Mitsuki Hara is making a name for herself in spearfishing, a competitive water sport that’s historically been dominated by men. Her petite frame doesn’t hinder the 27-year-old from carrying some serious weight, including the record-breaking white sea bass she recently caught, which clocked in at nearly 75 pounds. The Japanese-born athlete—who is passionate about only catching what she knows she can eat, a sustainable foil to commercial fishing—shares how spearfishing has impacted her life, giving her a sense of community and a passion for protecting the oceans.
What are the basics of spearfishing?
Relaxation is the whole purpose of spearfishing. Free diving is done without tanks. You can dive from 10 to 20 feet deep, and sometimes even deeper. Stay as still as possible, wait for the fish in front of your face, and stay as deep as you can.
What made you want to play the sport?
My dad owned a boat. He taught me to fish with a rod. [fishing.] I moved to the U.S. and went to the University of California San Diego, and one day I saw a man coming out of the water with a lobster bag, but I was a student and couldn’t afford lobster. The first time I couldn’t dive at all, but he took me around La…
