The annual Glynn Dromey Memorial Spearfishing competition for 2012 will be held on Saturday, April 14.
The Glynn Dromey Memorial Shield is organised by the West Australian Undersea Club and is advertised both locally and interstate. It aims to foster a competitive spirit between spearos and promote the virtues of safe selective hunting. It is a pairs freediving event held at Lancelin each year since 1994 in remembrance of Glynn Dromey, an accomplished spearo who passed away in the 80’s from cancer. The event is conducted from individual boats. Those without a ride but wishing to enter can contact the WAUC Spearfishing Dive Organizer (David Robson).
The competition goes for 6 hours. Points are awarded for one fish of each nominated species and for its weight. The minimum weight for each fish exceeds those applied by the Fisheries Department. This competition has a few distinctive features:
– there are a limited number of species, those which are targeted by most spearfishers for their eating and sporting qualities.
– all fish are entered without guts or gills. This makes for better eating when later the fish are either reclaimed or donated. Scales are on hand at the beach for potential record captures.
– prizes are awarded one per competitor with subsequent prizes going to the next place-getter in that category without a prize.
– the use of a proportional points scoring system.
In the past, points have been awarded per species regardless of maximum sizes. The new system incorporates the maximum size of each species (usually the record) with points awarded on a proportionate basis; e.g. for a Samson Fish, 10 points are given for every 1.3kg, for a Silver Trevally (skippy) 10 pts are given for every 200 gms. It is an attempt to score each fish on its merits. This acknowledges that a large fish of any species takes both luck and skill. It also removes the pressure from the larger species when the diver knows they can get just as many points for shooting a large King George Whiting as they will for a large Dhufish.
With the recent change in standards greatly increasing the price the Western Australian Undersea Club has invested in certified digital scales capable of weighing to 200kgs. Fish of a potential record size may be weighed whole before gutting and gilling.
If the weather on the day is forecast for strong winds the event will be postponed to the next suitable Sunday or Saturday. For regular updates visit the forum. A final decision will be made as late as the Friday morning preceding. For further enquiries contact the comp organisers.