Holy Spear-It 3 Grouper Report: November 1, 2021

[Dive4Blood]

I pumped my fist in the air as I read the letter by the mailbox for the third time to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Finally! After six years of sending applications to the gag grouper limited entry lottery I had received notice that I was to get three grouper tags for the 2021 limited harvest to be held this year during a three day period in November! I immediately called my son and daughter, and told them to block out the days. At last, an opportunity to taste a crumb of the past. The second call I made was to Capt Ben Batemen who skippered the Holy Spear-It 3, and booked the boat for the grouper harvest. Ben whose red beard had reached ZZ Top proportions, was now the only spearfishing charter captain left in the Gulf after Capt Jim Zurbrick had been imprisoned for “speech critical to NOAA” during the emergency Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act meetings in 2018. The Holy Spear-It 3 is THE boat to dive the Gulf on. With it’s big Detroit ethanol engine, it can attain a top speed of thirteen knots, blowing away its predecessors!

As I lay in bed awake the night before, too excited to go to sleep, I reflected back as to how we got to this point. Could 2011 have marked the end of the good old days? That was when Roy Crabtree became the director of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Soon after we were down to a one fish boat limit on all grouper, snapper, hogfish, and even triggerfish with multi-month closed seasons for all. By 2013 fully 70% of the Gulf had been designated as Marine Protected Areas however long line fishing, through the work of Florida Senator Robert Spaeth, had been exempted from virtually all of them. Even though long line trip limits had been paired down to 4000# per trip, they are now virtually the only commercial boats effectively working the Gulf. After the commercial buyout plan in 2010, it reduced the fleet to sixty longline vessels, many of them owned by the senator’s company. In 2012 the FRA was disbanded by the govenment as a "subversive group", but director Denny O'Hearn landed on his feet accepting a six digit lobbying job with a major marine manufacturer. More power to him! After languishing for years in the FRA fighting the apathy of the people he was trying to serve more than the forces that were trying to all but eliminate rec fishing, he deserves to get his. In 2015 we went to a lottery system where a select number of recreational “kill tags” were issued randomly per species every year, and that my friend takes us to the present.

We all met at the dock, and doubtfully looked at the forecast (15-20 knots out of the north, and seas 3’-5’), but because the tags expired three days from now whether we caught a grouper or not, the decision was made to go. We fired up the engine, and transmitted our departure on the Universal Vessel Monitoring System to NOAA HQ in Washington DC. Our spots were just east of the Florida Middle Grounds Marine Sanctuary, a series of ledges that the boat had leased from a holding company of Ocean Conservancy Research Ventures Inc.. With the deck cameras turned on which were monitored by Coast Guard choppers and cutters 24/7, we left the dock.

Many hours later we arrived at our spot which was stacked up on the Hi-Def depth recorder, it’s density indicator showing at least 40 grouper of over 30# in a 500 yard radius around the boat. We had to be careful not shoot over our 36” slot because it would count against our three tags (as would a throw back, or a fish that shakes the spear), and would be subject to a healthy fine. We geared up, turned on the Universal Speargun Camera Monitoring System on our SS Rhino guns, and rolled over. A wave of conflicting emotions passed over me as I saw the panorama of the reef. Despite the longline gear stretched all over it, the ledge was healthy and loaded with fish! I carefully played wingman to both my son and daughter as they each shot their respectable 15#-20# gags, and then with a bit of nostaglia I rolled a nice rusty belly...stone dead.

When we surfaced Capt Ben called the Coast Guard who within minutes had a rigid inflatable boat full of enforcement personnel at our starboard side to “certify” the catch. I couldn’t have been prouder. Tonight it’s grouper sandwiches on the menu....the soy meat substitute that has now become the USA staples will have to wait until next week.

It was a great trip this year, and I would definitely recommend Capt Ben and the Holy Spear-It 3. I’ll have some digital holograms posted here on Spearboard when I get the chance. Standing by....

AJ Suarez


A little bit of far fetched fiction? Keep being a spectator and not a player in the management of our public marine resources, and I’ll see you at the dock in the year 2021.

[Petra]

Wow. Point made. Excellent post.

[fishkillapro]

By Nov. 1, 2021 there will be more Ray Odor's of spearfishing on the site too. And they will still be posting in the Bikin Section!!!

[inletsurf]

Originally Posted by Dive4Blood

I pumped my fist in the air as I read the letter by the mailbox for the third time to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Finally! After six years of sending applications to the gag grouper limited entry lottery I had received notice that I was to get three grouper tags for the 2021 limited harvest to be held this year during a three day period in November! I immediately called my son and daughter, and told them to block out the days. At last, an opportunity to taste a crumb of the past. The second call I made was to Capt Ben Batemen who skippered the Holy Spear-It 3, and booked the boat for the grouper harvest. Ben whose red beard had reached ZZ Top proportions, was now the only spearfishing charter captain left in the Gulf after Capt Jim Zurbrick had been imprisoned for “speech critical to NOAA” during the emergency Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act meetings in 2018. The Holy Spear-It 3 is THE boat to dive the Gulf on. With it’s big Detroit ethanol engine, it can attain a top speed of thirteen knots, blowing away its predecessors!

As I lay in bed awake the night before, too excited to go to sleep, I reflected back as to how we got to this point. Could 2011 have marked the end of the good old days? That was when Roy Crabtree became the director of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Soon after we were down to a one fish boat limit on all grouper, snapper, hogfish, and even triggerfish with multi-month closed seasons for all. By 2013 fully 70% of the Gulf had been designated as Marine Protected Areas however long line fishing, through the work of Florida Senator Robert Spaeth, had been exempted from virtually all of them. Even though long line trip limits had been paired down to 4000# per trip, they are now virtually the only commercial boats effectively working the Gulf. After the commercial buyout plan in 2010, it reduced the fleet to sixty longline vessels, many of them owned by the senator’s company. In 2012 the FRA was disbanded by the govenment as a "subversive group", but director Denny O'Hearn landed on his feet accepting a six digit lobbying job with a major marine manufacturer. More power to him! After languishing for years in the FRA fighting the apathy of the people he was trying to serve more than the forces that were trying to all but eliminate rec fishing, he deserves to get his. In 2015 we went to a lottery system where a select number of recreational “kill tags” were issued randomly per species every year, and that my friend takes us to the present.

We all met at the dock, and doubtfully looked at the forecast (15-20 knots out of the north, and seas 3’-5’), but because the tags expired three days from now whether we caught a grouper or not, the decision was made to go. We fired up the engine, and transmitted our departure on the Universal Vessel Monitoring System to NOAA HQ in Washington DC. Our spots were just east of the Florida Middle Grounds Marine Sanctuary, a series of ledges that the boat had leased from a holding company of the Ocean Conservancy. With the deck cameras turned on which were monitored by Coast Guard choppers and cutters 24/7, we left the dock.

Many hours later we arrived at our spot which was stacked up on the Hi-Def depth recorder, it’s density indicator showing at least 40 grouper of over 30# in a 500 yard radius around the boat. We had to be careful not shoot over our 36” slot because it would count against our three tags (as would a throw back, or a fish that shakes the spear), and would be subject to a healthy fine. We geared up, turned on the Universal Speargun Camera Monitoring System on our SS Rhino guns, and rolled over. A wave of conflicting emotions passed over me as I saw the panorama of the reef. Despite the longline gear stretched all over it, the ledge was healthy and loaded with fish! I carefully played wingman to both my son and daughter as they each shot their respectable 15#-20# gags, and then with a bit of nostaglia I rolled a nice rusty belly...stone dead.

When we surfaced Capt Ben called the Coast Guard who within minutes had a rigid inflatable boat full of enforcement personnel at our starboard side to “certify” the catch. I couldn’t have been prouder. Tonight it’s grouper sandwiches on the menu....the soy meat substitute that has now become the USA staples will have to wait until next week.

It was a great trip this year, and I would definitely recommend Capt Ben and the Holy Spear-It 3. I’ll have some digital holograms posted here on Spearboard when I get the chance. Standing by....

AJ Suarez


A little bit of far fetched fiction? Keep being a spectator and not a player in the management of our public marine resources, and I’ll see you at the dock in the year 2021.

How accurate was the seas forecast? Did NOAA ever stop smoking crack???

[Divin' fool]

Wel Sed......Orsen Wells has nothin' on AJ!

I wonder if my grandkids will be able to enjoy this sport I'm obsessed with

[Tiny]

I for one, am scared to death . Seariously. I would love to help out the cause. What (really) is the most effective thing I can do?
I'm ready.

[Surface Tension]

Originally Posted by inletsurf

How accurate was the seas forecast? Did NOAA ever stop smoking crack???

[loose_cannon]

I won't be on the dock in 2021, AJ.

That will be at least five years after my execution for repeated violations of the 2015 lottery system.

But until then, I will support my subversive group of choice - the FRA.

[Old Bateman]

Originally Posted by Dive4Blood

and then with a bit of nostalgia I rolled a nice rusty belly...stone dead.

Sounded plausible until then! Just kidding AJ. We will be proud to still be running MG charters in 2021, and by the way, the business will still be for sale.
And this might be prevented if we can determine if those running for office are for the recreational fisherman or not.

[riplipper]

AJ.....that was classic.....great point and presentaion......

Inlet....NOAA is replaced by NAFC in 2012 (not a f***ing clue)
And... to make you feel better, federal funds were tripled to run it...

[SpearMax]

Now that was scary and funny at the same time! Excellent writing AJ!

You should write a future novel like "1984" titled "BOHICA" with a subtitle like "How the little guy fisherman (and woman) got the bent shaft big time!"

Seriously though - something has got to be done to draw the battle line and stem the tide of regulatory oppression in a rational way that balances true science with public policy.

[sharpshooter]

What a way to end the work day. I agree with SpearMax. You're article was funny and scary at the same time. You made some good points.

[Man-O-War]

There might not be any fish left by then, or shortly thereafter?

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science....ap/index.html

[fishkilla]

very nice! hopefully capt. jimmy z will have visitation rights and we'll be able to bring him a grouper sandwich.

last week i just renewed my FRA membership. how about everyone else? just $10 bucks from every member on the board would go a long ways.

[junior]

Great story BTW. That's the way to engage people's interest in the matter