spearfishing with cylinders

[baghira]

Seahunter, I meant sea urchin picking with scuba!!
Sorry i was mistaken.

Does anyone know?

[Seahunter]

I don't know... 

[charlie]

I don't know that catching the sea urchins with scuba is illegal or not,but the worst thing is when these guys try to catch the(TAMAL) cause they destroy the seabed to take the tamal out

[baghira]

I knew some guy who used to do that, but to tell you the truth I always questioned myself where the hell is this tamal, how does it look like in its natural habitat? How do they recognise? And for sure this is not done in my areas (north/west), because if so I would have encountered some guy a day or another. I beleive it is mostly done at xghajra area.
I always hear that they go with a pneumatic hammer or some of this kind, and destroy the whole seabed rocks in search of it.??

[fisheye]

Mostly are collected from Marsamxett area from Foss toward Pieta. Another place where are frequently collected is from Isla Point. They just use a chipping hammer and yes those unexperienced and greedy will do a lot of damage to the sea bed.

[mellieha]

Is this destruction legal or regulated in some way or another?

[SPNOTTA]

Sliema area BOXFULS of sea urchins are collected using scuba

[shanook]

tamal when i was a 10 year old kid we used to jump in the water and with closed eyes we used to pick up a rock and it used to be full of tamal, probably the water was not more than a metre deep. We never took more than it was necessary. then there where those who started selling them to hotels and bingo....Now its practically impossible to find tamal......

[Seahunter]

We never took more than it was necessary. then there where those who started selling them to hotels and bingo....Now its practically impossible to find tamal......

The ones who should really care for the tourists (many of which come for our seas) are the main reason of the damage being done to our seas.  When seaurchins are picked, tamal or certain fish is cought, most of which is bought by them!!

[EmicMalta]

GĦADDASA BIL-ĦARPUN

24407. L-ONOR. CHRIS AGIUS  staqsa lill-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Rurali u Ambjent: Jista' l-Ministru jgħid liema huma dawk l-areas fejn ma jistax isir għadds bil-ħarpun?

12/03/2007

  ONOR. GEORGE PULLICINO:  Ninsab infurmat li ma jistax isir għadis bil-harpoon f?dawk iż-żoni li huma determinati bħala żoni ta' konservazzjoni mill-Awtorit? għall-Protezzjoni ta? l-Ambjent u kulfejn hemm xi reef artifiċjali impoġġija għal studju jew bħala attrazzjoni turistika għall-għaddasa.  Ma jistax isir għadis bil-harpoon ukoll fiż-żoni kollha fejn ma jistax isir sajd skond regolament SL425.01.  Għaddis bil-harpoon ma jistax isir imkien jekk l-għaddas ikun ukoll armat bl-aqualung jew bid-dawl.  Dan jirriżulta minn Regolament tal-Kunsill tal-Ministri CR1967/2006.

Seduta 510
26/03/2007

[mellieha]

thank you emic.

[SPNOTTA]

GĦADDASA BIL-ĦARPUN

24407. L-ONOR. CHRIS AGIUS  staqsa lill-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Rurali u Ambjent: Jista' l-Ministru jgħid liema huma dawk l-areas fejn ma jistax isir għadds bil-ħarpun?

12/03/2007

  ONOR. GEORGE PULLICINO:  Ninsab infurmat li ma jistax isir għadis bil-harpoon f’dawk iż-żoni li huma determinati bħala żoni ta' konservazzjoni mill-Awtorit? għall-Protezzjoni ta’ l-Ambjent u kulfejn hemm xi reef artifiċjali impoġġija għal studju jew bħala attrazzjoni turistika għall-għaddasa.  Ma jistax isir għadis bil-harpoon ukoll fiż-żoni kollha fejn ma jistax isir sajd skond regolament SL425.01.  Għaddis bil-harpoon ma jistax isir imkien jekk l-għaddas ikun ukoll armat bl-aqualung jew bid-dawl.  Dan jirriżulta minn Regolament tal-Kunsill tal-Ministri CR1967/2006.

Seduta 510
26/03/2007

The above was discussed in detail here:

http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/index.php/topic,733.105.html