Underwater Hunting

Practical of the activity

Practical of leisure

One practices this activity with the unit palm-mask-tuba, a combination, girdles leads, a buoy with a house alpha to announce his presence and a crossbow if fish is driven out. The shellfish must be caught with the hand. The crossbow must be charged with the force with the arms, from the French legislation, until interlocking of the Obus in a notch practiced along the arrow (one uses in general crossbows with sandows ). The current practices to succeed in catching fish during the one at two minutes of apnea are casting, while going down directly from surface towards fish; the agachon, which amounts being put at the mounting at the bottom while not moving more; hunting with hole, while going to seek fish in the holes of the rocks; hunting for the Indian, who consists in surprising fish while swimming close to surface or to the bottom. One can also use a pig mould (weight that one holds with the hand to go down) or release weight (which one will have beforehand hung to a wire connected to surface) once finished descent.

Competition

The competitions of underwater hunting are organized by the world Confédération of the subaqueous activities (CMAS and in France by the French federation of Study and Underwater Sports) and the Nautical Federation of Sporting Fishing in Apnea (FNPSA). Championships of the World and Europe take place every two years. At the time of a competition, the participants have a few days to locate fishing zones, then they drive out during a limited time (~ 5 hours per day over 2 days). The scores are currently calculated according to the number and of the weight of the catches (1 point per gram + a contractual number of points per fish), but the tendency is directed worms of the scores more and more depending on the quality and the diversity of the catches. Those are limited of number, for each species or groups species.

Difficulties and risks

The main difficulties of underwater hunting are related to the apnea in itself, which requires much drive. However, unlike the pure apnea, the apnea of hunting often short and is repeated since the exits of hunting can last up to 4 a.m. The principal risk is also related to the apnea: the syncope, which in itself is not dangeureuse but which can involve, if the loss of consciousness is in water, of serious consequences like the Noyade. The Hyperventilation - to make great inspirations before plunging - is one of the possible causes of the syncope, since this one distorts the warning system of monitoring of the carbonic gas rate in the blood, which will not alert the plunger of its lack of oxygen: the syncope can thus occur without preventing; so hyperventilation is highly disadvised. Because of this risk of syncope, it is advised to practice underwater hunting with two, so that which remains on the surface is ready to intervene in the event of difficulty of its partner.

French regulations

Regulation of this sport: (for more information)

The subscription of a contract of insurance civil responsibility for the practice of underwater fishing of leisures is obligatory.

It is necessary to be at least 16 years old to practice underwater fishing. A declaration of activity near the Maritime businesses is necessary if the practitioner is not affiliated with a sporting federation approved for the practice of this activity.

Obligations and safety of the underwater hunter:

Very practitioner must announce his presence by means of a buoy allowing to locate his position. In the zones of prohibitions, any weapon of underwater fishing perhaps introduced only discharged and placed under case or in a closed trunk. The underwater hunter, before its departure or on its return, like that using a boat, must be able to present to the competent authorities its authorization delivered by a district of the Maritime businesses or its license delivered by a sporting federation approved for the practice of this activity.

Prohibitions of the underwater hunter:

The sale of the fishery product carried out by nonprofessional fishermen is prohibited. The captures carried out by the underwater fisherman of leisures are limited to the needs for its exclusive consumption of the fisherman and of its family and cannot be hawked, exposed with the sale, sold in some form that it is, or bought with full knowledge of the facts.

Prohibited machines or processes:

It is interdict to use an apparatus making it possible to breathe in diving. Only the crossbows charged by the force with the user are authorized. Are indeed prohibited the fishing machines underwater whose developed driving power is borrowed from the exploding capacity of a chemical mixture or from the relaxation of a compressed gas, except if the compression of this last is obtained by the action of a mechanism operated by the only user.

He is interdict to hold charged, out of water, a crossbow of underwater fishing. He is interdict to use a crossbow or a foëne for the capture of shellfish. He is interdict to use a cord of diving to block fish. The capture of marine animals taken in the machines or nets placed by other fishermen is prohibited. It is interdict to use a luminous source. It is interdict to use a system autopropulsor of the plunger loco type. It is interdict simultaneously to hold on a boat a harpoon gun and blocks of diving. (except special permit)

Periods prohibited with the underwater hunters:

To exert underwater fishing enters to lay down it and raise it sun In certain areas, there exist periods of prohibition. (to get information near the districts of the Maritime businesses)

Places and areas closed with the underwater hunters:

To approach with less than 150 meters the ships or boats in fishing as well as fishing machines announced by an apparent beaconing. To capture the marine animals taken in the machines or nets placed by other fishermen. With less than 100 meters of the maritime farms. Inside the harbor works. Inside the zones reserved for the bathe and the practice of the sports speed. Inside the channels of access harbor and anchorages. Inside military quarterings, reserves, zones and of biotope as well as airports.

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