1. The words “spear-fishing” are defined as capturing, or attempting to capture, with a muscle powered spear-gun, while free swimming, wild edible fish species.
2. Competition runs over 12-month period: 01 April to the 31 March each year.
3. All fish must be caught in accordance with MMUC spearfishing rules.
4. All catches must comply with MOF size and bag limits.
5. All entrants must be Financial Members prior to catching any fish or crayfish.
6. Two financial club members must be present to attest to the landing of fish and crayfish.
7. Entries must be weighed on certified or calibrated scales and witnessed by another financial club member.
8. Fish/Crayfish must be weighed to a minimum of 2 decimal points. ie 20g
9. Entrant to report catch to Club Catch Recorder within 2 weeks of capture.
10. Each contestant may weigh as many fish/crayfish during the year as they wish but only the heaviest of each species will count.
11. ‘Most Meritorious’ will be a fish that has been weighed and reported to the Catch Recorder. It will be awarded by the Committee and may not necessarily be a fish on the points list.
12. ‘Heaviest Cray Overall’ and ‘Most Meritorious’ are awarded Trophies only.
13. ‘Senior Men’s’ and ‘Ladies Champ’ will be awarded on the clubs points system.
14. Manutere Cup will be awarded for the heaviest crayfish caught on Scuba or snorkel while on a regular monthly trip.
15. Points system will be used to separate equal numbers of fish in most species.
    PRIZES: These will be awarded to 1st, 2nd & 3rd places.

1. Entries must be weighed on certified or calibrated scales and witnessed by another financial club member.
2. Fish/Crayfish must be weighed to a minimum of 2 decimal points. i.e. 20g. Digital scales are preferred.
3. The scales must be presented to the catch recorder for calibration if requested.
4. It is the entrant’s responsibility to have the catch reported to Club Catch Recorder within 2 weeks of capture.
5. Each contestant may weigh as many fish/crayfish during the year as they wish but only the heaviest of each species will count.
6. The fish recorder must be advised of the species, weight & method of weighing, location of the catch, date, and witness to the catch.Weighing fish on a boat at sea
7. Weighing at sea shall be allowed, provided that the scale is certified and that the weight is monitored for a minimum of one minute.
8. The lowest weight recorded is the official weight. The one minute period must be continuous.
9. To count, your fish must be:
   1.  Free swimming and uninjured prior to being injured or taken by you In NZ waters.
   2. Taken in full compliance with MAFish rules.
   3. The minimum size is 500 grams for all fish, and the fish must be above or equal to the minimum legal size.
   4. Fish must be speared or captured by you between sunrise and sunset. If a fish is speared within these hours it can be played and subdued after sunset.
   5. Fish to be caught either by hand or with a traditional spear-fishing weapon such as a spear or spear-gun.Taken whilst snorkelling or free-diving i.e. on breath hold where the breath is taken from the surface.

The fish recorder reserves the right to veto or penalise any entrant as appropriate and judge unsporting behaviour.

The fish recorder decision is subject to a right of appeal to a vote at the following club meeting.
NZUA spear-fishing may be asked to rule on disputes at their discretion.

1. A length of rope or wire, not more than 3 meters long, attached securely to a boat or float, or on the belt stringer of the spearing diver, which is used to successfully and permanently subdue a fish by looping around the tail or by looping the through the mouth and gill opening of the fish by the spearing diver.
2. Divers must remain in the water and unassisted until their fish is subdued.
3. Divers must retain contact with their float and/or line at all times.
4. If they lose contact with their gear, they must find it and re-establish contact with it unassisted and while remaining in the water.
5. While potentially dangerous, the use of chum or burley or flashers is allowed provided, however, that with the use of chum, divers make and distribute it themselves in the water unassisted (fish used for this purpose must be shot by the diver using it), or in the case of flashers, they carry it themselves unassisted.
6. Fish must be free-swimming, not restricted by nets, traps, fishing lines or other devices.
7. Fish known or believed to be recently tagged and released or escaped fish, still exhausted from their recent capture, are ineligible.
8. Fish must not be in an artificial environment such as penned-in bays, or in close proximity to fish nets, fish rearing pens or sanctuaries.
9. The catch must not be at variance with any laws or regulations governing the species or the waters in which the fish was caught.
10. A buddy diver may provide a second or additional unloaded gun to the spear fisher, provided he/she does not assist the diver in any way to subdue their catch.
11. In most cases mutilated fish, depending on the circumstances, are not allowed.

For club members who are new, we have a ‘Rookie Grade’. The aim of this grade is to teach you how to hunt all the different fish species that are good eating. When you have completed your time in the Rookie Grade you will have attained all the basic skills required for competitive and recreational spear-fishing.

New members will automatically be in the Rookie Grade unless the fish recorder decides they should fairly be in the Open Grade. New members may elect to also compete in the Open Grade as well as the Rookie Grade.

• John Dory
• Kahawa
• Blue Moki
• Kingfish
• Koheru
• Porae
• Snapper
• Pink Maomao
• Trevally
• Butterfish
  • There is no limit to the number of different species weighed in on one day.
  • However, only two of each species may be weighed in on any one day.
  • You can record up to 5 of each species for the year, for the purposes of earning Rookie points. i.e. the heaviest 5 fish of each species will earn points.
  • The minimum size is 500 grams for all fish, and the fish must be equal to or above the minimum legal size.
  • The largest kingfish and snapper weighed by a rookie will be awarded prizes.
  • Depending on how close the competition develops, more prizes (like a Rookie’s snapper cup) may also be introduced.
  • Members who have taken at least five of the above list in one competition year will have completed their time as Rookies and must then compete in the Open Category the following year.
  • The Champion Rookie diver will be the one with the highest Rookie score.
  • In the event of a tie, the winner will be the diver with the highest points from snapper and kingfish, calculated in accordance with the Open Grade points system.
  • The Rookie who is fastest to complete the fish list will also be recognised with a prize.
  • MMUC spear-fishing rules apply to this competition where ‘Rookie Rules” do not contradict them.

SENIOR SPEAR FISHING POINTS

JUNIOR SPEAR FISHING POINTS