USFA 75th Anniversary – Save the date

Hi Spearos!,

Save the date

The Underwater Skindivers and Fisherman’s Association is celebrating 75 years this year and would like you to be a part of this celebration. 

More details to come in the following weeks. In the meantime please inform your old diving buddies from last year or last century to save the date – October 7th. 

Thank you,
On behalf of the USFA Committee
Simon Trippe

Happy Seventy Five USFA

Happy Seventy Five years to you USFA!

My mind boggles at all your members have achieved over the decades; from beginning as an action group, started by adventurous men and women “speargunners, on this day 1948, to prevent spearfishing from being banned. These energetic souls wished for official recognition of speargunners, to educate the community about spearfishing, to stop safe access areas being denied to speargunners, to enhance codes of conduct and safety and of course to enable those still to come to be able spearfish in the coming decades.

During this tumultuous post-war period when returned diggers, who had seen indigenous Pacific Islanders spearfishing, thus began turning military equipment into all forms of diving kit to enable them to catch a fish, safety was not often thought about first, nor was being physically assaulted by fishers, recreational and commercial alike, who believed these early pioneers would turn the oceans into deserts, leave alone them being arrested and placed in cells., yes this did happen. What these wonderful ambassadors for spearfishing were able to achieve is quite remarkable. Dick Charles the original President of the USFA said in this day “we band together if we want to continue spearfishing, united we survive – divided, we fall.”

On behalf of all current spearfishers in this land I wish to thank all those who have come and gone, and those here today who have contributed their time to enable spearfishing to prosper. You have indeed made it possible for future generations to enjoy this wonderful recreation and lifestyle, and we cannot thank you enough.

Simon Trippe

President

Underwater Skindivers and Fishermen’s Association NSW

Green Jobfish

Jonathan Cassell from the always progressive north coast club the Coffs Harbour Bluewater Freedivers has landed quite the fish. This amazing Green Jobfish is the new USFA NSW record and was speared in the Solitary Island group, it was 106cm long and a couple of grams over 13 kilos.

A handsome, wily, strong fighting fish Jobbies can really work your breath hold. Splendid specimens like Jonathan’s are definitely a top tier specie to land, as Jonathan expressed so well in his application, “…into the boat where we rejoiced in amazement” definitely a stoke specie, and, they are a great eating fish too.

Coff’s Harbour is known as the gateway in NSW for the warmer water species and with this great mix of reef and pelagic species some amazing spearfishing both on and off the shore can occur, it is well worth visiting the Solitary Islands Marine Park you will enjoy the experiences the water will give you.

NSW Record Western Foxfish

Justin Ewan recently landed a new NSW record Western Foxfish (Bodianus frenchii) of 1478gm. Long time St George member Andrew Boomer held the record previously of 1430gm.

Interestingly the NSW record has come from the same area at least three times.

Western Foxies, as a rule of thumb, seem to like access to steeper drop offs, with boulders and caves close to hand, so think of pinnacles too, so they can be seen in shallower water, yet a lot of sightings seem to be that 13 plus metre mark. They have two distinct pale yellow dots, one near the top centre of the body and the other located near the caudal peduncle.

Generally shy they are not often seen by spearos and appear more abundant on the Mid North coast and it’s array of Islands and offshore reef systems. Part of the Wrasse family, (think peg teeth, not fused teeth like Parrots) they are good table fare.

Well done Justin, and thank you for submitting this excellent specimen.

Kingfish Cup information night

Adreno Sydney Kingfish Cup

The information night – Thursday November 3rd  from 6.00pm

To kick off the biggest event on Sydney’s spearfishing seasonal calendar we are hosting a social and information night to bring the community together under one roof to set the scene for the following weekends event.
This Kingfish cup was born out of necessity, a competition built to bring our communities together in a sustainable and ethically focused competition with divers from all around Australia participating. A competition driven by inclusion, from the most experienced to aspiring greenhorn learning the ropes and piecing it together. This is what spearfishing is all about. Mateship, adventure, respect for the fishery and healthy competition.
A Q&A panel with kingfish gurus Dan Jones, Grayson Hinrichs, Marty Kieselbach and Derrick Cruz the night’s goal is to share experiences and knowledge around Sydney Spearfishing with a focus on the Kingfish species. Add on a fish preparation masterclass by @spearochef Jai Gibbons as well as the sensational BBQ skills of the in demand Adreno team, plus, some sensational door prizes for those in attendance on the night and to those who early bird register the night is shaping up to be a ripper. This social event will be bigger than the Cup itself!