In memoriam Adrian Wayne Champion for Spearfishers

Adrian joined the USFA in 1961, in 2005 he became a Life Member of the USFA, and his club the Mosman Whalers and too the AUF gave him life member recognition.

Adrian was generous beyond measure to spearfishers. I never knew him not to be thinking about spearfishers rights of which he was a determined advocate whether to have equal access to the seas as other stakeholders, or, to be included as a valued stakeholder in any discussion concerning the Fishery and outcomes that would impact spearfishing. Adrian traversed the coast of NSW attending any meeting that would have an impact on spearfishers. He was tireless, and carried a particular torch that spearfishers whether young or old, new or experienced should have safe access to spearfishing all along the coast and not be “locked out” therefore depriving the next generation of spearfishers developing.

I fondly recall Adrian bamboozling Marine scientists from around the world at a Grey Nurse Shark seminar where he got them all to admit that spearfishers have zero impact on this animal, it was a “mic drop” if ever there was one, fantastic. This action, and his champion efforts in and around the court judgement on Grey Nurse Shark habitat areas where the Judge threw the “green” case out that would have seen all rec fishers severely impacted with access to prime fishing locations should always be remembered as benchmark victories for spearfishing.

Adrian (whose brother Phil, and sons Steve and Kevin are champion spearfishers as well) for many decades worked tirelessly for spearfishing in New South Wales and around Australia. He managed National Spearfishing Teams including World Championships, was the convenor of at least two National Championships and too many State and Zone Championships to list, often stumping up the prize pool with his own money.

I will always remember Adrian happiest after a dive, talking fish with his friends, smoke in one hand, a “Turkey” Wild Turkey in the other, life was great.

Rest in Peace Ado and thank you for all you did for spearfishing, you saved the sport so many times, you will be missed and impossible to replace, there was only one of you made mate.

The USFA members send their respects and are thinking of Adrian’s partner Jackie, and Steve, Kevin, Lani, and their families.

Simon Trippe

Simon Trippe inducted Life Member of USFA

Simon Trippe was inducted as a Life Member at the recent USFA AGM. Below is a response from Simon to the USFA membership.

“The USFA NSW AGM held on Tuesday 12^th August was held with good attendance from all affiliated clubs, not surprising as the USFA membership has swelled to a great number and continues to grow weekly largely due to the enthusiasm shown by your respective committee and members, it is credit to you all that spearfishing in NSW is in a great position going forward because of your enthusiasm to uphold the values of our constitution. “To promote and develop the sport and other associated underwater activities; To actively implement and promote any and all safety measures applicable to our activities.”

People come to clubs to learn, perhaps find a dive buddy, and to be a part of a community. The clubs are all doing this so well, thank you.

I have for some time wished to depart from my role as President of the USFA. I take the role seriously, it is an honour to have this responsibility. Upon seeing a lot of fresh faces amongst the seasoned at the AGM, I decided it would be a perfect time for others to throw their hat into the ring and come on board, with that I welcome Charles de Villiers as the new USFA President, Charles is the St George Dragons President, who was a leading figure during the Oak Park “Gus the Groper” fiasco and I was impressed by his tenacity, organisational skills, and his willingness to stand up for others in this battle of spearfishing exclusion. Charlie was a big reason we had a successful outcome for spearfishers there. New Vice President Daniel Coelho (Pt Hacking Penguins) is a fantastic person, and his enthusiasm to progress spearfishing is next level. Great club members Alex Bond is our new Secretary (Norah Hammerheads), Sports Secretary Rico Casquete (Dolphins), Treasurer Evan Leeson (Dolphins), and Public Officer Alistair Cooke (Sea Lions) round out the executive, thank you all of you.

I’d like to particularly thank the former USFA Vice President Parry Gryllis who has been my sounding board for the past three years, thank you mate! Ian Buck, former Secretary, thank you too, you never said no to any request I had, cheers Ian; I have received invaluable support from Treasurer Evan Leeson, and former President Bob McComb, thank you both Ev and Bob.

I was drawn into taking minutes for the Sydney Metropolitan Zone meetings around 1982, as a young teenager I was excited to help out, and to be able to talk spearfishing to my older peers. What I didn’t realise was the gift that came to me from being a volunteer, yes the great friendships of course, yet the satisfaction of helping others get a foothold into spearfishing and seeing them develop their skillsets and then they too becoming mentors for others, (in and also out of the spearo community), it is something you can’t put a price on. Today seeing a young diver enjoying spearfishing and reaping the benefits it gives to them is immensely gratifying to me, therefore to be bestowed Life Membership from my peers I am honoured, and thank you all for giving me an unexpected, wonderful surprise that I hold dearly.

There will always be the threat of exclusion to safe access for spearfishers, this is something I have always been vocal on, never let other stake holders not share the resource with us, the seas are for everyone to share and enjoy. I know the USFA will continue to fight for safe access, promote and develop the sport, and continue to actively implement and promote any and all safety measures applicable to our activities. What great reasons to be a member!

Yours in safe spearfishing

Simon Trippe

See you down there!

Mulloway

USFA thoughts on the

Mulloway Harvest Strategy

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/harvest-strategies/have-your-say-draft-nsw-mulloway-harvest-strategy-and-management-options
Mulloway are a species we all hold in high esteem & value. All of us want to see Mulloway recover to at least the 1990s level – what was that level, Fisheries?
The information around Mulloway abundance is beyond poor. Yet Fisheries have access to data already, have had for decades.
We have all been asked to do the survey, but we haven’t been given good data to provide valuable feedback, nor have we been given good options.
USFA always requests good science, we want good science and wish to see good data used for our membership to make good decisions.
The Recreational Fishing Alliance (the USFA are affiliated with the RFA) has sent a GIPA (Freedom of information act) asking for all the unpublished data on Mulloway that Fisheries have not shared in this harvest strategy.
This survey will not reach anywhere near the intended audience. There are fishers who do not use technology (don’t laugh, its real), nor does it reach out multi-culturally to the many fishers in the State who do not have English as a main language.
Recreational fishers are not quasi-fish biologists; it’s not our job to record catches. We pay a recreational fee for a licence. We are taxed to enjoy fishing, (we are the only group that are taxed) yet the Department want us to do our work.
Mulloway are on a good pulse at the moment (good rains and climate assist Jewfish populations) so do we actually need this Strategy and form of governance?

We only need relative abundance not an absolute abundance figure, which Fisheries are attempting to achieve. They have more than enough data for relative abundance.
Example – Commercial catch at a reported tonnage of 70 tons of Mulloway in 2020 – Fisheries know this, yet they don’t have measurements nor the sizes, nor the sex of these fish. They don’t need recreational fishers to do Fisheries work for them. Fisheries do some work!

Let’s look at the questions in the Survey

4. Do you support the approach outlined in the draft harvest strategy for managing harvest to rebuild the Mulloway fishery in NSW?

5. Do you have any further suggestions or comments regarding the Draft NSW Mulloway Harvest Strategy?

The Draft Strategy does not include plans to mitigate the negative effects of estuarine and river mouth trawling, set nets/meshing on juvenile mulloway. The stock assessment modelling does not appear to factor this in either.

6. Do you support establishing real-time reporting by commercial and recreational fishers to improve Mulloway data, stock assessments and effective management of harvest and stock health?

USFA would support real time reporting for commercial fishers but not for recreational fishers.

8. What is your preferred option to manage annual recreational harvest of Mulloway?

• Option 1a: Use the existing daily bag, possession and boat limits as the primary control, and implement a closure period based on estimated catch progression if needed to restrain catch further.

• Option 1b: Use the existing daily bag, possession and boat limits as the primary control, and implement a closure period based on real-time reported catch levels if needed to restrain catch further.

• Option 2: Introduce a new formal Recreational Total Allowable Catch supported by real-time reporting as the primary control, with cease of fishing (i.e. a closure period) if the total recreational share is caught.

This is a trick question with no option to “Use the existing daily bag, possession and boat limits as the primary control.”

There should have been an option to retain current arrangements! This will get lots of recreational fishers to just select an option that closes recreational fishing for part of the year. Commercial fishers get to select Option1- Use daily take and possession limits as the primary control. These tactics undermine confidence in NSW Fisheries willingness to undertake genuine consultation.

In Summary

Having recreational fishers keeping log books is inverse to the concept of “recreational” and is just another speed bump to discourage people from going fishing and connecting with nature.
Possible negative effects on opportunity costs and public health benefits which is avoidable given there are better alternatives.
Any harvest strategy going forward does need to be based on good monitoring and science and this should be the priority before we start to fiddle with any process other than the ones we know are the actual key threats.
The DPI needs to do better and not use recreational fishers as scape goats for poor and non-existent data sets which they could have (and still can) captured.
The lack of information is designed to deliver a pre-conceived outcome.

USFA strongly suggests, if you are interested in seeing Mulloway further recover, to write to your local State MP & ask that this consultation process be binned & started again after the DPI use better methodology & produce updated abundance figures.
USFA suggests rather than the entering a submission email your concerns and thoughts to [email protected] the link is found at the end of the online submission questions
USFA will come back to its members once more information is received from Fisheries

Thank you to the many USFA members, RFA members and Marine Biologists who helped with the information provided.

Please note this is just a small part of the information and feedback that I have been provided by many concerned stakeholders involved with this fishery.

Simon Trippe

President USFA NSW

Link to your MP

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/members/Pages/all-members.aspx

USFA NSW 2025 Spearfishing Championship

Sy Conroy, Shelley De Courcy, Brigid Martin

This year’s NSW State Titles were held by the Norah Hammerheads Spearfishing Club, the new kid of the USFA NSW. Receiving plenty of help and keenness from Hammer’s members and the other NSW Clubs there was plenty of talk about the event leading up to the weekend. In the week before the 2 day Championship the weather reports all started to look extremely bleak and many people wondered if this would be another year when Poseidon would stir the oceans up, too large to dive, the State Championships is traditionally a rock-hopping event, a true test of skill, stamina and discovery. On the Friday morning the committee made the call to have a 1-day competition based on the forecast of dangerous swell warnings for the Sunday, the Saturday it seemed would be good for diving.

The day started at 530am with a small swell and no rain! Many helpers arriving early to help set up for the day. The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party brought their boat along to act as one of the two safety boats for the day. Once the area was set up “Uncle Bob” started signing people on and next thing we know there have been 45 divers sign on; including 4 Ladies with 4 Juniors, and several distinguished gentlemen.

750am Justin Elsey held the safety briefing and at 8am sharp the NSW Titles commenced! Many divers headed towards the Lighthouse while others headed north towards Lakes Reef. Visibility ranged from under a metre to 10 metres in some places, and though it was challenging conditions 36 of the 45 divers weighed in fish!

All divers were back by the 2pm finish time and there was plenty of quality fish to check out and everyone was keeping a keen eye on the scales as they tried to figure out who would walk away the victor.

The weigh in completed, (we would like to say special thanks to the Sea Lions, Seahawks, Dolphins and Neptune’s for their assistance in the clean-up and pack away) everyone headed to Norah Head Sporties for dinner and the presentation.

Jai Gibbons, Keiran Timp, xxx, Alex Bond, Pat Mullins, Josh Green, Mark Banasiak, Al Cooke, Mick Martin, Lachlan Green

The 2025 NSW Ladies Champion is Shelley DeCourcy of the Norah Hammerheads, Shelley won the McComb Spearguns custom speargun which doubles as a trophy with its custom plaque.

Open 2025 NSW Champion is Josh Green who under challenging conditions managed to weigh in an extraordinary number of quality fish.

NSW Pairs Champions – Josh and Lachlan Green

NSW Teams Champions- Josh Green Lachlan Green and Sam Morgan.

It’s our understanding the last name Green works wonders in the green coloured water haha.

We had plenty of prizes to hand out from our sponsors, the participants’ were blown away by the generosity and quality of the prizes, thank you to – McComb Spearguns, Osprey Spearguns, DiveR, Dive Cave, Adreno Sydney, Knife Merchant, EKF, Shark Eyes, Dive Imports, Throw Flashers, KHJ photography, Wettie NZ, and, Online Dive Gear.

The highlight for me was when Chris from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party won the Osprey speargun then gave it to Joe one of our Hammerheads Juniors. The junior we call “Spewy” hugged and cuddled the gun with an ear to ear grin the rest of the night.

Thank you to all involved.

Mark Banasiak – presentation

Shawn Anderson – safety boat

Chris Dorahy- safety boat

Kristen – photographer

Bob McComb – sign on / sign off and weigh master.

Justin Esley – scoring program and competition organiser

Brett Carter – event organiser

Vince Bertolli – sponsorship organiser

Craig , Therese, Stuart – BBQ experts.

Beau, Rob, Spewy, Andrew and all the others for cleaning the fish that were donated to Coast Hands to feed people in need with fresh local seafood.

And, of course my family for putting up with it all for the last months or so.

It was a pleasure to host this year’s NSW State Titles and we look forward to doing some more feature USFA events in the future.

Alex Bond

President

Norah Hammerheads

Vale Fred Nann

Sans Souci Dolphin Founder Fred Nann passed away yesterday after a long illness. Fred was 89. Fred was a remarkable man, being the eldest amongst a group of teenage swimmers he had the only driving licence that enabled the Dolphins to set off on many adventures into the Royal National Park and beyond. The Dolphin’s first Club President and Life Member, Fred after moving to Western Australia also became the first Australian to dive to 30m in an official attempt. Fred Nann is a true pioneer of spearfishing in this country.

Fred shared some of his memoirs with the Dolphins and is well worth reading. See link https://sanssoucidolphins.org/fred-nann

Gone, but you won’t be forgotten Fred. May you be diving with great fish and many Dolphins

Life Members Len Goldsmith and Fred Nann

Phil Britton (National Pairs Champion); Evan Leeson (Dolphins Champion); John Black (National x3 Champion); Fred Nann (Dolphins first President) and Bill Richmond (inaugural member and Dolphins Life Member) at the Dolphins 60th Anniversary – 2013

Notice: Sanctioned spearfishing events

Underwater Skindivers and Fishermen’s Association

SUBJECT: Sanctioned USFA and AUF events – no extra joining fee

To: Spearfishers of the USFA and AUF

Great news for USFA members!

Financial USFA members will no longer be charged the full AUF membership fee when entering an AUF spearfishing event. The USFA will no longer be offering the $10 temporary memberships to financial Australian Underwater Federation (AUF) members who wish to attend USFA major events, there simply will be no charge to either Association’s members. This is ongoing.

To protect the organisers of the event a diver must be a current financial member of USFA or AUF. The diver will need to show proof of their Association’s membership to the convenor at time of sign on. (USFA members you receive emails from our platform approving your payment please show this).

The USFA and AUF retain the right to discern entry to their events as per their code of conduct and membership stipulations.

To subscribe to USFA membership

Senior Membership

https://usfa.tidyhq.com/public/membership_levels/c4450d628e28

Junior Membership (to 17 years of age)

https://usfa.tidyhq.com/public/membership_levels/f045b97357d5

Thank you

Simon Trippe

President

USFANSW

On behalf of the committee and members

14th February 2025

An evening with Tim McDonald

HOSTED BY ST GEORGE DRAGONS SPEARFISHING CLUB

Monday 17th February from 1900 at the Caringbah Hotel

Timmac needs no introduction in Australia, he is hands down the most prolific spearer of fantastic fish in the country.

This will be an epic night of conversation and Q&A. Tim has forgotten more about spearfishing than most spearfishers know.

Entry is $10.

To learn more click here https://www.facebook.com/events/897983625819885/

https://www.facebook.com/share/1A4NiXS239/

St George are also running raffles with amazing Riffe prizes, Tim is a Riffe Spearfishing Amassador.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ca5htuF9N/?mibextid=oFDknk

North Shore Underwater Club

Club Meeting

Kingfish Presentation

Invited by the North Shore Seahawks to attend their recent meeting and address their members on the upcoming Sydney Kingfish Cup, discussing some background about the USFA and its commitment to spearfishing along with the benefits of being a member of the Association saw me eagerly looking forward to catching up with a lot of like-minded people.

The large gathering, at least seventy people in attendance, were welcomed by Seahawks President Henry Blaker-Morgan and new attendees were made to feel welcome. Sport Secretary Matti Hallanoro gave an amazing report on recent club dive events including updated “Trophy Fish” catches. Here I am thinking, “Wow! What a great club to be a part of, what a presentation, and look at these great fish being caught…” then James Williams hops up and talks about his recent Mulloway adventures further captivating the crowd and drawing me in.

The core of the meeting now began as club Training co-ordinator Ali Gordon introduced Chi Lo and together they began a thorough presentation on Yellowtail Kingfish. All eyes were front and centre, an outstanding presentation. Now I am thinking that if you were a first timer to this club you’d become a member for life.

To talk about the Sydney Kingfish Cup in any time frame is difficult, as it is a huge, loveable beast, there is so much to say about it. I think the best and it is the shortest approach, is to say it is the social spearfishing event on the calendar, where else can 250 odd divers get together repeatedly over a couple of weeks and talk diving and fish, go diving and attempt to catch a fish while having a heap of fun doing all of it. Tick! Come along and be a part of it www.adrenosydneykingfishcup.com.au

The founding of the USFA by our pioneer fore-fathers is always a good story to retell. It begins post-world war 2 in NSW where Australians taking up the sport in droves after seeing it done in the Pacific Islands are being arrested for participating, and the threat of their new hobby being banned divers rally together and form the Association in 1948. Their basis of inclusion for all stakeholders to the resource – the right to spearfish; to have safe access and to not be restricted on headlands and shallow water reefs; to have a voice at the decision table; to encourage ethical and sustainable spearfishing ; and of course promoting safe diving practices is still pursued today by the committee, the clubs and their members.

Those in attendance took on board the messages, I left on a note that the North Shore Club have Sydney Harbour, Pittwater and the Northern beaches at their doorstep, they are privileged to have it, while the USFA and its clubs have fought for it for over 75 years, they need to continue to uphold the principles of our mantra Safe, Selective, Sustainable or they may well lose that privilege. Their President Henry, earlier in the night, stated the popular catch cry “…once you put on your wetsuit you are now wearing a uniform, you represent all spearfishers, do the right thing…”

With the passion and energy displayed this night it pleases me to see the Seahawks and spearfishing on the Northern beaches is in good hands.

Simon Trippe

President USFA

Kingfish Cup

Save the dates

Spearos save the dates for these Kingfish Cup events

Thursday October 31st – Information night at Adreno Sydney

Saturday and Sunday November 9/10th – Kingfish Cup

Thursday November 14th – Presentation at Adreno Sydney

From Bird Island to Bass Point be a part of the biggest Spearfishing gathering around Australia.

More information to follow soon.

Crevice Creeper an outstanding success

The Sealions have done it again! Their inaugural Crevice Creeper event was a great day for the eager divers in attendance with conditions seeing an average of 10m visibility across the Central Coast with the better visibility being on the south end of the coast; a one meter NE swell with the same wind direction 20-25 knots.

Thanks go to the 39 divers who travelled to Terrigal many from as far as Sydney’s southern suburbs, to Newcastle entering in this first time event. The Neptunes, and Dolphins were prominent in attendance.

A pairs event, each pair was allowed to enter two crayfish, two slipper lobster and two abalone between them, a very conservative amount being well under bag limits. Boats were used, too, many divers drove to locations and entered the water from the rocky coastline.

Wenjun with his outstanding 17.5cm Eastern Rock Lobster, heaviest on the day

Invaluable Research

Back at the sign off a total of 16 Eastern Rock Lobsters were presented to the weigh master, along with abalone and Slipper Crays. Marcus Miller a crayfish researcher from NSW Fisheries was invited by the USFA and he took valuable data of the captured Eastern Rock Lobsters. The USFA again assisting with scientific research to ensure our fishery is well managed into the future for generations to come.

Eric Yue a well known blue water hunter is also pretty adept with crevice creeping. Eric with this ERL over 17cm.

Results

Biggest Abalone – Kearin Timp – 570 gms

Biggest Slipper Lobster – Eric Yue – 770 gms

Biggest Eastern Rock lobster – Wenjun zhing – 2120 gms

Pairs 1^st place – Eric Yue and Wenjun zhing – 6345 gms

Pairs 2^nd place – Josh ward And Corey Thompson – 3520 gms

Pairs 3^rd place – Steve Montgomery and Josh Green – 3470 gms

Congratulations to Wenjun and Eric with their terrific catches.

Thank you go the Sponsors – Under Pressure Spearfishing – a new player in the spearfishing equipment industry, Hohnke Spice Rubs, Wet Mammal, EKF and Adreno Spearfishing.

Well done to all who entered the event and we look forward to a bigger, better Crevice Creeper tournament in 2025.

Harry Howes dialling in on Slipper Lobsters

thanks to Josh Ward the President of the Central Coast Sealions for providing information and images.

Simon Trippe