Chris, Howie,
Is it possible to attach a page to the planet where we can log on (using our screen names and passwords and fill in the blank fields with daily catch stats?
weights, lengths, species, water temp, time of day and approx location?
Guys I think EVERYONE on here will gladly submit data daily and what a better record then WHAT WE DO. ??? This will be more complete and is representative of OUR impact.
The page can be titled GOM Marine Statistical Spearfishing Study.
It can be perpetuating with a monthly stats and charts. and we can have one of our boi guys oversee it and share statistical events eventually.


C'mon feedback..blow some holes in it.........

There was a hook and line guy that tried to do that with catch data. Apparently it went downhill, but I think he ran out of money. He was trying to complicate it.
Your idea sounds fairly solid. Keep it simple with reports, nothing fancy.

In addition to catch data, we could also report what other species and numbers we saw on the spots that day.

simpler the better

Add water depth to that. It also needs to be researched to make sure the data will be valid and not a futile effort.

I'm all for it, It would be one more source of information for the scientist to chew on, but I think that the locations need to be kept secret, from everyone except those that would use the information in a study or case. No one wants to get there spots "pouched". Kind of sensitive info you know.

There are numerous internet programmers on the site. If someone wants to design and build it, we will support it and encourage everyone to participate.

Ok who's gonna build it?

Locales would ONLY be general
Depth is a good Idea also.....

So we can attach it to the planet Howie? Thanks............

Add water depth to that. It also needs to be researched to make sure the data will be valid and not a futile effort.

jesus...... they ask people at the boat ramp what they've got surely our information would be deemed more reliable

We could also ask whatever scientist we have or will have to oversee it and to provide credibility

jesus...... they ask people at the boat ramp what they've got surely our information would be deemed more reliable

We could also ask whatever scientist we have or will have to oversee it and to provide credibility

Yea, I would think that we'd need some sort of official backing/sign off on it. Even though it's clearly valid data to us, I'm sure the Government has some sort of regulatory guidelines on it.

If something like this ever happens it is imperative to note all of those times when there is effort and it results in no catch. How many times have you seen the guy who gets skunked or passes up legal fish all day stop and chat with the FWC guy at the dock doing catch data? Nobody is going to brag that they go home many times with nothing more than just a few nice dives or just killing a six pack when H&L fishing. It is just as important if not more so to note the amount of time, effort and expenditures we all make just for the OPPORTUNITY to catch fish even when many times the only reward is the experience. Great idea but I warn everyone that this type of data can be highly misleading to all concerned if it just becomes a bragging board for peoples occasional banner days.

PS catch data should be coupled with effort detailed in man hours and expenditures when possible including travel time, lodging, fuel, meals, etc. when traveling outside of your "home" turf. Good luck with your efforts and tell us all how we can contribute towards developing catch data that begins to accurately describe what rec. anglers really contribute to total catch numbers in the fishery and economic impact to our states economy.

Absent video footage, the research data would not be taken seriously - we all have something to gain by showing a prolific, healthy population of fish species.

Even video footage would be viewed with a skeptical eye if the protocals for capture were not in order. For example, you could video the Lemon sharks off Jupiter when they're schooling & taken out of context, people might think that the entire ocean is overloaded with them.

IMO, the last thing we want is, as a small forum of spearfisherman, to publically present self-reported catch stats, and have the NMFS spread the catch ratio across the entire population of spearfisherman/women and set it as the norm for the population. Its blindingly obvious that the NMFS will use any data they can get their hands on to use in their favor. Don't think 'just because its forum data' that it won't be taken seriously. Again, they can use this "database" against us, just as they have used our own photos against us in the past. Also, are you going to report all the days you have less-than-spectacular catches or skunk trips??? Hell no. Is that representative then? Hell no!

I am all for data that is acquired and verified by an independent source. Funded by NMFS, sure, but acquired, compiled, and verified by an independent agency who has no ties to any of the sides, gov't, recreational, commercial, environmentalists. I realize that we want to use this database for our own needs, but if its public, we will end up being screwed again.

Yes, we're not a good population sample. The people on this board are above the average Joe in terms of fishing ability.

I was thinking the same thing as Inletsurf. Obviously the recreational data is an estimate, probably by adding up the # of saltwater fishing licenses and figuring everyone gets a gag grouper limit every time out. That is what showing good limits here would prove to them, and they would use it to our displeasure. I agree that video would help show the stocks. Last time I was out 3 weeks ago?, there were quite a few gags at one place, all rushing up to greet me, even though the largest was 23", it would have made a good video to show good fish stocks. The officials really dont want to believe anything unless they see it, have a dead sample, and a picture taken by an official. The way that the biologists count fish stocks is to take a small square on the bottom (it cant be reef, as it would be un-naturally high in fish life) and count each type of fish. Jeff (keezdiver) does this in Marathon FL for a living, and a friend does this for Mote Marine in Sarasota. He rarely sees many grouper, other than the small red and gags that dont need much cover. I am sure there is 100,000 striped sand perch to every grouper counted. Unless every fisherman, H & L, spearfisherman etc log their catch, it would be useless, or maybe not in our favor. That might look like spearfishermen take more grouper-I doubt it-than H & L fisherman as a whole.

i do beleive REEF already has some similar internet based info system set up.

but it's not "catch data"

if you want the data to count towards anythng, you'll probably have to leave the speargun on the boat and dive with a pencil and slate.

i agree that the data could be mis-representative



in my experience alot of h/l guys keep just about anyting legal....while spearos are choosy...i KNOW i am...could make for some misleading info

Easy to misrepresent as some of you have mentioned. One other thing to think about is a lot of you are very good spearfisherman, and while im by far not the best, I manage to do exponentially better spearfishing than if i were h&l at the same spot (maybe i'm just a bad h&l fisherman lol). So when scients see reports of us limiting on gags (or whatever other fish for that matter) they might try to apply these numbers to everyone which would result in inaccurate data. Spearfishing is held to be the most selective form of catching, and inherent to this is its directness. If there are fish on the spot your diving that are legal size your most likely going to come up with something. Where as you could toss a live bait down there all day and might not get a bite depending on how they're feeling.

I have definatly put more fish in the freezer spearing.

What percent of fishermen are divers? Any data? In Alabama you have to buy a spearfishing license.

I see all your points...I'm just trying to think outside the box a bit to get accurate data w/o a huge expense...NMFS has flawed data..PERIOD..OK now how do we insure the data they recieve is accurate??

I'm for whatever means is necessary so these fights become moot in the future.

easy....LOTS of money for directed sampling and research.