Rules & Guidelines

Introduction to the Australian National Spearfishing Championship Rules and Guidelines

This updated version of Australian National Spearfishing Championships Rules is a reorganization of the previous editions into a more concise and logical layout.

These updated “A-Section Rules” (and associated Guidelines) have strong links to history. The AUF, its State bodies and clubs, have always actively promoted safe spearfishing and developed spearfishing competition rules, many of which remain today even if the wording is different. These rules have always been evolving and times will inevitably move on; and now, more than ever, there are serious health, safety, conservation issues to consider more carefully.

Having regard to ‘best practice’ in respect of risk management and safety, amendments have been necessary to shift the Australian National Spearfishing Championships from a purely individual format to a pairs format. The new changes align the Rules with current ‘best practice’ pairs competitions being held in places like Queensland, Western Australia and New Zealand, along with the Inter-Pacific Championships (the pre-eminent international event for Australian divers).

This document contains the actual competition rules (the “A-Section Rules”); a separate document contains guidelines and standard forms to further assist those organizing and running the championships.

The Rules have also been updated due to an evolving membership. The traditional role of clubs has changed and been somewhat diminished; in that there is a new generation of spearfishers who own their own boats, dive as and when they want to, learn spearfishing techniques from the internet and use social media to find diving buddies within the hour.

As such, the Rules and Guidelines also aim to pass on the institutional know-how of the past about the organization of the Australian National Spearfishing Championships; thus ensuring efficient, enjoyable and safe running of an event.

Now that organized spearfishing competitions are far more inclusive of a wider constituency of spearfishers, it is hoped that the availability of these updated Rules and Guidelines will assist those doing the organizing and bring consistency to the planning of events, and thoroughness in carrying them out.

Arnold Piccoli

AUF National Spearfishing Commissioner – 2025