In 2009 Simon resigned from the WA Chair due to family and work commitments.
Simon did a great job over the two years he was WA Chair and increased membership, organised a national titles, was involved in the Great Australian Shark Count and developed excellent commication between WA divers and the national chairman.
The position is currently vacant.
Simon Longbottom
Simon has recently (July 2007) taken on the role of Chair for the WA State Spearfishing Commission.
He sees the role of the commission as
1: Providing a focal and distribution point for Spearfishing issues within WA
2: Providing a high profile contact point for new divers and unbiasedly link them to divers in their area or with similar goals.
3: To document achievements and exploits of WA divers
4: Keep all WA divers informed of WA, Australian and International “events”.
5: To deal with issues that are bigger than a club level
For example: Diver safety
Marine parks: coordinate submissions: make sure they are actually done!
Improve Public perception by helping research and making sure they get acknowledged.
6: To coordinate state and national level comps
7: Help improve diver competence and achievement through clinics on equipment or freedive techniques.
As with other State Chairs he believes educating the general public with the actual FACTS of Spearfishing is the only way for Spearfishing to survive. He provides a university lecture each year on the real impacts of Spearfishing to Coastal Zone Management students in the hope of doing this.
He also believes recruiting new divers to the Commission is an effective way of teaching them “best practice” Spearfishing and thereby minimising conflict with other user groups.
Simon started seriously Spearfishing in the early 1990’s and was a keen competition diver as a junior. Since then his focus has shifted to prized pelagic species and the ever elusive West Australian Dhufish. He also has a keen interest in underwater photography. He is a member and secretary of the Bluewater Freedivers of Western Australia.
Simon has BSc (Hons) in Aquaculture and Fisheries Resource Management and currently manages the Curtin Aquatic Research Laboratory in Perth WA.
Simon can be contacted on 0401 103 844 or s.longbottom@curtin.edu.au
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Previous AUF WA Chair and now current Recfish West Board member
Joseph Petrovich- Western Australia
I see the two biggest issues in our sport as firstly ensuring young people are supported in their efforts and secondly maintaining contemporary relevance in a society which is appreciating the natural environment for more than the tangible harvests of the past.
Although we are a small group, the WA branch is affiliated with Recfishwest and through this body we have implemented a policy on freedive spearfishing which is incorporated into any submissions made regarding recreational access and catch limits. We have already had a couple of small wins.
Contact Joe at redgreen@iinet.net.au or 0415956545
More -I have been seriously freedive spearfishing for the last four years after abandoning it in my earlier adult years; primarily because I knew of no-one else who went spearfishing. This is an issue facing the sport in that unless you have a boat, there are very few opportunities to practice spearfishing around Perth.
We need to encourage and support younger participants for the future relevance of the sport.
I am 46 years old with a B.Psych which has seen very little direct use but the education impressed upon me the principles of the scientific method; something which I use in my brick paving business which has been going for 18 years. I enjoy exploring the more remote areas of our state and frequently do trips up the coast in pursuit of large fish and isolated campsites. Spearfishing for me is as much about being in the water as it is about getting fish.
