New Manifesto
MANIFESTO
THE CAPTURES MANIFESTO
I live in Bali, Indonesia, for almost 5 years. I regularly practice spearfishing there, as well as further east, in the Sunda islands and the Maluku archipelago. I am also passionate about underwater photography, and over the years I have built a fairly extensive photographic database of fish portraits in natural lighting as well as spearfishing videos of many local species.
The idea for this guide came to me in connection with spearo friends from Europe visiting and also watching Youtube videos of Indonesia fishing trips. First of all, I was struck by the fact that these visitors often shot mostly the wrong fish.
It is not a question of judging and stigmatizing those who come to spearfish here, I understand them, wide-eyed in front of all this fauna, impressive of diversity, size and colors …. It’s like spearfishing in an aquarium! I made many of those mistakes myself, before realizing it.
The fact is that, unlike in the United States or Australia, where recreational fishing (including hunting) is specifically regulated, and with extensive documentation, there is no clear legislation and even less documentation in Indonesia which favors abuse.
So instead of confining myself to critical comments, I decided to create this online guide to help the novice of Indo-Pacific waters find their way, and hopefully, better select their prey.
Coral ecosystems are fragile and it is not because we are far from home and its usual landmarks that one shouldn’t respect or lay the foundations of fishing ethics. After all, spearfishing is a sport, and any sport has its rules, written and informal, isn’t it?
Locals throughout Indonesia practice in majority subsistence fishing, the impact of which is still rather limited due to very artisanal means. This is changing rapidly, both in terms of the means involved and its purpose, more and more Indonesians also fishing for leisure. This is particularly the case in Bali where the large fish population has been significantly reduced. If our Indonesian friends see us exterminate everything, they might think it’s OK do the same.
Our responsibility, as actors and informed spectators of the underwater world is therefore to limit our predation to reasonable, and to lead by example other visiting fishermen and the local population.
Other frequent concerns are about safety. Indonesia waters have their dangers and visitors are usually little aware of them: Downcurrents, the treacherous sun, poisonous creatures, sharks…
So my goal is to help hunters on Bali / Lombok, visitors or expats, to collect selectively and safely, and those who will go even further in this immense archipelago, in Sumba, Sumbawa, Flores, Mentawai, in the Celebes, in Kalimantan or in the Moluccas, to show restraint and to appreciate the encounter of a beautiful specimen or a rare species. In particular, I am targeting European / American hunters. Australians and permanent residents of Polynesia / Vanuatu / New Caledonia / Reunion / Mayotte are familiar with this environment and the species found there.
As Indonesia is the heart of Indo-Pacific biodiversity, this guide should be useful, if not completely exhaustive, throughout the Indo-Pacific, from the Mozambique Channel to Polynesia.
Angelos Germidis
DISCOVER THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE TROPICAL INDO-PACIFIC
Our fact sheets gather key information to identify, select and hunt better in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. They can be advantageously consulted in preparation for a trip, or consecutively to an unusual or remarkably large catch.