Spearfishing is the sport of hunting fish underwater with a spear or a gun that shoots a spear. Spearfishing enthusiasts hunt in rivers, lakes, and oceans in many parts of the world. They use the fish chiefly as food. Some biologists use spearfishing techniques when marking fish for research purposes, but these scientists do not harm the fish.
Basic spearfishing equipment includes a face mask, a breathing tube called a snorkel, swim fins, and one of several kinds of hunting devices. Such devices include (1) pole spears, (2) powered spear guns, and (3) Hawaiian slings.
Pole spears, the simplest spearfishing devices, are fiberglass, metal, or wooden rods that measure up to 10 feet (3 meters) long. They have one or more sharp metal points at one end. The hunter jabs the spear into the fish or shoots it forward using an attached elastic loop.
Rubber-powered spear guns are the most widely used devices for spearfishing. A steel spear from 2 to 6 feet (0.6 to 1.8 meters) long rests on top of the barrel of the gun. The spear is held in place by a catch connected to the trigger. The front end of the gun has one or more rubber loops attached to it. The hunter stretches the loops back and hooks them into notches in the spear. When the hunter pulls the trigger, the spear is released and the loops propel it forward with great force. Other types of spear guns are powered by springs, compressed air or gas, or an explosive charge.
Hawaiian slings consist of a short, open tube with an elastic loop fastened across one end. The hunter shoots a steel spear from this device much as a person shoots a pebble from a slingshot. The spear measures about 6 feet (1.8 meters) long, and its shaft fits through the tube and rests against the loop. The hunter grasps the tube with one hand and holds the loop and the spear with the other. To fire the spear, the hunter stretches the loop and releases it.
Spearheads have sharp hooks called barbs. The barbs hold the spear in place after it has penetrated a fish. A line attaches a spear to a spear gun and prevents a speared fish from escaping. A spearhead containing an explosive charge is used only to protect the hunter from a shark or to take very large fish.
Most spearfishing enthusiasts can dive to a depth of about 20 feet (6 meters). However, they must return to the surface for breath after less than a minute. Some of the more skilled divers can go as deep as 100 feet (30 meters) and stay underwater for about two minutes. A snorkel enables hunters to swim at the surface of the water and spot their prey before diving. Some people who do spearfishing use scuba (_s_elf-_c_ontained _u_nderwater _b_reathing _a_pparatus) equipment. Scuba divers breathe air from metal tanks strapped on their backs. They can stay underwater for as long as an hour.
In certain areas of the world, the law prohibits spearfishing with scuba gear. In some areas, powered guns are outlawed. Several states of the United States prohibit all spearfishing.
