Spearfishing is an underwater sport conducted in open waters. The athlete's objective is to catch specific species of fish by diving while holding their breath, using a special underwater speargun or crossbow. The use of breathing apparatus is prohibited. The goal is to catch the maximum number of specific species within a limited period of time in a given area of water.
History
Spearfishing is a sport practiced in many countries worldwide. Since the 1950s, regular World and European Spearfishing Championships have been held. In the USSR, spearfishing was not an independent sport but was part of the Underwater Shooting Sport, along with underwater shooting and small-caliber pistol shooting.
In the former USSR, it was most developed in Ukraine, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Unlike most countries, where spearfishing is primarily a sea hunt, in the former USSR it is lake, river, and sea hunting.
This is a very interesting, dynamic, and exciting sport that requires excellent physical fitness. A person is in an aquatic environment, at depth, with only the oxygen in the blood (bound to hemoglobin) and the lungs. A spearfisher must understand the habits of fish, their habitats, and effective methods for catching them, depending on the body of water, time of year, time of day, weather conditions, and so on. Spearfishing can take place both near the coast and at significant depths. Some spearfishers can hunt at depths of 30-50 meters. Typically, their breath-holding time (static apnea) at the surface exceeds 5 minutes.
The aesthetic aspect of the hunting process itself is also very important. New chapters of life in the underwater world and its inhabitants are revealed to the viewer, spiritually enriching the thoughtful observer.