If you eat meat, you should kill it yourself. Ideally, that’s the way we’d all do it, but that’s not the reality we live in. Instead, we drag the bottom of the ocean, pulling vast quantities of fish, depleting stocks and killing pretty much anything else that gets caught in our web. Still, though, the ability to simply go to a store and trade a few pieces of paper for a chunk of meat is a testament to humans’ ability to thrive. And videos like this one are proof that killing your own food isn’t always easy.
Sharks are in the ocean. In fact, the absence of sharks is an indicator of an unhealthy, unbalanced ecosystem. Like it or not, we’re part of that ecosystem. Sharks are migratory creatures, so if you, like the person in the video above, are hunting for tuna, there’s a chance there may be a shark or two lurking around, and since you’re in the ocean, there’s a chance they’re going to fight you for your catch. Unfortunately for us, underwater, sharks have a very distinct advantage.
For those who may be against the act of shooting a fish with a spear, take something into consideration: unless you’re a vegan (and good on you if you are), spearfishing is one of the most sustainable ways to catch fish. The vast majority of people who do it shoot one or two fish for food, and are acutely aware of the ecosystem in which they’re hunting. They know what they’re shooting, they know the limits, and they generally respect the rules.
Although there will undoubtedly be more than a few people who are upset that the diver stabs the sharks, it’s worth noting that those stab wounds are not, by any means, fatal ones. Sharks routinely bite each other over food, and most dive knives aren’t much bigger than a shark tooth. Chances are good that these sharks swam away with a quick-healing wound and lived to eat again.
Another thing worth noting, however, is that diving with a buddy is always a good idea.
