The International Underwater Spearfishing Association
Posted By Cliff Etzel on 1 September 1996
To spearfish in our technologically advanced society is looked upon with great disdain by the ecological movement to save our oceans. Many view the pastime as a large contributor to the depletion of many species of underwater creatures.With such a big misconception hanging over it's head, it may seem to appear that the sport will become a thing of the past. I talked with Skip Hellen about the future of this sport and what his objectives are as president of the International Underwater Spearfishing Association, and it's goals for the future.
The majority of people out there who are aware of spearfishing have a misconception of the sport. "We [really] are environmentalist's" says Hellen. "We're not involved in massive slaughter of marine life as many would have you believe".
So how will being president of the IUSA make a difference to change this perception?
In 1994, Hellen himself became a world record holder for spearfishing a White Sea Bass at Palos Verdes, California. As he put it "My ship came in as a spearfisherman".
After this, Hellen saw a duty to represent the sport. "It was time for me to give something back" he said. So he volunteered to become president of the organization, taking over for it's original founder, Ralph Davis, who started it back in the early 1950's. TO change its focus , Hellen decided to reorganize the structure of the IUSA back in March of 1994. As he put it "it hit me like a bolt of lightening". The organization decided to become a multifaceted body, with Hellen as President and a board of Directors, giving an official presence to it's goals.
The goals include creating a new Mission and Ethics for the sport, which they hope will eventually be given international input to establish a "code of conduct" that represents the responsibility and accountability of all divers as stewards of the oceans.
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