09-08-2014, 09:50 PM
[#0000FF]Hey folks, I just got some info from Drew Cushing, the warm water honcho at DWR. We have been carrying on a discussion about the spearfishing situation in Utah and he has recently concluded some research on how other states handle fresh water spear fishing.
I encourage all who have opinions or feelings on the subject to show up at the RAC meetings. Drew has been advised that there will be a contingent of spear fishing folks who will lobby for more liberal regulations. I encourage keeping your anglers' side input calm, rational and objective. There are likely to be strong presentations on both sides of the ledger but we need to maintain the high ground.
As I expressed to Drew, it seems that many anglers are opposed to spear fishing mainly from the standpoint that it kills big fish and removes them from the lakes...and the angler never has another shot at them. No catch and release in spear fishing.
Utah is one of very few states that allow spear fishing for game-fish species. Many states do not allow fresh water spear fishing at all. Still others are in the middle by allowing spear fishermen to kill only nongame species such as carp.
Here is the breakdown supplied by Drew:
[/#0000FF] We are already one of the most liberal states and I would like to move forward only when the evaluation and review of the benefits and detrimental effects have been weighed for the fishery and fish species in question. I listed the nationwide regulations below. The missing states don't mention spearfishing at all which could mean they implicitly prohibit it or implicitly allow it.
6 States have explicit prohibitions on spearfishing statewide
31 States allow spearfishing on non-game fish only
1 State allows spearfishing for non-game fish species but only with a special license
5 States allow spearfishing for selected game and non-game fish on selected waters (including Utah)
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I encourage all who have opinions or feelings on the subject to show up at the RAC meetings. Drew has been advised that there will be a contingent of spear fishing folks who will lobby for more liberal regulations. I encourage keeping your anglers' side input calm, rational and objective. There are likely to be strong presentations on both sides of the ledger but we need to maintain the high ground.
As I expressed to Drew, it seems that many anglers are opposed to spear fishing mainly from the standpoint that it kills big fish and removes them from the lakes...and the angler never has another shot at them. No catch and release in spear fishing.
Utah is one of very few states that allow spear fishing for game-fish species. Many states do not allow fresh water spear fishing at all. Still others are in the middle by allowing spear fishermen to kill only nongame species such as carp.
Here is the breakdown supplied by Drew:
[/#0000FF] We are already one of the most liberal states and I would like to move forward only when the evaluation and review of the benefits and detrimental effects have been weighed for the fishery and fish species in question. I listed the nationwide regulations below. The missing states don't mention spearfishing at all which could mean they implicitly prohibit it or implicitly allow it.
6 States have explicit prohibitions on spearfishing statewide
31 States allow spearfishing on non-game fish only
1 State allows spearfishing for non-game fish species but only with a special license
5 States allow spearfishing for selected game and non-game fish on selected waters (including Utah)
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