Contests in Spearfishing

Spearfishing has become an international sport. Under the sanction of the American Amateur Athletic Association and similar groups in other countries, competitions leading to national and international championships are held. Teams of three men from local diving clubs are entered in area contests. The top teams advance through regional and national contests to determine the national champions. In the international meets, the top teams from competing countries meet for the world championships.

The use of breathing apparatus is not permitted in formal competition. The rules allow only wearing a snorkel, face mask, diving suit, flippers and weighted belt.

In recent years international competitions have been held in the Bahamas, Italy, Spain, France, Yugoslavia and Portugal.

Information on underwater hunting groups may be obtained from the Underwater Society of America, Post Office Box 724, Station “A,” Champaign, Illinois. The international governing body is the Conf d ration Mondiale des Activit s Subaquatiques (International Underwater Confederation) . Its membership includes the United States, West Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, France, Great Britain, Greece, Malta, Holland, Italy, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Austria, Morocco, Finland and the Soviet Union.

Conservation Work

An interesting offshoot of underwater hunting is the aid that skin and scuba divers have given to conservation. In several areas on New York’s Long Island, underwater hunters have been found to be the most efficient means of combating the starfish which devour beds of shellfish. Each year divers are called on to join in a mass attack on starfish. Scores of divers respond, tons of starfish are removed from the water, and prizes are awarded to the divers bringing up the largest numbers.

Tags: water sports

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