San Diego Freedivers Code of Ethics

Every San Diego Freedivers member must abide by the club Code of Ethics.

As a member of SDF, I will subscribe to a higher standard of ethical and sportsmanlike conduct. Therefore, I pledge myself to the following principles, originally derived from the Bottom Scratchers:

1. To be a good sportsman.
2. To strive to maintain the good physical conditioning necessary for year-round diving.
3. To excel in all phases of diving and spearfishing.
4. To exercise safe and responsible diving habits.
5. To do everything possible to prevent the waste of sea life.
6. To help others appreciate the wonders of the sea.
7. To commit no act that will reflect adversely on the grand sport of skin diving.

In furtherance of these principles, I agree to abide by the following Code of Ethics:

• I will at all times consider the effect of my actions on the environment and will strive to spearfish in a manner consistent with sustainable fishing practices.
• I will act in a courteous and responsible manner toward other club members at all times in order to encourage fellowship within SDF.
• I will respect and seek to preserve the history of spearfishing. I recognize that our history and heritage are critical to our identity as spearfishermen. I will pass my knowledge on to future generations of freedivers in order to help preserve our sport.
• I will always follow a safety-first approach when spearfishing, including inspecting my equipment for unsafe wear or damage, keeping my speargun pointed in a safe direction, and being sure of my target, including confirming that it is of legal size and species before shooting.
• I will make my best effort to be conscious of where I spearfish so as not to over-fish a body of water. I will do this to help protect the health of fisheries and contribute to preservation for future generations.
• I will make good use of the fish I harvest and will never leave fish on the public shoreline or in communal trash receptacles. Doing so is unethical and tarnishes the sport of spearfishing for all.
• I will not breach, encourage, or condone any violation of California Department of Fish and Wildlife fishing regulations, or the regulations of any other responsible agency in the area where I may be fishing. I will only pursue and harvest species that are legal in the area where I am fishing.
• I will abide by the rules of all spearfishing competitions I participate in and will strive to respect the spirit as well as the letter of the rules, in order to encourage good sportsmanship and represent SDF honorably.