12 all visible at the same time. They weren’t being at all aggressive with the exception of one that required pokes from Warren’s empty speargun before the shark realized that Warren wanted the kingie he had just speared more than him.”

Newsletter # 86.pdf

Newsletter # 85

Wed, 18 May 2011 15:50:16 +1200

Keeping up with the ‘Play’
It is pleasing to see that NZ Underwater’s upgraded website is now giving good recognition to spearfishers. They were after all substantial in numbers in the early days of the organisation and spearfishers now are even more significant in the numbers of those using the ocean for recreation. Check it out www.nzu.org.nz and open Spearoinfo.

How is that flag on your float? Yes, we know that the minimum ‘legal’ size is 600mm square and we also know that one that size will not stay upright on a float. But although float flags are smaller they are important and we applaud those shops that encourage spearfishers to buy a flag when purchasing any float that is going to be used while swimming within 200m of any shore. Why is it important? There are unfortunately many recreational boat owners who do not know the Rule of 5 knots within 200m of shore, or if they do, won’t adhere to it. It is generally within those 200m that you are doing your diving. Your coloured float by itself, (far better than a white plastic bottle) is a good indication that there could be a line floating in the water even if you are submerged, but it is the flag that causes most boat drivers to be increasingly wary. However, many need to be reminded of it as much as they need to be reminded of their boat speed within 200m of shore. You can help look after your own safety by having an appropriate float and flag especially when shore-based diving. Spearfishing NZ is pursuing the need for better education of those in control of boats. If you have not got a Flag+Float sticker on your vehicle why not collect a free one from your local dive shop. And if they have run out, let us know and we will send as many as your diving friends will attach to their vehicles.

Newsletter # 85.pdf