Home Tournaments Calendar Weather Merchandise Sponsors

Go Back   Spearboard.com - The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Boating Social Media Forum > Tournament and Event Archives > 2009 Tournament Archives > 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open January 19-23, 2009

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rating: Thread Rating: 13 votes, 5.00 average. Display Modes
Old 08-20-2008, 04:54 PM   #31
Not Nate
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 850
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Quote:
Originally Posted by scubadown16 View Post
Its not naieve its just my opinion. I won't even be attending this tournament. But I feel that allowing one bill per competitor is not going to change the course of the world.

James Hardesty
Maybe it's your opinion that makes you look naieve.

You've got Terry, Ted, and Cam (the rookie in that group) voicing an opinion based on real life experience from all over the world that maybe the organizer should reconsider allwoing bill fish.

While you've entitled to your opinion after having done three trips in three years to a single place, La Paz, it would be a good idea to sit back and think a little bit on why these guys are all saying any bill fish taken could be a bad idea.

It looks to me that those three guys are saying that ANY bill fish killed by spearfishermen at a tourney down there IS going to change the course of the world as it pertains to spearfishing in that country.

But that's just my opinion and I've never even entered a blue water competition out of the country.
Not Nate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2008, 04:28 AM   #32
Baņados
LA FATHOMIERS
 
Baņados's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Knott's Berry Farm
Posts: 1,081
1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Philippe,

My name is Erik, my wife and I recently got back from visiting my Costa Rican relatives and family living there. Went there to celebrate our first anniversary and offcourse I took all my gear just in case.

We had torrential rains everyday (Rainy season) I really enjoyed! since it nevers rains in Southern California.

I spent two weeks during my stay getting to know the local fisherman and the diving and fishing operators all the way from Jaco in Central Costa Rica to the Panamanian Border. I met great captains with 20-30 yrs experience fishing Costa Rican Pacific and Atlantic waters. The fishing community there is very tight and are very well networked.

We shared some great fishing stories and had some extensive conversations while drinking cofee. Many of our conversations were about large game fishing including bill fishing like Marlin and how the Costa Ricans feels about Americans and other Foreigners about Spearfishing Bill Fish there.

Pretty much all the Captains opposed killing of Bill fish in their Territorial Waters. They practice only catch and release. They have made Bill fishing also a ecoturism activity. They feel that killing bill fish will endangered their bill fishery and will keep away the fisherman from going there. Majority of Anglers spent an average of $4000 -$8000 per trip in Costa Rica.


I have an article on research on Bill fishing in Costa Rica done by Texas AM University, is very interesting, I hope you guys can read it.

http://lutra.tamu.edu/hdlab/Projects/p40.htm


Costa Rica receives the vast majority of their Revenue from Tourism. The Majority of Tourist visit their Country to admire nature at its best, unspoiled and untouched. Costa Rica compared to the rest of the Americas, has the largest network of Parks and Reserves set aside for preservation and conservation including a large network of Marine Parks Fish Reserves.

Costa Rica is a young Country in the process of development, Costa Rica is the atmost front of Conservation of Natural resources and the Legislators have not taken the chance yet to pass laws regarding the banning of Spearfishing in their territory.

I hope you can reconsider and remove Bill fish from the tournament. Like some people already said, the fishing community in Costa Rica is very close network and most people know each other.

There is going to be a lot of upset and angry people including the Locals and many hard core Super Rich American Anglers that live there with plenty of cash to spend that will make sure they banned it there. in addition to all the well funded organizations that support Catch and release of bill fish.

If they find out about your event, currently listed on the top 20 on google, All they need is to make a formal proposal to the Costa Rican Institute of fishing (INCOPESCA) along with the evidence to pass laws that will make spearfishing illegal in Costa Rica.

Also for your information, Costa Rica does have Fish and game laws, that includes bag limit, size limits and species that are allowed to be taken via Sportfishing. All regulated by INCOPESCA.

Again I hope you can reconsider and remove Bill fish from the Tournament.

These are only my opinions.
__________________

Erik Baņados
email:fathomier@socal.rr.com
LA FATHOMIERS
GREATER LOS ANGELES COUNCIL OF DIVING

Last edited by Baņados; 08-21-2008 at 04:47 AM.
Baņados is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2008, 06:52 AM   #33
virgili
Registered User
 
virgili's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,486
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Yesterday I rewed the situation with the Captain in charge of the other sporfishingboat crews and told him the feedback/ feeling we got about billfish captures...
He told me that since the last months Costa Rica Fisheries authorities are planning to protect definitively billfish specie in the Costa Rica waters...
He suggested me first to limit the captures to 5 sfish or marlins for the whole 5 days tournament, but I make the decision to ban marlin and sailfish of the Open eligible fish list.
Even though the Open wil be held in an isolated place and there are not any reg about spearfishing in CR, the Open is annual and we have to long term plan.
I will change the rules on the website rule section.
http://www.subaquavideo.com/rulesregistration.html
Change some details on the poster and inform the registerd divers.
During the Open, divers will certainly meet every day marlin and sailfish.
I will organize a billfish tagging competition with a prize:
an about $1000 US Daryl Wong gun engraved "1st Costa Rica BWHO 2009". Daryl, one of the competitors, will give himself the gun to the winner.
I got from colleague in NZ pertinent feedback about tagging "strippy" but your experience about this technic would be pretty usefull.
There are 5 spots left and pura vida amateur are very welcome aboard!
Thank's to Terry, Cameron and to the divers who gave us their opinion.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	CR 09 website2.jpg
Views:	817
Size:	26.0 KB
ID:	82165  
virgili is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2008, 12:23 PM   #34
scubadown16
Registered User
 
scubadown16's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Arvada, Colorado
Age: 47
Posts: 1,711
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Quote:
Originally Posted by Not Nate View Post
Maybe it's your opinion that makes you look naieve.

You've got Terry, Ted, and Cam (the rookie in that group) voicing an opinion based on real life experience from all over the world that maybe the organizer should reconsider allwoing bill fish.

While you've entitled to your opinion after having done three trips in three years to a single place, La Paz, it would be a good idea to sit back and think a little bit on why these guys are all saying any bill fish taken could be a bad idea.

It looks to me that those three guys are saying that ANY bill fish killed by spearfishermen at a tourney down there IS going to change the course of the world as it pertains to spearfishing in that country.

But that's just my opinion and I've never even entered a blue water competition out of the country.

Well,

Just so your clear La Paz is not the only place I have gone to where spearfishing sailfish and Marlin are legal. I was just using one place in general. But thats not my argument and its distracting you from my argument.

My whole argument is.... " Why is taking sailfish or Marlin such a big deal to everyone? I don't get how those two fish are any more important then taking say Blue Fin Tuna or Sharks or what ever other fish you want to put in here? As I understand it. Sailfish and Marlin grow at a pretty good rate? Compared to say a Blue Fin Tuna? Now yes I get the fact that hook and line fishermen love catching marlin and sailfish. Weather or not they choose to kill them.

Being how I am " Naieve " I would like to know if fishermen and people in say Australia feel the same way as people here?

The other thing is. If people want to make a movement about not taking bill fish in tournaments. Then don't you think all billfish tournaments that kill the fish should be banned. Like I said before. I think publicly displaying the 1400 Marlin at the dock resently in South Carolina is just as shitty.

Sorry if I have offended any one by my opinion. But this is a board where things are suppose to be discussed. I didn't know that you were only allowed to speak if you have the cridentials of Terry, Ted, and Cameron.

James Hardesty
scubadown16 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2008, 12:51 PM   #35
kill shot
PELAGIC POKER!!!!
 
kill shot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: St. Thomas USVI
Age: 51
Posts: 2,417
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Guys I obviously don't have the crudentials that alot of you do. But after just talking with a really good friend of mine( 20 plus years in marling fishery) this morning about how they feel about people shooting billfish and how many that they actually think survive I was pretty astonished at what he had to say.

He and 99% of all the billfish captains I have ever spoken to think first off that we are all a bunch of crazy wackos for even getting in the water with these fish to begin with. Then he went on to mention that alot of billfish 50% or more actually don't survive. They see alot of these fish fall victim to sharks no matter how quick you can release them. As for people spearing them they figure that it would be nearly impossible for any of us to make an impact on the industry on the same scale that they do. More like they made it sound as though with all the billfish tournaments held around the world that there is no way we could even touch the kill ratio that the entire industry makes every year.
I see why Terry and everyone is concerned, it is a foreign country and we don't want to make a bad impression for ourselves or for our future. But look at the big picture and understand that we are a fraction of a fraction of what is really happening out there.
As James said what is the differance of us going over there to shoot big tunas, they are in a hell of alot more of a decline then the marlin.
I don't think anyone here is naive, we all have an opinion.

If the tournament bans the billfish then so be it. I am just going to hang with some good people and to shoot a few fish and have fun for a week.

And yes this was just my good friend telling me this but it seems to be pretty common when I have asked these questions in the past to other captains around the world. They tend to think that if we are willing to get in the water with a fish that puts holes thru the sides of marlin boats and what not that we should be given the chance just like they are given the chance to use hook and lines.

Would it be better if we all rigged the end of our spears with circle hooks?
Eric
__________________
I need a beer!!!
kill shot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2008, 04:24 AM   #36
virgili
Registered User
 
virgili's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,486
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Here the new POSTER
And the new RULES:
http://www.subaquavideo.com/rulesregistration.html

A BILLFISH TAGGING COMP will be organized during the Open. The winner will get a Daryl Wong special hybrid speargun given by Daryl himself.

Registered divers will get a monthly news letter.
Pura Vida!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	poster cr open forum09 8.5 x 11.jpg
Views:	809
Size:	69.2 KB
ID:	82263  
virgili is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2008, 10:33 AM   #37
bottomnout
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Thibodaux, La.
Posts: 352
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Man they got a cool little bar on the beach by the language school in Samara, the chick who ownes it is hot but she got some really abnormal skinny legs. If anybody is going to that area other than for the open, they have this great hostel called RBO, I believe the guys name is Donald who owns it. Its really clean and cheap and right by the beach and that little bar. Donald and his wife will also cook up what ever you bring them. They got some serious rock piles in that area. Yall are going to have a great time.
bottomnout is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2008, 11:47 AM   #38
virgili
Registered User
 
virgili's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,486
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Quote:
skinny legs
"Legs allow men walking and women to make their way in the life!"

Pura Vida
virgili is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-23-2008, 11:44 PM   #39
Not Nate
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 850
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Quote:
Originally Posted by scubadown16 View Post
Well,

Just so your clear La Paz is not the only place I have gone to where spearfishing sailfish and Marlin are legal. I was just using one place in general. But thats not my argument and its distracting you from my argument.

My whole argument is.... " Why is taking sailfish or Marlin such a big deal to everyone?

Sorry if I have offended any one by my opinion. But this is a board where things are suppose to be discussed. I didn't know that you were only allowed to speak if you have the cridentials of Terry, Ted, and Cameron.

James Hardesty
You're the one who included the La Paz portion of your spearfishing resume.

Those other guys' opinions were based on direct experience AT THAT LOCATION. Taking bill fish is not a big deal to everyone. It's just a big deal in Costa Rica.

You're right, anyone can voice an opinion. It's just that when a guy like Terry takes the time to post a fairly verbose opinion on SB then it's worth paying attention to.

All that's moot as far as this thread's concern.
Not Nate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2008, 01:25 PM   #40
Wilddiver
Daryl Balfour
 
Wilddiver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Africa
Posts: 513
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

While I agree with the sentiments expressed by Kill Shot up above and have had similar sentiments expressed to me - most rod & reel fishermen (confidence tricksters?) who are not anti-spearfishing out of pure antipathy, jealousy whatever, are amazed that we will get into the water with all the nasty beasties down there and reckon if we can spear it and land it we earned it - I congratulate Philippe on his decision to defuse the situation by taking the actions he has done. Even though both my and Tommy's primary target in making the expensive flight to CR was to target a big marlin, as Cameron and a few others said, there are other places we can do so. Of course, there will also always be line fishermen, specially charter operators, who are down on spearos for no valid reasons, perhaps because they perceive our sport as being easy!

But it would be good to see all the critics who have opposed this event and the fact that billfish were on the trophy list now doff their hats and give credit to Virgili where it is due!

I doubt anyway that with the tournament limited to 20 contestants 20 marlin would have been speared over a 4-5 day period...unless bills are as thick down there as in the Reserve Bank? But I guess that even 4 or 5 marlin landed could have been detrimental, if I must believe those who claim to know better. At least in Mozambique any marlin brought to the beach is likely to help feed a hundred starving mouths in a land where protein is at a premium.

However, if I must stick my oar in and stir it around a bit, are tuna not more endangered in the world's oceans than marlin? Should we concerned and ethical spearos start campaigning for an end to shooting tuna too, 'cos it could give spearfishing a bad rep?

I guess whatever we shoot, someone somewhere will hate us for it and try to derail our sport. Like those who quite happily buy lamb or veal or suckling pig at the supermarket, but decry the guy who goes out and shoots a deer in the woods. Spearfishoing is a "blood sport" I guess, so we will always get opposition. Perhaps we should rethink whether we should kill fish competitively? Do the hunters have comps to see how many deer they can shoot over a weekend, week or whatever?

AJ and Craig should watch out that folks don't try to stop us shooting tuna in the Cape Town Blue Water Tuna International too!


Eric, I love your line: Would it be better if we all rigged the end of our spears with circle hooks?
__________________

Safe, Selective, Sustainable Seafood!
www.wildphotossafaris.com
www.diving-action.com

Last edited by Wilddiver; 08-26-2008 at 09:20 AM.
Wilddiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2008, 09:20 AM   #41
Wilddiver
Daryl Balfour
 
Wilddiver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Africa
Posts: 513
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Still no kudos forthcoming???
__________________

Safe, Selective, Sustainable Seafood!
www.wildphotossafaris.com
www.diving-action.com
Wilddiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2008, 11:54 PM   #42
downandout
Registered User
 
downandout's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 696
Wink Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

After spending considerable amounts of money flying all over the world to shoot fish others say should not be shot, my opinion is if you don't like the rules of the tournament or country, voice your opinion by not attending or visiting. Don't take a holier-than-thou stance and say your opinion is better than someone else because you come from America or were ever or what ever. If you don't like the rules of that tournament stay home. If you want to partake in the event, go, enjoy the tournament, be responsible, enjoy what that country has to offer and represent Spearos all over the world by being positive about the sport and enjoying the fact that there government and people allow the harvest of these great fish.

Finally, no matter who a person is or what they have done in the past matters not to me, some of the very people who say we should no longer kill "Jew fish" are the very reason they needed to be protected. Or even express negative opinions about taking Bill Fish, after taking many themselves. Hypocrites. This is just an example I am not pointing fingers at anyone in particular. Basically, Speoros need to be responsible about what they harvest, and be comfortable with it also, be positive about the sport, even if you disagree with what someone else is doing or has done, as long as it is legal or was when and where it happened the old saying goes "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all!!" applies. I believe this infighting that so often happens on this board is more detrimental to this sport, than someone shooting a fish that is legal but not PC. If you don't believe in harvesting Bill fish Don't, this applies to all species: just because you have an opinion does not mean you can tell me what to do. As long as the host country and the tournament have no problems with it, keep you opinions to yourselves and try not to tell others what to do. Lets keep this Sport positive and not draw negative attention to ourselves, by ourselves.

Thank you for your time

D&O

Last edited by downandout; 08-28-2008 at 12:07 AM. Reason: The hell of it!!
downandout is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2008, 11:08 AM   #43
lars
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Homestead, Florida
Posts: 121
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

I am interested in signing up for this tournament. I will send you a PM
lars is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2008, 05:51 AM   #44
Wilddiver
Daryl Balfour
 
Wilddiver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Africa
Posts: 513
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

I've been outta town for over a month but feel the same still to how I did a few posts up...it would be nice if the guys who opposed the taking of billfish in this tournament, specifically Terry and Cameron whose opinions do carry weight, were to give Virgili some credit for responding to their (and other) opinions and banning billfish from this competition - a step I'm sure was not lightly taken and one that while perhaps politically (and ecologically) correct could also piss off a number of contestants already entered for the tournament. Just a "well done Philippe" would be nice...
Wilddiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2008, 01:48 PM   #45
virgili
Registered User
 
virgili's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,486
Re: 1st. Annual Costa Rica Blue Water Hunting Open

Hi Daryl, good to hear from you!
Very pleased to notice how the Blue water hunting Planet is represented.
22 registered divers to the Open are from:
South Africa: 4
Canada: 2
Costa Rica: 3
Great Britain: 1
Puerto Rico: 1
Mexico:1
Virgin Islands: 1
Florida: 4
Cuba: 1
Connecticut:1
Georgia: 1
Texas: 1
Hawaii: 1
During the Open, the spearo cultur exchanges will be stimulating!
There are 2 to 3 spots left. (1st Nov. deadline).
Pura Vida.
virgili is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:45 PM.


The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Social Media Forum Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2002 - 2014 Spearboard.com