SharkSpotter Initiative, Donate R10 to a great cause!

With the festive season rapidly approaching the amount of bathers entering the water is increasing dramatically.  For those of you who don’t know Shark Spotters is a pioneering shark safety programme that has attracted international and local attention because of the novel way it seeks to find a solution to potential conflicts between sharks and people.

Like all good causes they need our help just as much as we rely on them.  Please SMS ‘SHARK‘ to 38021 (R10 per sms) to help pay a spotters salary for a year. The more people that can get involved the more we can help out a fantastic cause.

For more information on Shark Spotters:

Web: www.sharkspotters.org.za
Facebook: fb.com/SharkSpotters
Twitter: @SharkSpotters
Email: info@sharkspotters.org.za

 

Spearfishing: West Coast Rock Lobster Recreational Crayfishing Database – South Africa

Over fishing is definitely having an adverse affect on our seas and fish populations, with Cray season opening things can get a lot worse as people will take more than the allowed quota or undersized crays.

For us responsible divers, spearo’s and recreational crayfisher-men, please help us to find out what impact we are having on ocean life by filling in this online database.  Please fill it out whether you caught anything or not..

Bart Willems

To all the Crayfishers. Hope you’ll have a great season. Please complete this survey every time you go crayfishing – whether you get something or not…

It is our attempt as recreational divers and crayfishers to estimate the impact we have on the crayfish resource.

Only if all of you participate can we get sufficient data that might give us a foot to stand on in the future.

Any feedback or suggestions most welcome.

Bart

Please share the link to is site with all other recreational crayfishers you know others…

For more information on the dates about the Crayfish season please go here.
For a detailed map on the reserves, no take zones and where you are allowed to hunt crayfish go have a look here.

Regards, Shifty

 

West Coast Rock Lobster info chart

For some additional info and a map on restricted areas please refer to the pamphlet below.

For more information on the dates and what nots please go here.

West Coast Rock Lobster information chart

 

West Coast Rock Lobster [Crayfish] 2012/2013 Regulations

As you all know Cray season is back on, and what a time it is to go collect some of them crawly swimming critters.

Remember having purely a spearfishing license will not cut the mustard guys you need to have a Crayfishing one as well.

For a detailed map on the reserves, no take zones and where you are allowed to hunt crayfish go have a look here.

West coast rock lobster season announced
12 Nov 2012

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) has announced the new recreational fishing season for West Coast Rock Lobster. The season for recreational fishing of west coast rock lobster will open on the 15th November 2012 and close on the 1st of April 2013.

The following conditions for the west coast rock lobster recreational fishing season will apply:

From the 15th of November to the 18th of November 2012, fishing will be allowed every day
From the 19th of November to 14th of December, fishing will only be permitted on weekends
From the 15th of December to the 31st of December, fishing will be allowed every day
From the 1st of January 2013 to the 1st of April 2013, fishing will be allowed on weekends
and on public holidays.
The bag limit has been set at four (4) west coast rock lobsters per person per day and the size restriction is 80mm carapace length.

 

Spearfishing Dassen Island [Video]

Here is a short clip of Nicholas Crosskill spearfishing at Dassen Island.

Dassen Island lies ~10km off shore of Ysterfontain on the West Coast. The Island has a lighthouse and a small jetty with a few houses but is mostly home to colonies of penguins, cormorants, and seals. There are a number of shipwrecks strewn across shore line making this a foreboding but exiting place to dive.

Video beyond the fold…

 

Athletes, need motivation? – read this

Every once in a while we feel like we can’t go on, that the body is simply not capable of taking another step or pedaling another stroke, arms to tired to lift that weight or swim that stroke. But guess what, it isn’t.  You need to find that fire inside you, dig deep and keep pushing on.

With that in mind, have a read here. I read it every night before bed. It keeps me going…

“Rise and shine.
6am and your hand can’t make it to the alarm clock before the voices in your head start telling you that it’s too early, too dark, and too cold to get out of a bed.

 

Spearfishing Statues

Darrell Hattingh over at Oceanic Images has been hard at work creating some stunning new spearfishing statues for us.

All the art work has been hand crafted by one of South Africa’s best marine artists’. The replicas and statues are all hand made from resin and top quality paint is used.

Wall replicas and statues make ideal gifts. For fishermen and marine enthusiasts, as wall decorations, in pubs, foyers, on office desks and even floating trophies for your local spearfishing or angling club.

Here are some of his latest:

 

Diving and Spearfishing in South Africa – R140

You can get the book ‘Diving and Spearfishing in South Africa – Piet van Rooyen‘ from Rabitech found out in Kuilsriver, it is going for R140.

Here are their details:

• (tel) +27 219030442
• (cell) +27 825732794
• (fax) +27 219033905
• (email) rabitech@netactive.co.za
• (address) 43 Mouton Street, Kuilsriver, 7580
• (Business Hours) Mon – Fri: 8:00 am – 04.30 pm
• Sat: 8:00 am – 12.00 am

Rabitech Store Location

 

Spearing delights.

I am going to be adding a new section to the blog… Recipes!
Yep you read correctly. Guys and gals please send me your favourite recipes or braai techniques and lets share them with the spearo community. Please incl photos.

Much love Shifty.

 

Spearo’s love their seafood!

Here is a little something something that @spearoboy cooked up.

Lobster with truffled mayonnaise, leafy salsa, blanched asparagus, and new potatoes.

Picture below the fold: