Welcome to the IUSA Records Web Site!

International Underwater Spearfishing Association - IUSA Records

Welcome to the International Underwater Spearfishing Association Web Site!
www.iusarecords.com

International Underwater Spearfishing Association - IUSA Records
IUSA Records

International Underwater Spearfishing Association
History Timeline

Ralph Davis and Peter Pucio

The following describes the efforts of Ralph Davis (USA), Jacques Yves Cousteau (France), Cosimo de Medeci (Italy), Bill Schroeder (Helms Athletic Foundation), Fred Beitz (Amateur Athletic Union), and Ernesto Zaragosa (Mexico).
 
  • .
  • 1947-1948 . Standardized rules for the taking of record fish by under water spearfishing among Pacific coast dive clubs in California and Washington headed by Ralph Davis and the LA Fire Department Neptunes fish records committee, working with Jack Prodanovich and Wally Potts of San Diego Bottom Scratchers.

     
  • .
  • 1948-1949 . Distributed basic rules for world records to Spain, France, Italy, and Australia and applied to the International Game Fish Association for the Maintenance of world records under these rules.

     
  • .
  • 1950 . Founded the International Underwater Spearfishing Association in May and obtained written representation for the I.U.S.A. of Cosimo de Medeci in Italy, Jacques Yves Cousteau in France and Luis Puyo in Spain in addition to representation in seventeen other countries.

     
  • .
  • 1950-1954 . Established Underwater Spearfishing Championships in Algeria, New Caledonia, Ceylon (Shrilanka) and the U.S. First International Rules of the I.U.S.A. were used as a basis for National Championships by most countries.

     
  • .
  • 1950 . With the cooperation and invaluable assistance of Bill Schroeder of the Helms Athletic Foundation and Fred Beitz of the A.A.U.( Amateur Athletic Union), established the 1st U.S. National Underwater Spearfishing Championships (Oct. 15, 1950).

     
  • .
  • 1952 . With the cooperation of the Helms Athletic Foundation, established the U.S. National Underwater Spearfishing Athlete of The Year Award.

     
  • .
  • 1952 . Cooperated with Ernesto Zaragosa of Mexico in the establishment of the Inter-America Underwater Spearfishing Championships.

     
  • .
  • 1953 . With the cooperation of the Boys Clubs of America, established the first U.S. Jr. Underwater Spearfishing Championships in Laguna Beach, Ca.

     
  • .
  • 1954 . Established Underwater Spearfishing as a National A.A.U. sport in the United States.

     
  • .
  • 1955 . Served as first National A.A.U. chairman for underwater spearfishing.

     
  • .
  • 1956 Brought the A.A.U. of the U.S. into membership with the (CIPS) Confederation International Peche Sportive.

     
  • .
  • 1955-1958 . Chairman of the Champions to Europe Committee.

     
  • .
  • 1958-1959 . Chairman, Public Relations Committee, National A.A.U. Competitive Skin Diving Committee.

     
  • .
  • 1960-1964 . Olympic planning 3rd Inter-America Championships. Guaymas, Mexico.

     
  • .
  • 1965-1968 . Olympic planning 4th Inter-America Championships. Ralph Davis had a dream through the IUSA of establishing the sport of spearfishing as an Olympic event, and after years of exhausting effort never realized his goal. To my knowledge, the IUSA has in its past awarded the largest world spearfishing record, (now protected in most waters around the world) an 804 lb. Atlantic Spotted Bass, Jewfish, Mero, (Epinepnelus itajara) speared off Crandon Park by Don Pinder in 1949 with an Hawaiian Sling. The IUSA also awarded the largest world spearfishing record Tuna, a 398 lb. Bluefin speared at Guadalupe Island by Terry Maas in 1982, and is still the largest Bluefin Tuna ever taken in the Pacific by a sport fisherman, hook and line or by spear.

     
  • .
  • 1968-1996 . Ralph Davis continued to register a number of world records like the Terry Maas 398 lb. Bluefin Tuna, the 84 lb. Wahoo and 104 lb. Stripped Marlin by Ron Mullins, Peter McGonagale’s 70 lb. Dolphin-fish, Mark Barville's 260 lb. Yellowfin Tuna, Mark Steele's 68 lb. Northern Yellowtail, Rene Rojas's 81 lb. Southern Yellowtail, and of course the magic 80 lb. White Sea Bass by Skip Hellen. In 1996, the IUSA began a reorganization to revive an institution that had lost most of it’s original board members to death after almost fifty years of service. Ralph Davis was the original IUSA founder and is still one of our most respected board members. On January 1, 1997 the IUSA started a new era, IUSA 21st century, and we already have one new 21st century world record White Sea Bass.

     
  • .
  • 2001 . Ralph Davis passes away.

     

    Ralph Davis and grouper

    Ralph Davis and yellowtail in 1947