Geelong Freedivers Inc.
2018-2019
Club Spearfishing Championship Competition Rules and Guidelines
Geelong Freedivers Inc. Club Spearfishing Championship Competition Rules & Guidelines
1. Introduction 2
2. General 3
3. Safety 4
4. Scoring & Awards 5
5. Species Eligibility 7 Category A 7 Category B 8 Category C 10
6. Weigh-In Process 12
7. Use of boats and other watercraft 13
8. Protests 14
9. Banned Areas 15
Page 1 Geelong Freedivers Inc. Club Spearfishing Championship Competition Rules & Guidelines
1. Introduction
The Geelong Freedivers Inc. Club Spearfishing Championship is a season long spearfishing competition, held by the Geelong Freedivers Inc. Victorian AUF Spearfishing Club.
This competition is open to all current, financial Geelong Freedivers Inc. members who are full AUF members. All members who match this criteria will be entered automatically (unless requested to be specifically withdrawn).
The competition will run from the 1st of July 2018 until the 31st of May, 2019
This competition is for individual members to submit fish that they have captured over the duration of their “own time” recreational spearfishing; whether that be within the confines of a designated club dive, another Victorian Spearfishing Commission Club dive or competition, or any dive the individual competitor partakes in outside of the clubs usual calendar.
This competition will attract no fees beyond Club membership fees .
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2. General
1. All competitors must be financial members of both the AUF Spearfishing Commission, and Geelong Freedivers Inc.
2. Competitors under the age of 15 may only compete with the written approval of the club president or club weighmaster, and with a parent or guardian's consent.
3. The competition will be run between July 1st 2018 and 31st of May 2019.
4. Fish taken only under the following circumstances can be entered into this competition: a. Whilst participating in any Geelong Freedivers Inc. sanctioned single-day diving event (club social dive, club comp, etc.). b. Whilst participating in any other VSC Club sanctioned single-day diving event (other VSC club social dive, VSC Club comp, etc). c. Whilst participating in any other diving activity not specifically covered by 4.a and 4.b. i. In order for a competitor to be covered by AUF insurance during their participation in this competition under 4.c, they must sign on before they start their days diving, and must sign out after they have completed their days diving. ii. Sign in and sign out can be completed by using the Volunteer Coast Guards “SafeTrx” phone app. This app is available for iOS and Android, and will automatically escallate to local SAR units should you fail to check back in by your scheduled ETA.
5. All fish must be captured by the competitor using rubber-powered spear, speargun or similar device, or by hand. Guns fired by the discharge of compressed or explosive
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gases into water are forbidden.
6. Competitors must load their own gun, kill and thread their own fish, produce their own berley and carry their own gear. Exemptions for gun loading may apply but only for the young or the physically handicapped, on a case by case basis.
7. No breathing aid other than a snorkel shall be permitted to be used in the process of taking fish to be claimed in this competition.
8. Competitors must be immersed in the water at the time of spearing of any fish to be claimed in this competition.
9. The use of torches is permitted.
10. All fish claimed in this competition must be taken in Victorian Waters, and in accordance with Victorian recreational fishing legislation.
11. All fish claimed in this competition must be taken with the express purpose of human consumption. Scoring is of secondary concern.
12. All competitors must adhere to the AUF Spearfishing Code of Practice whilst participating in this competition.
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3. Safety
The following rules should be adhered to when participating in this competition.
1. All competitors should dive with a buddy.
2. All competitors should tow a float with positive buoyancy of not less than 7 kilograms and principally coloured either yellow, orange or red with reflective tape and with a flag clearly displayed as per Safety rule 2.a (below) a. International Code Flag A (blue/white) of minimum size 300x250mm with its base a minimum of 200 mm above the surface of the water.
3. All competitors should remain within 30 metres of their floats when he/she is at or near the surface of the water.
4. All competitors, during the course of their diving, should obey the “one up, one down” principle for breath-hold dives. a. One diver shall remain on the surface watching their buddy for the duration of that divers breath-hold dive. b. During the breath-hold dive, the diver on the surface must remain within 4m of the float/plat and must be holding the breath-hold divers tethered line at all time. Each diver shall provide a safety watch over his/her partner
5. Competitors should carry a whistle and a reflective mirror of at least 50 mm x 50 mm on their person or attached to their float.
6. Spearheads should be covered in a suitable manner at all times whilst not in the water.
7. Competitors must only load their speargun whilst in the water and must unload their speargun before leaving the water.
8. Competitors should be mindful of where their speargun is pointed at all times, loaded or otherwise.
9. Weight belts should be fitted with quick-release buckles. Weight vests must have the capacity to be easily removed in an emergency situation.
10. Competitors should carry a sharp knife, which shall be adequately sheathed and readily accessible.
11. Other safety equipment such as use of smoke flares, safety sausages, EPIRB / PLB or electronic shark deterrents shall be permitted.
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4. Scoring & Awards
1. All eligible species are broken up into three categories. Category A, B and C, each category attracting a different score. ○ Category A species will be awarded a maximum of 15 points and a minimum of 11 points. ○ Category B species will be awarded a maximum of 10 points and a minimum of 6 points. ○ Category C species will be awarded a maximum of 5 points and a minimum of 1 point.
2. Species which are “record class” will receive a bonus score: ○ Club Record: 5 additional Points. ○ Victorian Record: 10 additional Points. ○ Australian Record: 15 additional Points.
3. Eligible species captured and weighed in during specifically nominated competitions or social dives will receive a 10% multiplier. (your 1000g squid just became 1100g). ○ Nomination of the 10% multiplier being applied to a dive will occur at least one week in advance, and notification will be published on the club website and social media.
4. At the end of the competition, the competitor who took heaviest fish of each species will be awarded the maximum points for that species. The competitor who took the second heaviest fish of that species will receive the maximum number of points minus one. The competitor who took the third heaviest fish of that species will receive the maximum number of points minus two. ○ For instance, a competitor that takes out the highest weight fish of a category B species will receive 10 points. The second heaviest fish of that species will receive 9 points, and so on until the minimum score of 6 is reached. At that point all following fish will be awarded the minimum score.
5. At the end of the competition, awards will be issued by the club for the following: ○ Highest Overall Score (awarded “Club Spearfishing Champion”). ○ Second Highest Overall Score. ○ Third Highest Overall Score. ○ Under 16 Highest Overall score (awarded Junior Club Spearfishing Champion). ○ Heaviest fish of each of the following species: i. Kingfish ii. Tuna iii. Snapper
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iv. Flathead v. Southern Calamari vi. Southern Rock Lobster ○ “Lucky Dip” award (a single entry will be selected at random).
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5. Species Eligibility
The following species are eligible to be claimed within the competition. This list may vary from year to year, so ensure that you reference the list for this years competition.
Category A 15 point maximum score
Yellowtail Kingfish Scientific Name: Seriola lalandi Minimum legal size: 60cm Bag/possession limit 5
Tuna (all species) Scientific Name: Thunnus maccoyii and Thunnus spp. Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: A combined total limit of 2 southern bluefin, yellowfin and/or bigeye.
Mulloway Scientific Name: Argyrosomus japonicus Minimum legal size: 60cm Bag/possession limit: 5
King George Whiting Scientific Name: Sillaginodes punctata Minimum legal size: 27cm Bag/possession limit: 20
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Snapper Scientific Name: Pagrus auratus Minimum legal size: 28cm Bag/possession limit: 10 (of which no more than 3 fish may be equal to or exceed 40cm in length).
Warehou Scientific Name: Seriolella spp. Minimum legal size: N/A Bag/possession limit: 20
Gummy shark Scientific Name: Mustelus antarcticus Minimum legal size: 45cm (partial length) Bag/possession limit: 2
Category B 10 point maximum score
Silver trevally Scientific Name: Pseudocaranx spp. Minimum legal size: 20cm Bag/possession limit: 20
Flathead (All Species excluding dusky) Scientific Name: Platycephalidae Minimum legal size: 27cm Bag/possession limit: 20
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Southern Calamari Scientific Name: Sepioteuthis australis Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: 10
Snook (Shortfin Pike) Scientific Name: Sphyraena novaehollandiae Minimum legal size: 30cm Bag/possession limit: combined limit of 10 (w/ Longfin)
Pike (Longfin Pike) Scientific Name: Dinolestes lewini Minimum legal size: 30cm Bag/possession limit: combined limit of 10 (w/ Shortfin)
Barracouta Scientific Name: Thyrsites atun Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: 20
Southern Rock Lobster Scientific Name: Jasus edwardsii Minimum legal size: Male - 11 cm Female - 10.5 cm Bag limit: 2
Ling Scientific Name: Genypterus spp. Minimum legal size: 30cm Bag/possession limit: 5
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Boarfish Scientific Name: Pentacerotidae Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: 1
Bastard Trumpeter Scientific Name: Latridopsis forsteri Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: 5
Australian Salmon Scientific Name: Arripis spp. Minimum legal size: 21cm Bag/possession limit: 20
Luderick Scientific Name: Girella tricuspidata Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 10
Banded Morwong Scientific Name: Cheilodactylus spectabilis Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 5
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Queen Snapper (Blue Morwong) Scientific Name: Nemadactylus douglasii Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 5
Tailor Scientific Name: Pomatomus saltatrix Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 20
Yellow Eye Mullet Scientific Name: Aldrichetta forsteri Minimum legal size: N/A Bag/possession limit: 40
Slimy Mackerel (Blue Mackerel) Scientific Name: Scomber australasicus Minimum legal size: N/A Bag/possession limit: 40
Yellow Tail Scad Scientific Name: Trachurus novaezelandiae Minimum legal size: N/A Bag/possession limit: 40
Bream Scientific Name: Acanthopagrus spp. Minimum legal size: 28cm Bag/possession limit: 10
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Flounder Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 20
Garfish Scientific Name: Hemiramphidae Minimum legal size: N/A Bag/possession limit: 40
Bluespotted Goatfish (Red Mullet) Scientific Name: Upeneichthys vlamingii Minimum legal size: N/A Bag/possession limit: 5
Black Drummer Scientific Name: Girella elevata Minimum legal size: N/A Bag/possession limit: 5
Category C 5 point maximum score
Sea Sweep Scientific Name: Scorpidadae Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 10
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Blue Throat Wrasse Scientific Name: Labridae Minimum legal size: 27cm Bag/possession limit: 5
Gurnard Perch Scientific Name: Neosebastes scorpaenoides Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: 10
LeatherJacket (all species except pigmy) Scientific Name: Monacanthidae Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: 20
Zebrafish Scientific Name: Girella zebra Minimum legal size: no minimum Bag/possession limit: 5
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Magpie Perch Scientific Name: Cheilodactylidae nigripes Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 5
Dusky Morwong Scientific Name: Cheilodactylus Minimum legal size: 23cm Bag/possession limit: 5
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6. Weigh-In Process
In order to submit a fish for scoring:
1. The fish must be weighed whole, fresh or frozen, within 30 days of capture. a. Filleted or otherwise damaged (beyond capture methods - other than gutted) fish will not be weighed. b. In order to preserve the eating quality of the fish, gutted fish may be weighed, but competitors must understand that this will reduce the weight of their fish, and will therefore put them at a potential disadvantage. c. Rock Lobster must be tagged, and have its tail clipped at time of weigh in. Untagged / unclipped rock lobster will not be accepted for weigh in.
2. The fish must be weighed using National Measurement Institute (NMI) certified, or otherwise certifiably accurate scales (club scales, butcher, green grocer, etc.), and signed off by the club weighmaster.
a. If using the club scales, you can bring the fish to a club meeting, social dive, or other other event (excluding pool training), to have the fish weighed. b. Weigh-In can occur, outside of an official club event, at a sanctioned club weigh station by prior arrangement with the club weigh stationmaster. Sanctioned club weigh stations can be found by visiting the website: ■ https://geelongfreedivers.org.au/members/weigh-in-locations/ c. If not using club scales or a club weighstation, you must ensure you submit a clear photo of the fish on a set of certified scales.
3. Entries are to be be submitted to the club weighmaster via the new online submission method: a. The submission form can be found on the club website: https://geelongfreedivers.org.au/club-spearfishing-championship-entry-submis sion/ b. Fish not submitted using this method will not be entered into the competition. c. A club weighmaster / weigh stationmaster can fill out the online submission form on your behalf at the time of weigh-in, but you are responsible for ensuring that the details entered into the form are correct. d. An email containing your submission receipt will be sent to your designated email address at the time of online form submission. e. Paper based or ad-hoc submissions will no longer be accepted.
4. Not more than two fish from any eligible species are to be presented to be weighed-in by any individual competitor over the duration of the competition. Only the heaviest fish of each species for that individual will attract a score.
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7. Use of boats and other watercraft
1. Boats, PWC’s, Kayaks, etc. are permitted to be used by competitors to transit to/from their dive sites.
2. All power craft used in the course of this competition must comply with all requirements of the Maritime authority, and must carry all appropriate safety equipment.
3. When at anchor or with divers in the water, all powercraft must clearly display flag “A”, measuring 750mm x 600mm and displayed a minimum of 900mm above the gunwale
4. Boat flags must be displayed by dive boat as soon as a diver is in the water.
5. No fishing line is permitted to be in the water from the boat for the duration of the dive
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8. Protests
1. No protest fee is required to be paid.
2. Any competitor may protest against any fish weighed during this competition.
3. Protests involving discrepancies in the provisional scores must be submitted to the club president or club weighmaster within 14 days of the competition scores being released.
4. Protests involving the infringements regarding circumstances in which a fish was taken must be submitted to the club president or club weighmaster within 30 days of the alleged infringement.
5. Protests involving the behaviour or a safety breach by a competitor must be submitted to the club president or club weighmaster within 30 days of the alleged incident.
6. All protests will be heard by a protest committee, which will comprise of the club weighmaster, the club president, and one other club official, competitor, or club member that the club weighmaster deems to nominate as part of a protest committee.
7. Any protest will be ruled on in a time frame decided by the protest committee.
8. The protest committee may hear evidence as it sees fit. The protest committee’s final ruling on the protest is final.
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9. Banned Areas
No competitor is allowed to swim within a banned area during the process of partaking in this competition. Such person, if found guilty, will be disqualified from competition. Banned areas include:
1. Any restricted area or closed water as specified by Victorian recreational fishing legislation for spearfishing.
2. All Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries
3. An area within 100m of the Queenscliff ferry terminal
4. An area within 100m of the Sorrento ferry terminal
5. An area within 100m of the Blairgowrie Marina.
6. The area adjacent to Swan Bay and the Submarine marked by Yellow “No boating “buoys . (This means no spearfishing at the Submarine or inside of the buoys).
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