• Welcome to the DeeperBlue.com Forums, the largest online community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. To gain full access to the DeeperBlue.com Forums you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:

    • Join over 44,280+ fellow diving enthusiasts from around the world on this forum
    • Participate in and browse from over 516,210+ posts.
    • Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
    • Post your own photos or view from 7,441+ user submitted images.
    • All this and much more...

    You can gain access to all this absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!

We're official. Welsh Spearfishing Club

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
grantl said:
Is that not what the BSA are there to do. Maybe I've missed something?

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

That's absolutely right grantl and they don't & won't help/represent us 'all'... and they don't help or represent all spearo's in Scotland either?... which may be why something is apparently missing for you... a Scottish association/club perhaps... nothing wrong with independence which leads to local policy/influence/social events/mentoring etc?

sospan fach!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Funnily enough I downloaded the BSA membership form this morning - can't think of any reason not to be a member really?
I don't see the value at all in a local Scottish club tbh. Being generous you could probably count all the regular Scottish spearos on two hands - why would you assume we're apparently missing something by not having a club?
Without bringing politics into a spearing forum I do agree with you on one point though - there's nothing wrong at all with independence ;-)






Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk
 
Reactions: jaymz
The main reasons personally for no longer being a member of the BSA is that as an organisation they don't represent me morally or locally/socially and are therefore no longer of any practical use... Hopefully Wales will also be independent by the time I've saved up for that retirement house on the coast?
Lastly, you were the one that said you had missed something?... I was just pointing out that the BSA does not represent you locally in any shape or form so what practical use do they have for Scottish spearo's living in an independent country... if/when it happens?

Besides what's stopping anyone from being a member of both/all associations/clubs... especially when visiting/holidays etc?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
artiz said:
what practical use do they have for Scottish spearo's living in an independent country
Click to expand...

That's actually a good point!

I personally don't have a problem with the BSA. They keep in touch regular as I'm listed as the contact of the club. I'll endorse the sport in this country in any way I can, so if Welsh, Scottish, English or Irish associations popped up all over the country, I'd be glad to share and express my views with all.
 
Reactions: artiz

Seconded... well OK the second bit!
 
artiz said:
Hopefully Wales will also be independent by the time I've saved up for that retirement house on the coast?
Click to expand...

Independent from what? The rest of the UK? Really..? You do realise that most of Wales has a GDP lower per head than Bulgaria?

I suppose it will buoy the English economy but seriously, an independent Wales would suck - despite the ensuing poverty for the masses, have you ever met a Welsh nationalist? They have really broad horizons, I'm sure Wales will be just fine with them in charge.
 
Reactions: artiz
We could always start digging for coal again... that's what Bulgaria did
 
Broseidon said:
Are you volunteering to go down the pits?
Click to expand...
I was thinking more along the lines of marine geologist in a part-time advisory/research type role?
Seriously though Broseidon you have always voiced strongly held principles here on DB (that goes for Robbo66 and ben +others) and I assume you all frequently hunt in Welsh waters... alone or otherwise.. so why don't you also get involved at the beginning... 'idiots thrive when good men do nothing etc'?
An association by definition is the coming together of a group of like minded people and everyone here is a spearo first... the rest needs working out... jaymz has stuck his head above the parapet and made a determined and successful start so perhaps its time to come together to influence the future of spearfishing in Wales, both socially and in practice... us waffling on a forum will help but only getting involved will make it happen?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
artiz, no idea what the deal is with the club - without a website and a constitution etc etc it isn't really a club is there?
I was happy to be involved but I got the impression those involved are just interested in buddies and fishing. That's where I have a difference of opinion, I maintain that a Wales club should be a GoTo source of info for stakeholders and be there to represent our interest at fisheries meetings and the like. I'm not interested in socials or comps or fish-ins but id love to be one of the guys who helps protect our sport and the marine environment.
 
Reactions: Broseidon, jaymz and artiz

I'm with you all the way ben and funny you should mention a website and a constitution because that's where me & James made a start here www.welshspearfishing.org.uk but we need help and input (especially from up North) from anyone who would like to join us and make a real go of this... we're open to criticism and suggestions in equal measure?

Feel free (anyone) to PM me or James and we can have a less public conversation regarding any further involvement you would like to bring to the proposed national association/club!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Artiz, thanks for the mail. Didn't realise this was going on as don't view now.

The main appeal of some sort of Club/Body for me personally, was for protecting the rights of spearfishing in Wales, in addition to a vocal rejection of 'competitions' generally.The problem with the BSA, is that they actively encourage these 'competitions', and offer no reasoned argument to support them, while we remain under threat of a ban through mis information offered to DEFRA and the SWSF.Haven't posted on the forum for eons as all the old boys seem to have deserted to Facebook and there's only so much you can post about.

As for the social side....I only fish with Ben, and that's when I allow him the coveted opportunity to do so. My young apprentice is indeed learning, however he wears a camo suit....which is disappointing, utterly pointless and remains the ultimate sign that he is indeed a 'Parisian'
 
Reactions: jaymz and artiz
I've kind of taken a back step from a 'club' so to speak. I realise the difference in opinions between spearfishers and would like to address those and support spearfishers in Wales rather than go against. Artiz is doing a fantastic job behind the scenes researching and preparing for what is to become the WSA. I hope everyone here gets involved and throws a bit of input and support his way. Everyone wants their opinions expressed, and this is the way to do it formally.
 
As a follow up to this message, would it not make sense for the new welsh club to be a part of the BSA from a strength and united front perspective? You could then have welsh, ireland, scotland parts of the BSA to ensure all areas are represented? Just a thought, dont shoot me!
 
Reactions: artiz
The welsh 'club' we had going was a part of the BSA. They have just re-vamped the site and details lately and I have purposely delayed getting in touch with our info until I know where the 'club' was going. Now I can see that its not really a club that Wales needs, its a forum of voices, ill keep my mind focused with that.

Like I said before, I don't have a problem with them. If they wanted to regionalise the BSA, that would be great, although im pretty sure this would just make more work for them and they would shy away from it.

In the next few days/weeks, we are going to be looking for some help, so if anyone who is willing to lend a hand with a few small tasks to do with the WSA then please contact Artiz.
 

I think this may be a good idea in the future when the BSA also includes and represents spearo's who are unhappy with competitive spearfishing... which will happen eventually! However presently the BSA is all about competitive spearfishing so luckily you can join either or both... shooting you would be a tad extreme?
 
Phew!! 4 comps a year run by individual clubs is the only competitive side of the BSA now. But this isn't an argument for this thread


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Robbo66 you're treading thin ice - I won't take you to Bass Mecca if you keep on like that.

Artiz - drop me a pm and we'll exchange emails about what the association needs. I'm a bit flat out at the moment but I'll see if I can find a few hours to help a fellow geologist!

My feelings are for a dissociation with BSA until anti comp people are represented. There is plenty of anti spearfishing sentiment out there and if we care about the future of our sport we should do all we can to not fuel the fire!
I'm all for a complete boycott of all any any competition in wales - I simpler believe comps ( in any form) and public image sustainability and ethics cannot go hand in hand.
 
Reactions: artiz
I (and don't hate me for this) am actually attending the competitions this year that are run by the BSA. But that's not mainly because I want to kill fish for sport or slay them in mass numbers, I like meeting other spearos. Very rarely will you get a group of individuals together who like the same very very niche sport. So it's nice to share the experience.

But, On the other side of the coin, if the majority of WSA members don't want comps in Wales, then we (personally) won't run them. Let's get an association going who listens to what members have to say

But, if 95 WSA spearos are all in favour of us running comps and 5 arnt... I think we know where that's going to go.

Like I said, we need to get the basics of the WSA down, get together over a beer and a pint and see where we are going from here on in.
 
Reactions: ashbish and artiz
We were hoping to start at the beginning with the association with as much input as possible from everyone... we expect competition spearfishing to continue as before... with personal membership of the BSA and its events etc... and of no real further concern for us here...

Some of us want to meet & buddy up and some of us would like to make or have official representation regarding the future of what we all like doing off the coast of Wales?
The idea being that we circumvent the comp/non comp debate/issue allowing us to get on with something new and which had a good go at representing everyone's interests for the future of spearfishing in Wales... whilst also having a solid social/mentoring/training club with regular local/area meets/events/rookie trips out etc.

We were looking for the best of all worlds?... and why not?

But 1 member will always equal 1 vote... what else could it possibly be?

Our first task using this forum could be forming a management committee so please contact (start a conversation) with either jaymz or me as soon as possible if you would like to give it a go!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…