SpearFactor Spearfishing Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Ian Higgins, captain of the Vision dive boat from Vision Expeditions, to talk about what it takes to dive and operate a charter boat along the Southern California coast. We dive into everything from spearfishing and diving the Channel Islands to the realities of running a professional dive charter in California. Ian shares his experience on the water, what makes the Channel Islands such a unique diving destination, and the challenges and rewards that come with putting divers on the right piece of ocean. We also talk about the conditions, logistics, boat operations, memorable dives, and what it really takes to make a successful day on the water in Southern California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Spearfactor Podcast, I sit down with Max Mossler, a freediver, spearfisher, and scientist whose work bridges marine research and real-world experience in the water. We dive into the science behind fisheries, discuss the challenges of sustainable fish populations, and explore how research influences conservation and spearfishing. Max also shares what it’s like living and training in Mexico, how freediving has shaped his life, and the lessons he’s learned from spending countless hours underwater. From training techniques and ocean exploration to fisheries science and the future of our oceans, this conversation is packed with insights for freedivers, spearfishers, and anyone passionate about the marine world. Topics include: Freediving training and techniques Living and diving in Mexico Fisheries science and marine conservation Sustainable spearfishing Ocean research and exploration Stories and lessons from the water And much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Title: Matt Bond (All Waters) — The MPA Process: Past, Present, and What Comes Next In Episode 82 of the SpearFactor Podcast, I sit back down with Matt Bond, this time speaking on behalf of All Waters in his new role with the organization. Matt has been on the show before, and a lot has changed since the last conversation — both for him and for the fight over how Marine Protected Areas are shaped, reviewed, and enforced. We go deep into the MPA process itself: how we got here, what the original network was built on, where the science and the politics drifted apart, and what the current review and rule-making cycle actually looks like from the inside. Matt walks me through the moving pieces — the agencies, the timelines, the public comment windows, and the points in the process where divers, anglers, and ocean users still have real leverage. We also talk about what the future holds. What's on the table for the next round of decisions, what All Waters is pushing for, where the opportunities are, and where the risks are if the user community stays quiet. If you dive, fish, or care about access to the ocean, this is the conversation to catch up on before the next round of MPA decisions lands. WANT TO LEARN MORE? 100% Online Spearfishing Course www.spearfactor.com Or at  www.spearfishingmentor.com This podcast is a part of the Waypoint TV Podcast Network. Waypoint is the ultimate outdoor network featuring streaming of full-length fishing and hunting television shows, short films and instructional content, a social media network, Podcast Network. Waypoint is available on Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, IoS devices, Android Devices and at www.waypointtv.com all for FREE! Join the Waypoint Army by following them on Instagram at the following accounts @waypointtv @waypointfish @waypointhunt @waypointpodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the SpearFactor Podcast, I talk with Dr. Ray Hilborn, a fisheries scientist at the University of Washington, about the state of fisheries worldwide and the real-world data behind marine conservation. Ray has spent decades studying fish populations, fishing fleets, and management systems across the globe. He walks me through what his research shows about which fisheries are healthy, which are in trouble, and what separates the two. Many of the assumptions people hold about overfishing don't match the data, and Ray explains where the gap comes from. We also get into marine protected areas. MPAs are often presented as the default tool for ocean conservation, but Ray argues the picture is more complicated. We talk about where MPAs help, where they fall short, what they cost in terms of food production and displaced fishing effort, and why catch limits, gear rules, and stock assessments often do more for fish populations than closing off areas of the ocean. Ray explains that the best way to manage fisheries is not through MPAs, but through active fisheries management and enforcement — science-based catch limits, gear restrictions, stock assessments, and monitoring. He points to his own research showing that where fisheries are managed and enforced, stocks are at target levels or rebuilding, and where management is weak, stocks decline. Papers referenced in the episode: Hilborn, R. et al. (2020). Effective fisheries management instrumental in improving fish stock status. PNAS 117(4): 2218–2224. Hilborn, R. (2016). Policy: Marine biodiversity needs more than protection. Nature 535: 224–226. Hilborn, R. (2013). Environmental cost of conservation victories. PNAS 110(23): 9187. Hilborn, R. & Kaiser, M.J. (2021). Critique of Sala et al., Protecting the global ocean for biodiversity, food and climate, Nature (which was subsequently corrected). Hilborn, R. (2021). Increasing fisheries harvest with MPAs: Leaving South and Southeast Asia behind. PNAS — reply on Cabral et al. Topics covered: The state of global fisheries based on actual stock data Common myths about overfishing and where they come from How fisheries are managed in the U.S. and abroad Marine protected areas: where they work and where they don't Trade-offs between MPAs, food supply, and displaced fishing effort Why active fisheries management and enforcement outperform area closures Sources: Effective fisheries management instrumental in improving fish stock status — PNAS Policy: Marine biodiversity needs more than protection — Nature Environmental cost of conservation victories — PNAS Critique of Sala et al. 2021 — Sustainable Fisheries UW Increasing fisheries harvest with MPAs: Leaving South and Southeast Asia behind — PNAS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 80: Aleksander Nordahl — Freediving, Storytelling, and Ice Diving Description: In this episode of the SpearFactor Podcast, Bret sits down with Aleksander Nordahl — Norwegian photojournalist, freediver, and lifelong storyteller — for a conversation about what happens when a career behind the lens collides with the silence of the underwater world. Aleksander shares how decades of journalism shaped the way he sees the ocean, the stories that pulled him beneath the surface, and how freediving became more than a discipline — it became a way of paying attention. We talk about the cold, dark waters of Norway, the mental craft of the breath-hold, the ethics of documenting wild places, and what divers can learn from journalists about patience, observation, and respect for the subject. Whether you're a spearo, a freediver, a photographer, or just someone drawn to the quiet places, Aleksander's perspective will leave you thinking differently about your next dive. Topics covered: Aleksander's path from photojournalism to freediving Diving the fjords and cold water of Norway Lessons from journalism that apply underwater The mental side of breath-hold diving Storytelling, ethics, and capturing the ocean honestly Advice for divers who want to document their own experiences Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices