[quote name='sea-dog' date='Mar 1 2005, 10:36 PM']I have just sent an email off to DPI (fisheries) in regard to the sling/handspear issue.
I asked them for a hard and fast definition of what is regarded as legal in relation to the number of prongs and the presence of barbs when attached to a hawaiian sling.
When and if I receive a response, I will post here.
[right][post="4261"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
I have just received reply (took 13 days to answer)
First, my question:
"Hi, I was looking into regulations regarding Spearguns vs Hand-held spears.
By my reading of the regulations on the website;
a hawaiian sling is defined as a speargun as it "is capable of imparting propulsive energy to a spear or arrow."
There is no mention of a limit to the number of prongs or the presence of barbs on a speargun/sling.
So if I use a 5 prong, barbed head, hawaiian sling for floundering in Port Phillip bay it is quite OK, but if I were to remove the rubber sling, then it would be regarded as a hand-held spear. It would then be illegal to use as it had more than 2 prongs, and had barbs.
Am I correct in my interpretation of these particular rules? "
Now, the response.
(quote)
Dear Ross,
Thank you for your recent enquiry.
The Department's response is:-
Yes. Your interpretation is correct.
The guide does not specify any restrictions on the number of prongs, or the use of barbs, on the hand of a spear gun because no such restrictions exist.
However, if a hand held spear is used (a spear that is propelled only by the arm), then the spear must not have any barbs and no more than two prongs.
The following link to the website may be of assistance to you: [url="http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/"]http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/[/url] or [url="http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/"]http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/[/url]
If you require clarification or have a further enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact the Customer Service Centre on 136 186 between 8am - 8pm weekdays or email customer.service@dse.vic.gov.au
Sincerely,
Sheridan
Customer Service Officer
Communications & Stakeholder Relations
Department of Sustainability & Environment
Phone: 136 186
Fax: 5332 5050
(end quote)"
So there you go..... Just attach a rubber sling of some description to your flounder spear, and you can use any number of prongs (with or without barbs) as you like.
Cheers. <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />
I asked them for a hard and fast definition of what is regarded as legal in relation to the number of prongs and the presence of barbs when attached to a hawaiian sling.
When and if I receive a response, I will post here.
[right][post="4261"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
I have just received reply (took 13 days to answer)
First, my question:
"Hi, I was looking into regulations regarding Spearguns vs Hand-held spears.
By my reading of the regulations on the website;
a hawaiian sling is defined as a speargun as it "is capable of imparting propulsive energy to a spear or arrow."
There is no mention of a limit to the number of prongs or the presence of barbs on a speargun/sling.
So if I use a 5 prong, barbed head, hawaiian sling for floundering in Port Phillip bay it is quite OK, but if I were to remove the rubber sling, then it would be regarded as a hand-held spear. It would then be illegal to use as it had more than 2 prongs, and had barbs.
Am I correct in my interpretation of these particular rules? "
Now, the response.
(quote)
Dear Ross,
Thank you for your recent enquiry.
The Department's response is:-
Yes. Your interpretation is correct.
The guide does not specify any restrictions on the number of prongs, or the use of barbs, on the hand of a spear gun because no such restrictions exist.
However, if a hand held spear is used (a spear that is propelled only by the arm), then the spear must not have any barbs and no more than two prongs.
The following link to the website may be of assistance to you: [url="http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/"]http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/[/url] or [url="http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/"]http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/[/url]
If you require clarification or have a further enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact the Customer Service Centre on 136 186 between 8am - 8pm weekdays or email customer.service@dse.vic.gov.au
Sincerely,
Sheridan
Customer Service Officer
Communications & Stakeholder Relations
Department of Sustainability & Environment
Phone: 136 186
Fax: 5332 5050
(end quote)"
So there you go..... Just attach a rubber sling of some description to your flounder spear, and you can use any number of prongs (with or without barbs) as you like.
Cheers. <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />