Secret Spots...

Blues move. I have seen hundreds on one day diving, gone back the next day to the exact spot and seen none.
As for protecting the resources, just don't over harvest.
Santa Cruz tournament I caught 9 fish and kept zero. Elk tournament I kept one ling and released 3 legal ones, as well as the blues and coppers I caught. I went ab diving after the tournament and only took one ab, even though I could have gotten my limit on one dive.
No one really needs a ton of fish in the freezer. We all know they taste better fresh anyway.
I only keep enough fish to last me until the end of the week. If I need fish for the next week I head back to the coast. This way none will ever be lost to freezer burn or forgotten until I do the next defrost.
Only pass on your secret spot to someone you know who will protect it or someone you know will never go back.
My spots will go to my son. If he decides to have kids hopefully he will do the same.
Tote

Fish move, blue's quite often. However, generally speaking no matter where we fish from season to season the population will dwindle until the next season opener and the little guys have a chance to grow.  I have kept 16 rockfish and including 2 lings.  I wish I could have caught a few more for the fryer but I also released a bunch.  Your right, as long as we don't take what we don't need and are somewhat selective, the fish and game regulations will protect our resources.

Jason

About 8 years ago, a buddy and I found this little cove protected from boat fishers by wash rocks.  It was loaded with big, dumb black rockcod.  We speared our limits on a number of occasions, and we each told other freinds about the spot.  They probably told their buddies about it too.  By the end of the fall, there were no blacks left.  I've been going back to this site every year, and except for a stray fish or two, they never returned.

I don't know if what we originally found was an anomaly, or how much these fish migrate (or don't), but I believe we (me and all my friends) fished this spot out - and in a single season.  It was kind of a lesson to me about my own greed.

IMO, the beauty of spearfishing is it's open year-round, so there's less desire to stock up.

Here’s my take on “secret” spots.

Salmon/Tuna move.  Here today gone tomorrow.  A lot of guys help each other out and IMO, that’s alright as it doesn’t seem to impact overall populations.  Drought and El Nino appear have a much greater affect on salmon.

However, small spots with structure that hold fish (ocean and bay) can easily get over fished if it’s in an area close to large numbers of anglers.  You would do yourself a favor of not broadcasting the gps coordinates over the internet.

Same goes with abalone spots.

As for Elk, that’s one “general” location along a stretch of the coastline just oozing with quality fish.  That’s probably no secret to anyone.

Stuart

Rock fish used to be open year 'round for everyone. Then closed all winter to everyone. I think it's just this past year (and maybe last year) that shore divers/fishers (and yak divers) got to fish all winter. What a racquet for us!