Tag: Spearfishing

USFA Survey on observations in the ocean relating to climate change

USFALate last year, USFA sent an email with a link to a USFA members’ survey that they’re doing in collaboration with the CSIRO. This survey is your opportunity to have a say about changes you’ve observed in the ocean, the likely impacts of climate change on how, where and what you spear, and how our historical competition records can or should be shared with scientists and used in fisheries management.

For those of you who have already completed the survey – thanks!

If you haven’t already completed the survey, please take a few minutes to click on the link below and complete it before Wednesday February 13. It’s important that as many of us as possible complete this survey to ensure that our voice is heard.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/USFAsurvey

Continue reading USFA Survey on observations in the ocean relating to climate change

61st Australian National Spearfishing Titles – Sydney 2013 Final Results

Pet Walsh

Congratulations to Ben Thomson on a win over Ian Puckeridge on day 3. It was hard diving with everyone giving 100%. This was a highly decorated field of divers where missing or losing a fish was very expensive!! 2 or 3 fish over 3 days of competition was enough to see big changes in positions. Jarod Eriksson lost a marlin today after being towed out to sea.

Ian Puckeridge shot a State record Remora and Adam Smith shot a nice Mangrove Jack.

Congratulations to all divers and Thank You for attending.

A big Thank You to Adrian Wayne, his partner Jackie, Matt Poulton and Lee Dalli for their excellent work to run this comp. Also a great Thank You to Oliver Wady for running a very professional weigh in. Brett Waddell provided excellent food for starving divers!! Thank You!!

Pete Walsh

Results:
Self NominatedPairsResults
State Pairs Results
Super diverFinalResults
Nationals Four Man Teams and Pairs
Overall Score sheet

SSD South West Rocks social weekend away 2012

This was a short video filmed on the Dolphins yearly trip up at South West Rocks where all the guys get together and hire a house, take a couple of boats, go diving during the day and then share the stories from the day with a couple of “light” drinks in the night. Always a great trip and well worth the effort for an amazing adventure!!!

Information Session: Collaborative research project between USFA and CSIRO

When: Thursday 15 November
Arrive: 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start
Duration: Approx 1 hour including questions
Where: ASHFIELD WESTS LEAGUES CLUB, 115 Liverpool Rd, Ashfield, NSW Sydney Australia (Proceed to level one)
What else: Bring a dive buddy
You will hear:

  • What has really changed since the 60’s?
  • Will these changes affect your future fishing opportunities?
  • Specifically how USFA (spearo) data has contributed to this project.

Continue reading Information Session: Collaborative research project between USFA and CSIRO

2012 Frog Dive Coral Sea trip catches an Australian Black Marlin record

A 230kg ‘pending’ Australian spearfishing record Black Marlin was speared by Andrew (Amod) Moderer on the latest Frog Dive Coral Sea spearfishing trip.

The previous Australian spearfishing record was held by our own Ian ‘Pucko’ Puckeridge coming in at 150kgs caught at Long Reef back in 2007.

The fish was speared with a 1.4m Rob Allen speargun with a Riffe 7.5mm shaft and Riffe slip tip onboard the Eastern Voyager.

Congratulations Amod!
Continue reading 2012 Frog Dive Coral Sea trip catches an Australian Black Marlin record

Roller Spearguns

Emanuel Bova, a Dolphin member, explains the benefits of a roller spear gun and how to modify an existing speargun with a rollergun kit. Benefits include:

  1. Little to no recoil make the gun easier to fire accurately.
  2. A smaller gun length enables you to access caves and swing the gun around more easily/faster in water.
  3.  A large increase of power gives more penetration on the target, faster speed of the shaft and more range of your shot.

Emanuel works for Down Under Spearfishing Charters and more info on Roller Guns can be found on their site.

Ikijime – How to care for your catch

iki jime (ike jime) Humane killing of fish
Ikejime (活け締め) or Ikijime (活き締め) is a method of paralyzing and bleeding fish to maintain its quality. The technique originated in Japan, but is now in widespread use. It involves the insertion of a spike quickly and directly into the hind brain, thereby causing immediate brain death. A fish brain is usually located slightly behind and above the eye. When spiked correctly, the fish fins flare and the fish relaxes, immediately ceasing all motion. The blood contained in the fish flesh retracts to the gut cavity, which produces a better coloured and flavoured fillet. This method seems to minimize the pain.


http://www.ikijime.com/

Samba and Shallow Water Blackouts

Erez Beatus – Free diving coach and former world record holder explaining the risk of Samba & (Shallow Water) Blackout while free diving. Thanks to NSUC & USFA

Samba is a loss of motor control. It is a partial loss of physical or mental integrity and generally occurs up to 15 seconds after reaching the surface, normally during your first breath after a dive. It happens due to not having enough oxygen in your brain.

A Blackout in freediving is often called Shallow Water Blackout (SWB) as it most often occurs while ascending the last few metres of water. It happens due to lack of oxygen due to rapid changes in pressure.

Very briefly, it is thought that Hyperventilation is the leading cause of blackout as it lowers the amount of CO2 in your body which lessens the urge to breathe. The Shallow Water Blackout Wiki explains this all in much more detail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout

Mulloway Submissions for DPI

Guys below is a link where you can read about current views on salvaging the Mulloway fishery and the ability to have your say on the Mulloway. The document mentions to us that they are seriously considering having a bag limit of one over 70cm. That is not on for spearfishers (not me anyway). I personally think 2 over 75cm would be good. Once over 75cm there is a very good chance the fish has spawned at least once.
Anyway great if you could read the views and have a comment, it is informative reading for you and on the bottom of the document there is a link where you can complete an online submission, mark your interest as spearfishing ; )

Frequently-asked-questions-and-options-for-management-changes.doc

Online Submission Form

Good hunting!
Simon Trippe