Updates to our Terms of Use

We are updating our Terms of Use. Please carefully review the updated Terms before proceeding to our website.

Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Spear Guns Banned in Gray’s Reef Sanctuary

WASHINGTON (CN) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is banning spearfishing gear in the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, unless it is locked away on vessels that are passing through, to prevent spearfishing divers from killing the larger sanctuary fish.

One of the most popular sportfishing areas on the Georgia coast, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is one of the largest near shore live-bottom reefs in the southeastern United States.

More than 180 species of fish including mackerel, grouper, black sea bass, angelfish, and endangered species such as loggerhead sea turtles, live in and around the varied ecosystems of the reef, which is located 17.5 nautical miles off Sapelo Island.

Spear guns make it easy for divers to select the largest specimens, which can lead to downward pressure on the size of subsequent generations. The agency believes the ban will also reinforce an existing ban on bangsticks or powerheads, a specialized firearm that discharges on contact with the target, as these often are attached to the end of spear guns for self-defense underwater.

Categories / Uncategorized

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Loading...