Dorset spearfishing 2014

[Stephan Whelan]

Speerolee - shame you feel the need to publicly post about this rather than privately reply to me.

I am responding to numerous complaints about some of your posts specifically about night diving. This has been over a protected period and has been on multiple channels including contacting me on Facebook.

As I said it is a shame you choose to do this publicly as my response is likely to be much stricter than working with me.

Remember you signed up to rules when you joined here. Please abide by them and the moderating teams direction otherwise your posts may be removed and your account privileges removed.

 

[speerolee]

Can I have a refund of my membership please?
Thanking you kindly.

 

[Stephan Whelan]

You can cancel your subscription via paypal at any time. This will prevent any future subscriptions however we do not offer refunds on existing subscriptions.

 

[spearo Clark]

Let me guess complainer number 1 foxfish!

 

[Stephan Whelan]

To be clear the complaints came from posting and non-posting members who are not part of the moderating team.

 

[spearo Clark]

We will all have to take your word for that.

 

[spearo Clark]

Tbh I think this is quite ridiculous being asked not to post fish you have speared on a spearfishing forum!

 

[speerolee]

Just out of curiosity stephan...why has facebook any relevance to pictures and posts of speared fish on your spearfishing forum?

When reading through the terms I failed to find the part regarding no posts or puctures without the aid of daylight? However, I, myself have recieved several abusive and somewhat provocative comments, isn't that in fact breaking the terms?

And do you even lift bro?

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Facebook was just a medium people chose to contact me personally about some of your posts on this forums.

There are no specific rules against night fishing but it is covered under our general rights we reserve based on post content. We cannot have specific rules for every country rules, legislation or ethics.

And no I don't "lift" - not sure what relevance that has.

 

[spearo Clark]

Stephan....I am so upset that speerolee keeps posting up lots of fish......big ones as well........lmao.....absolutely ridiculous!!!

 

[speerolee]

He doesn't lift mate...

 

[spearo Clark]

Missed a bit........it has hurt me that much I cannot bring myself to read another post and look at pictures of fish posted by speerolee therefore I am leaving deeperblue.......c'mon this does sound ridiculous!!!

 

[spearo Clark]

Did I miss a bit.....signed up to rules, no rules against night spearing and reserve the right on post content!.....post content of speared fish!!!!!

 

[speerolee]

He's grasping at straws...going to come back with something like "that fish looks a bit iffy" ha......

 

[speerolee]

Admin.....can u just delete me? I can't seem to deactivate my acount....Come on I'm doing you all a favour.

 

[Stephan Whelan]

If we get multiple complaints against members and/or posts then we review and take action. In this case pics of large catches of night speared fish has caused a lot of complaints - hence we are taking action. The first step we always do is contact the member in question and try to resolve it privately. If that fails and the member persists then we take action against posts.

This is not a democracy - it is a forum that we grant access to - I liken it to inviting you into my house. I set the rules and ask you to follow them. Should you not like the rules, continually break them, or receive a significant number of complaints against you from other guests in my house then action is taken. Over recent times I have had numerous long standing members state privately to me that they have left this forum due to your postings - I have until now not taken action but after a recent review with my moderating team it has been decided to take action.

I'm not debating this any more guys - please refrain from posting pictures of large catches of night speared fish. If you feel unable to do that then you are no longer welcome here and could move to another site - in fact you already promote your Facebook group heavily so that might be a more appropriate forum.

 

[Stephan Whelan]

@speerolee - a few things:

1. I've checked and you do not have an active Forum Supporter status so cannot refund you even if I wanted
2. If you really do want you account de-activated please let me know directly and I can action it

Thanks,

 

[speerolee]

@stephan

1. If your policy was not to offer refunds...then why even check my supporter status?
2. Lynch mob mentallity? If several members gang up and complain, bullying? If I was ginger and posted pics snd 6 members opposed to my 'gingerness' would that be ok?

3. I haven't posted 'night speared fish' recently, just day captures?
4. "I'm not debating this anymore guys" isn't that somewhat narrow minded?

I joined a spearfishing forum with good intentions and participated in FOM and other comps etc....kept things moving.....catch reports...pics...banter...

So...if I can get 20 members to oppose to this silly sanction? Or whatever it is...then you will take action?

 

[spearo Clark]

Stephan timing was pretty poor considering speerolee has just made several posts of day caught fish!......anyways I stand by that the request to not post pics of speared fish on a spearfishing forum is ridiculous and I am sure majority would agree!

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Guys I've said my piece - I'm not going to discuss it any further.