Australian Underwater Federation Model can it work for all disciplines

1
Australian Underwater Federation Model- can it
work for all disciplines?

• Dr Adam Smith
• National Chair
• spearfishing_at_auf.com.au
• 0418726584

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AIMs

• Bringing sport, conservation and awareness to the
  underwater world

The AUFs immediate aim is to educate
governments, managers and the community to
recognise that spearfishing is a sustainable
method of using the resources of the marine
environment and MPAs.
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Introduction

• Safe, Selective, Sustainable, Spearfishing

• Reasons
• ? Relax and unwind
• ? Fishing for sport
• ? To be outdoors
• Catch fish as food

• Exercise
• Knowledge
• Adventure

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Anecdotes and Fiction
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Facts Research

• Recreational snorkelling
• Selective and No bait
• No pollution, damage to habitat or potential harm
  to sea creatures as a result of lost equipment
  such as lead and monofilament (no ghost fishing).
• CPUE similar to line fishing
• Very restricted in area (coast), depth (20m),
  visibility (?5m) and weather (calm)
• Very low effort (266,000 days- 1) and less than
  indigenous (671,000) and recreation (19.7
  million)
• Hunters- Environmentalists - Conservationists?

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Scuba and spearfishing map of Australia
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Catch
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Strategic Plan

• 1. To increase membership of the AUF by 10 pa
• 2. To improve communication about freediving and
  spearfishing
• 3. To raise the profile of the sport by
  involvement in community activities
• 4. To raise awareness of safety and improve
  training
• 5. Participate in major competitions and
• 6. Develop partnerships with industry and peak
  groups.

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Communication

• Website
• Letters
• Advisory committees
• Face to face
• Critics
• TV

10
Individuals Champions
?
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Partnerships

• Other water sports
• Recfish Australia
• Government Agencies
• MPA, Fisheries
• Industry
• International
• ? Conservation Groups

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Stakeholder preferences?
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Costs and benefits?
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Draft National Policy on Spearfishing in MPAs

• Multiple use MPAs will be supported by AUF when
  they are based on representative biodiversity
  protection of bioregions, reasonable use,
  science, risk assessment, simple management,
  consultation and equity.

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Draft AUF Policy detail

• SUPPORT
• 80-90 access
• hotspots
• Practical management
• Consultation
• Partnership
• Education
• Compensation
• Review

• NOT SUPPORT
• Spear on SCUBA
• Confusing management
• Discrimination
• Decisions that are not based on science, risk and
  consultation
• Total exclusion

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Percentages

• AUF will support MPAs that provide reasonable
  use- This will vary in different locations but as
  a framework preferably 80-90 of shallow reef
  areas allow spearfishing

? Reasonable ? One solution for all verses case
by case ? Risks
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Examples and why

• SUPPORT
• Great Barrier Reef 33
• Yellow zones -equity-
  
• Solitary Islands 12
• equity

• NOT SUPPORT
• Lord Howe Island 27
• (100) discrimination
• Cape Byron 27.5
• (?95) not bioregional

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Spearfishing in the future 2010?

• Optimistic
• Access to MPs
• 80-90 access
• Fisheries rules complement
• Accreditation
• Sustainable
• Partnership
• Policy

• Pessimist
• No access to MPs
• Best spots taken
• Fisheries rules complex duplicate
• No competitions
• Small group and targeted
• Politics
• Case by case

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Summary

• AUF is peak voluntary body
• Partnership
• Recfish Australia
• Government
• Science?
• Conservation?
• Communication
• Facts vs Myths
• Individuals?
• Policy (and sanctuary)
• Turn pessimists into Optimists
• More information -www.auf-spearfishing.com.au