b) The B.S.A. or the competition organisers must issue all competitors with a competition Float number.

c) Any competitor wishing to take part in a National competition must, in addition to his membership fee, pay an additional amount representing a competition entry fee. This must be paid to the competition organisers PRIOR to the start of the competition. Any competitor who has not paid prior to starting a competition shall be disqualified for that competition. Juniors or members over 65 do not have to pay any entrance fee but must still register with competition organisers.

d) Any competitor wishing to take part in a National Competition, who is not a current fully paid up member of the B.S.A. shall be permitted to compete if he pays a one day subscription fee (to cover insurance costs) in addition to the competition entry fee. The result on the day will count for that competition however will not be used in the championships. (see rule 1 a)

e) Members who were not BSA members the previous season will be given free membership upon entering a national competition.

f) All competitors must be 14 years of age on the date of the first national competition.

g) Those between 14 and 19 years of age ('juniors') on the date of the first national competition of the season must have written permission from a parent or guardian on the entrance form provided. This form must be completed before the start of the season and retained by the Membership Secretary.

h) Any competitor entering a National Competition must be grouped into a team. A team shall consist of 3 persons. Replacements shall not be permitted after the start of the competition.

2. BEFORE THE COMPETITION

a) Competition organisers must send out details of their intended designated competition area to all
prospective competing clubs at least four weeks in advance of their competition.

b) This notice shall clearly describe the area chosen, which will be known as the Designated Competition Area
('D.C.A.'). It must also contain any alternative areas and any areas that are out of bounds to competitors.

c) The D.C.A. must not extend beyond the area designated to be covered by safety boats.

d) Competition organisers must designate a starting and a finishing area for the competition. These will be called
the 'D.S.A.' and the 'D.F.A.' respectively.

e) No competitor shall be permitted to fish or take a gun in the water while in the designated area up to and including
7 days prior to a competition. Any competitor found or proved to have been in contravention of this clause will not be eligible to compete in that competition.

f) No competitor shall be permitted to swim or scout in the designated area thirty hours prior to the competition,
Any competitor found or proved to be in contravention of this clause will not be eligible to compete in that competition.

g) Any competitor found or proved to be placing markers within the D.C.A. designed to give assistance to that or
another competitor will be disqualified from that competition. An incident of this nature will also render the competitors' liable to investigation by the B.S.A. and the appropriate sanctions will be imposed.

h) A complete set of these rules and the codes attached must be sent to each competitor upon joining the B.S.A.
and upon each subsequent amendment to the rules. Upon receipt each member must read and sign the attached slip to signify that he has understood the rules and agreed to abide by them. The slip should be returned to the B.S.A. Membership Secretary. The fully updated rules must also be published in the first edition of 'Crystal Clear' to be published after the AGM.

3. DURING THE COMPETITION

a) All competitors must start at the D.S.A. in full spearfishing equipment.

b) Competitors may make for their selected site by walking, running, or swimming immediately after the start of
the competition.

c) No competitor will be allowed to start the competition from a boat, or have the use of a boat other than when allowed
by the competition organisers.

d) Anyone fishing outside of the D.C.A. during a competition will be disqualified from that competition and from
the ensuing two competitions.

e) A competitor must return himself and his catch, float and guns to the D.F.A. by his own physical efforts (by
whatever means available) before the official finishing time. He must sign out as soon as possible on leaving the water.

f) Any competitor arriving back at the D.F.A. after the official finishing time will be penalised as follows :-

I. Up to and including 10 minutes after the finishing time, his score will be halved.

II. After 11 minutes of the finishing time he will be disqualified.

III. The competition organisers at the beginning of each competition will set the official finishing time.

g) The competitor must be immersed in the water at the time of spearing any fish.

h)
I. During a competition all competitors must tow one marker buoy. This buoy must have a minimum volume of 5 litres. Plats or small boards are acceptable to a maximum size as dictated by CMAS rules as L 70 to 120cm W 40 to 60cm Depth 7 to 30cm. Propulsion swimming fins only , and fly the A flag, which must be a minimum of 15cm x 15cm and be clearly visible.
II. All floats must carry competitors individual float number, (minimum size 75mm)
III. No loaded gun to be carried on float under any circumstances.
IV. All competitors must fish within a 25metre radius of their float,(measured across the surface)

i) No breathing apparatus other than a snorkel will be permitted.

j) A competitor may come ashore as often as he wishes but he will not be permitted to use any means of transport
to return to the D.S.A. other than that provided by the competition organisers.

k) A competitor who aids another competitor in catching a fish in any way will be entitled to 50% of the points for that fish.

l) No lures of any description are permitted to attract fish.

m) Any competitor helping another competitor in the case of injury or exhaustion will be entitled to 50% of the total
points value of the others' catch at that time.

n) The passing of fish between competitors will result in the disqualification of the competitors involved. An incident of
this nature will also render the competitors' liable to investigation by the B.S.A. and the appropriate sanctions will be imposed.

o) If during the competition the organiser's decide to call time early, due to extreme bad weather, and 75% of
the competition time has passed then the competition will still be valid.

p) The competitor is responsible for his fish until he accepts the official decision of the records officer or adjudicating committee.

4. BOAT COMPETITIONS

a) In a National Boat Competition no competitor is to start the competition by walking or running away from the D.S.A. Otherwise the conditions contained in Clause 3d above shall apply.

5. MEANS OF CATCHING FISH

a) It is not permitted to use any means to catch fish other than by knife, hand-spear or a spear expelled by a gun using compressed air, spring or rubber.

b) No cartridge or expellable gas guns may be used.

c) Guns must not be loaded on the beach or in a boat, and must be unloaded before leaving the water.


6. FISH

a) To qualify, a fish must be caught in the D.C.A. Within the time limits set for the competition by the organisers, and
be above legal local and/or national limits.

b) The following species of fish are NOT PERMITTED :-

I. Weaver
II. Salmon
III. Sea Trout
IV. Sunfish
V. Electric Ray
VI. Sting Ray
VII. Lump-sucker
VIII. Silver eel

c) Competition Organisers with BSA Committee approval may stipulate the maximum number of fish species that can
be landed by competitors.

d) Competition Organisers and Competitors must comply with any official restrictions on fish species that may currently be
in force.

e) All fish must be weighed in once the competition has finished.

f) The competition organisers must weigh the fish.

g) If a competitor finishes after the expiry of the time limits set by the competition organisers, Rule 3. f) Will apply.

h) A balance scale will be used to weigh all fish, save that any fish appearing to the competition organisers to be
just permissible under Rule 7. a) Will be weighed using a digital scale or measured.

i) Any fish brought in by a competitor who is disqualified will not be weighed or recorded for points, but may be
weighed for any British records.

j) Where possible all fish of the same species are to be weighed in bulk.

k) Specimen fish are to be weighed separately.

7. WEIGHT AND LENGTHS OF FISH PERMITTED

a) The length of any fish will be measured by placing the tip of the snout to the front or zero mark and measuring to the end of the tail fin using special linear devices supplied or approved by the records officer or acting records officer.
b)
c) The Records Officer or acting Records Officer will have the final decision in any dispute about any fish length or weight.

d) If the Records officer is not available to oversee the weight in, then the majority of competitor's shall elect an acting Records Officer.

e) Competition organiser may reduce fish lengths & weights restrictions for junior competitors only. However any reduction must still comply with minimum requirements by local fisheries. In addition points issued to these fish can only be used for the junior Championships and not senior or team Championships.

f) The minimum weights and length's permitted are as follows:-

I. BASS 400 millimetres long in areas where this is permissible, all other areas fish shall measure 450 millimetres
II. CONGER ELL 4 kilograms
III. WRASSE 360 millimetres long
(Competition organisers has discretion in setting the length above 360 mm)
IV. SKATE and RAY 1.5 kilograms
V. Pollock 360 millimetres long
VI. Grey Mullet family 360 millimetres long
VII. Cod 360 millimetres long
VIII. Mackerel, Black Bream,
Pout, Gurnard, Red Mullet 280 millimetres long
IX. Garfish 450 millimetres long
X. Other species 500 grams

(Except those in Clause 6 (b))

8. POINTS ALLOCATED FOR FISH SPECIES

a)
i) Round fish 1000 points per fish PLUS 1 point per gram (no maximum)

ii) Mackerel/Garfish 2000 Points per fish PLUS point per gram (no maximum)

iii) Bottom fish/Sharks/Rays 500 points per fish PLUS 0.5 points per gram
Dogs & Flounders (up to a maximum of 2500 total)

iv) Flat fish 1000 points per fish PLUS 1 points per gram
v) accept Flounders (up to a maximum of 2500 total)

vi) Conger Eel as per flat fish (up to a maximum of 3000 total)

vii) Wrasse 1000 points per fish PLUS 1 point per gram
Competition organisers have discretion
to reduce points to half points

b) A competitor catching 4 species in any competition is entitled to bonus points in the following order:

i) 4 species 4000 points

ii) 5 species 5000 points

iii) 6 species 6000 points, and so on.

9. PROTESTS

a) Any competitor wishing to lodge a complaint regarding the competition being or having just been held must notify the competition organisers in writing prior to the prize giving event for that competition.

b) Upon receipt of protest the competition organiser must call for an adjudicator committee in accordance with the Codes attached hereto.

10. CHAMPIONSHIPS

a) Individual for male and female minimum age 14 years with parental permission until 19 years

b) Junior for male and female 14 years to 19 years with parental permission

c) Team any three individuals, who have registered with competition organisers, before the national competition starts, stating which team names they what to compete under.

d) Club highest three individual club members results for each round

e) Individual and Junior championships, the competitor, who's catch, gains the highest amount of points allocated by rule section 8, shall be deemed winner of that national competition, the competitor subject to rule section 1 and 11. b) Shall be awarded 100 percent for that round, all other competitor points subject to rule section 1. And 11. b) Shall be awarded a percentage of the winning individual points.

f) Team championship. All individuals registered to a team name, will have there points added together. The team with the highest number of points, allocated by rule section 8, shall be deemed winners of that national competition, the team subject to rule section 1 and 11 b) shall be awarded 100 percent for that round, all other teams points subject to rule section 1. And 11. b) Shall be awarded a percentage of the winning team's points.

g) Club championships, All individual club members' points, shall be added together,
then divided by the same number of members to get the club average the club with the highest number of average points, allocated by rule section 8, shall be
awarded 100 percent for that round, all other clubs shall be awarded
a percentage of the winning clubs points

h) Individual, Junior, and Team championships, the winning national champions
shall be those, after all rounds percentages have been added together are the
highest, second highest shall be second and so on, only one round will be
dropped from national calendar, minimum results shall be four.

i) Club championships, the wining national champions, shall be the club, when all
round percentages are added together and the are highest.

11. GENERAL

a) The competition rules contained herein must be available from the competition organiser for one hour prior to the start of the competition.

b) The results of all BSA competitive members will be used in the calculation of results for the British National
Championships.

c) Any B.S.A. member eligible for the International Squad must donate their fish for B.S.A. funds. Any squad member who does not so donate will not be eligible for the International Squad for the ensuing two years.

d) Unless expressly stated otherwise in the above clauses, any breach of these rules will result in the absolute disqualification of the offending competitor.

e) Alteration of the rules and the codes will not be permitted save by Ordinary Resolution in General Meeting in accordance with the B.S.A. Constitution attached hereto.

f) Where, under Clause 7. a) iii above, the competition organiser has decreed the weight of wrasse to be above 500 grams, the notice of competition (given under Clause 2. a) and b)) must state this.

g) Membership fees will increase as follows (see also rule 1 (h)): - £20.00 for year 2005, £25.00 for year 2006.

h) A maximum of 4 national competitions in one season. The BSA to hold a two day competition in August. The first day on a Friday and second day on Saturday, combining both results with one set of trophies given at a prize giving on Saturday night. Back up dates also in August. No other National competition to be allowed in August. All other clubs wishing to hold the two remaining Nationals must put forward their date and venue proposal at the AGM. The committee will then decide on the best proposals.

The B.S.A. has adopted the Codes of Practice set out below. These are to be read in conjunction with these Rules laid down by the B.S.A. and any club not abiding by either the Rules or the Codes will not be permitted to hold a competition in the following year.

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