|
|
| |
The International Underwater Spearfishing
Association (IUSA) was formed in 1950 to promote
spearfishing and to assist in scientific and
spearfishing competitive efforts. As part of this
task, the IUSA became the certifying body and
custodian of the spearfishing world records. The
IUSA has certified over 60 records for a variety
of fish from bluewater species to smaller and less
sought after fish. Through their forty-six years
of existence, the IUSA has seen diver's skill and
technology change from the Hawaiian slings of the
Pinder Brothers to the high-tech equipment and
super-powered spearguns of today's freedivers.
In keeping with the need for change, and through
the voluntary efforts of divers and other
individuals who wish to see freediving and
spearfishing reach it's highest possible standards
of excellence, the IUSA has recently undergone
changes to reflect the changes occurring in the
freediving community. Printed here, to help you
gain an understanding of the new IUSA and it's
goals are the Mission Statement and Purposes of
the organization:
INTERNATIONAL UNDERWATER SPEARFISHING
ASSOCIATION MISSION AND PURPOSES
The mission of the International Underwater
Spearfishing Association is to promote ethical,
safe and sportsmanlike spearfishing practices, to
encourage and support a sense of environmental
responsibility among divers, to establish uniform
regulations for the compilation of world
spearfishing records, to provide basic
spearfishing guidelines for use in other
spearfishing activities, and to participate in
educational and scientific programs.
Towards these ends, the International Underwater
Spearfishing Association will:
(a) Promote the highest ethical standards of
sportsmanship for spearfishing world wide;
(b) Maintain on-going dialogue with spearfishers
all over the world, and consider the international
community in its decision making processes;
(c) Work with the scientific community, fisheries
management organizations, fish and game
departments world wide, together with spearfishing
clubs around the world, to increase our knowledge
of the environment, as well as to educate and
encourage environmental responsibility among
divers and the public;
(d) Accept applications for new world records,
carefully evaluate each applicant fairly based
upon uniform standards, and award applicants who
have proven beyond doubt that they have followed
these standards and indeed have achieved a new
world record;
(e) Carefully maintain these spearfishing world
records and make them available to the public
through the Internet, dive publications, and other
media;
(f) Select the annual Underwater Spearfishing
Athlete of the Year.
To fulfill the stated mission of the IUSA, the
Board of Directors has been increased to give a
broader, fresher, more updated view of the
freediver's world. The current board members are
listed in the
board page.
The Board was selected to bring a much stronger
representation of today's freedivers and
spearfishers. Patterned somewhat after the
International Game Fish Association, the IUSA
hopes to establish international representatives
as well as create a general membership to help
further freediving and spearfishing.
As part of the reorganization, the Board of
Directors had to address the problem of
establishing a new list of world record species
along with more current rules by which a world
record fish is to be taken. The IUSA is extremely
proud of the past efforts of divers which have
resulted in world records and is dedicated to
protecting those records already established. Due
to the changing technology and the subsequent
changing of the rules, the IUSA has hopefully
constructed a system by which all future and past
world record holders will benefit.
The old rules governing spearfishing world records
ended at midnight PST on December 31, 1996.
Spearfishing world records established under these
rules are designated as 20th Century records and
will stand forever. The new spearfishing world
record rules took effect at 12:01 PST on January
1, 1997. World records established under these new
rules are designated as 21st Century records and
are the records which divers can attempt to
attain.. Also with the new rules is a list of fish
which are ineligible for consideration as world
records. If you would like a copy of the new IUSA
Rulebook please contact:
IUSA
31169 Nassau Court
Temecula, CA 92591
It is hoped that the changes to the IUSA will
motivate freedivers to participate not only in a
world record attempt, but also in other programs
developed by the IUSA. The IUSA and other
organizations, such as the International Bluewater
Spearfishing Records Committee (IBSRC) of the
Underwater Society of America, are all working
toward a betterment of our sport. Hopefully,
freedivers will see the benefits of both
organizations and will assist the organizations in
achieving their goals. |
|
Contact Info:
IUSA
31169 Nassau Court
Temecula, CA 92591
Email:
General IUSA Questions:
Records Committee:
|
|
|
|
|
