How could a handful of men and women have brought diving and underwater sports together on a global scale?

None of this would have been possible without the passion and strong friendships born of the first meetings between fishermen, spearfishermen and divers within the International Confederation of Sport Fishing (CIPS), created on 22 February 1952.

It was in this place of privileged international contacts and exchanges that men from different cultures first learned to know and respect each other, then to appreciate each other and work together.

As early as 1958, it appeared in the minds of some CIPS members that, in order to really exist, it would be necessary to create a “purely underwater” organisation. This important decision was taken at the 6th CIPS Congress, held in Brussels on 27 September 1958. Ten national diving federations decided to create a World Underwater Federation by taking over the responsibilities of the CIPS Underwater Sports Committee.

The task was entrusted to a working committee under the coordination of Elie Ferrat (France, FFESSM).

On December 12, 1958, a copy of the draft statutes of the CMAS was given to all the members of the FFESSM board, which decided to convene a plenary meeting before the constitutive general assembly planned for January 1959 in Monaco.

Three weeks later, on January 9, 10 and 11, 1959, the World Underwater Federation (CMAS) was created by the unanimous vote of delegates from 15 countries.
Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau, present as a delegate of the Yacht Club of Monaco, was elected president.

The executive committee of the CMAS is composed as follows:

• President, Cdt Jacques-Yves Cousteau ;
• Deputy President, Serge A. Birn (USA);
• Vice President and Chairman of the Sports Committee, Prof. Luigi Ferraro (Italy);
• Vice-president and president of the technical committee, Oscar Gugen (Great Britain);
• Confederal Secretary, Sebastian Vergonox Boix (Spain);
• treasurer, Robert Métraux (Switzerland);
• members, Vittorio de Berredo (Brazil); Paul Bailly (Belgium); Jacques Dumas (France); V. Krizanec (Yugoslavia);
• advisors: Gustav Dalla Valle (USA); François Clouzot (France).

A few months later, Jacques Dumas was appointed secretary general.

From 14 members in January 1959 the membership had grown to 38 members till 1965.

Jacques Dumas president of CMAS from 1973-1985 wrote to the 20th anniversary of the Confederation: “The objects which we fixed for the world Federation in the first congress have been largely attained – to unify, coordinate and develope. The CMAS has asserted itself as a unique organisation representing the great international community of divers. Its influence covers the whole world and is effective in representing 3 million divers in 51 countries!”

Today CMAS has more than 100 members that represent more than 3 millions divers. The aims haven’t changed. CMAS is still a strictly civil non-profit making organisation. The aim of CMAS is to use all appropriate means to develop and encourage the understanding and conservation of the underwater world as well as the practice of aquatic and underwater sports and activities.

In general terms the Confederation aims:

• to promote the creation of new national underwater federations or associations in countries when non such exist;
• to organise or grant the right to organise on its behalf relevant exhibitions, congresses, competitions , international championships and courses;
• to support all relevant events in relation with the CMAS aims;
• to seek the Confederation’s admission to all world sports or cultural organisations;
• to do everything possible to co-ordinate underwater activities world-wide.

François Clouzot is appointed editor of the CMAS newsletter, the first issue of which is published on 7 March 1959.

On the Bulletin n° 1, taking up the statutory provisions, the object of the CMAS is defined as follows:

• To develop the knowledge of the underwater world and the practice of sports and activities related to it.
• The new confederation includes two committees: the sports committee and the technical committee.
• Each nation may join one or both committees at will and consequently has one deliberative vote per committee in all the assemblies, provided that it has paid the corresponding fees fixed at $40 per committee.
• The work of the two committees within the framework of their two commissions includes a broad programme:
• To develop among the youth a desire for new activities, i.e. to organise competitions and to train staff to teach underwater hunting and diving techniques in order to avoid carelessness and accidents;
• To improve existing equipment, to encourage inventions, to test new products on the market and to suggest possible improvements;
• To study the legal questions concerning diving (a considerable work is to be done because the laws and regulations currently in force in the various nations of the world are little or badly adapted to the underwater field and must be revised on the national as well as on the international level). The CMAS is a non profit organization.

At the time of its creation on 11 January 1959, CMAS had not yet adopted a logo, priority having been given to the drafting of the statutes and to various formalities. The first emblem, proposed by Roger Foucher-Créteau, director and editor of L’Eau et la vie sous-marine, was not adopted.

But the idea of two divers, one in a diving suit, the other hunting underwater, was retained.

To symbolise the “global” aspect of the confederation, a planisphere representing the two terrestrial hemispheres was added. It appears on issues 1 to 4 of the CMAS Information Bulletin:

• n° 1, 7 March 1959: birth of CMAS;
• n° 2, April 1959: study of swimming with fins by Luigi Ferraro;
• n° 3, May 1959 : World Championship of Underwater Hunting in Malta;
• n° 4, June 1959: 1959 competitions.

The month of July passed without a CMAS Newsletter and the fifth issue, dated 16 August 1959, introduced a new logo: the bifid mermaid that we know today.
Pierre Perraud (President, 1985) explains. “During a visit between friends in the village of Sospel (Alpes-Maritimes, France), Philippe Tailliez, Camille Onda and Jacques Dumas saw a mermaid engraved on the pediment of a house (see photo above, bottom left).

Immediately, it seemed to them to be an ideal emblem for CMAS. The mermaid was a perfect symbol for the sea and the oceans, while its two tails could represent ‘technique’ on the one hand and ‘sports’ on the other (at the time, the scientific committee did not exist). Initially simply copied by François Clouzot, or his cousin according to some accounts, this logo was later simplified and stylised to arrive at the one we know today (photo above, bottom right).

The headquarters is chosen from three candidate cities: Monaco, Rome and Paris.

Paris (34, rue du Colisée) was chosen unanimously by the founding members. The CMAS Information Newsletter n° 1 specifies on this subject: “The material installation of the CMAS offices was marked in the course of 1959 by the intervention of our Secretary General, Jacques Dumas, who – in a few months – added to the offices put at our disposal by the French Federation a real club-house, located in the same building and comprising a bar, a meeting room, a conference and projection room, a work room… all wonderfully well placed in the heart of Paris, in the immediate vicinity of the Champs-Élysées.”

To be complete on the reasons of this “unanimous choice” in spite of the competition of other cities, we have to specify that the Sports Ministry subtended the subsidy of 1 million francs to the CMAS to the effective installation of its headquarters in Paris.

In the world of silence, communication between divers is an essential element of safety. The need for standardised signs was therefore established very early on, as early as the congress of 8 March 1958 in Cannes. On this subject, Professor Jacques Chouteau indicated in July 1958: “For group diving (the only one to be recommended), a simple means of communication, allowing mutual understanding of a few elements of the situation is an indispensable safety factor.

Numerous signs have been proposed, in a way that is not very systematic. Their multiplicity, in addition to the difficulties of understanding between divers of different clubs, can become catastrophic if these signs have opposite meanings for the partners.

It is to remedy this state of affairs that the FFESSM proposes a set of reduced and simple signs, which we hope will become widespread. It should be noted that these have been chosen after careful consideration and practical experimentation. The proposed signs are essentially safety signs allowing a diver to signal to another diver with one hand (…)

During the 1958 colloquium, these signs were discussed and the majority of the participants decided to adopt them despite the differences between this code and the Anglo-Saxon one. The Anglo-Saxons did, however, make a very interesting suggestion concerning the need for a surface signal. We therefore proposed and partly adopted the following convention: on reaching the surface, away from the survey vessel or the shore (if diving from that point), the diver emerging at ease should signal “All is well”: arm outstretched, held vertically, with the hand making the “all is well” sign (round with the thumb and forefinger), for 5 to 10 seconds. The absence of any sign from the diver appearing at the surface should be considered as an inability to signal his condition and help should be provided.

Discomfort, difficulty in reaching the shore or distress is indicated, as in diving, by rhythmic or disordered waving of the arms above the surface. It should be noted that in the case of accidental drowning on the surface these are the innate gestures, their nuances will signal to the observer the degree of seriousness of the situation.

The British have criticised this convention by proposing different signs for “mild” and “severe” distress. Experience shows that this distinction is illusory, as one quickly turns into the other. The federation’s doctrine is that “it’s okay” or “it’s not okay” and we think that is the wisdom. It is better to be bothered for nothing, than not to be bothered for an incident that may become serious.”

In 1960, at the CMAS Congress in Barcelona, these signs greatly inspired those adopted by CMAS. Yves Normand produced the official charts which constituted the first publication of standardised diving signs on a worldwide scale. They were completed in 1999 at the Singapore Congress.

Declaration on the taking of possession of the seabed

Whereas it is recognised that States exercise sovereignty over the territorial sea ;

Considering that there is a tendency for States to extend the area representing the territorial sea;

Whereas at the Geneva Conference of 1958 the various nations represented admitted that the riparian States also exercise sovereign rights over the continental shelf with regard to the exploration and exploitation of its natural resources

Whereas the same Geneva Conference proclaimed again that the high seas are free ;

Whereas, in view of this tendency of the riparian countries to wish to extend their rights, of the progress of submarine exploration and of the wealth of the High Seas
Whereas, in view of this tendency of the riparian countries to wish to extend their rights, of the progress of submarine exploration and of the wealth of the High Seas, it appears that in a more or less near future States will make new claims, in particular that of exploiting parts of the High Seas (body of water or bottom);

Considering that it seems advisable to reserve this heritage for all mankind without benefit to any particular nation whatever the state of advancement of its techniques or means

techniques or its means ;

Considering that the World Underwater Federation is an international, non-political and permanent organisation, currently grouping the underwater federations of 37 countries; that membership of the CMAS is open to the federations of countries not yet represented;

Considering that the World Underwater Federation groups together the pioneers, technicians, experimenters, scientists, sportsmen and enthusiasts of underwater activities who were the first to understand the importance for humanity of conquering the underwater world and who have the underwater world and who have dedicated themselves to this task, often at the cost of their lives;

Considering that the World Underwater Federation therefore appears to be the most qualified international body, from the historical, moral and technical points of view, to take possession of the seabed, subject to the rights recognised to the riparian States ;

decides

To take possession, on behalf of mankind and with all the legal consequences that this entails, of the seabed subject to the rights of the riparian States;

requests

The United Nations to convene an international conference in which the World Underwater Federation is willing to participate, with the aim of making an inventory and coordinating the management and exploitation of this immense common heritage.

(Editor’s note: this initiative was indeed taken up by the UN in 1965).

Decision of the CMAS Executive Board of 15 September 1979

Whereas the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) with its headquarters at 2064 North Bush Street, Santa Ana, California 92706 (USA) was admitted to the CMAS Technical Committee on 29 January 1977.

Whereas on September 29, 1978, PADI filed an application with the Washington Patent and Trademark Office for registration of the CMAS acronym and the CMAS emblem (two-tailed siren) as a trademark.

Whereas, in order to make this application successful, the Secretary-Treasurer of PADI signed an affidavit on behalf of PADI on September 21, 1978, stating that PADI was the owner of the CMAS mark and that, to his knowledge, no other person, company or association had the right to use this mark.

Whereas this statement was signed by the Secretary Treasurer of PADI even though the affidavit itself stated that any false statement was punishable by fine or imprisonment or both under 18 U.S.C. § 1001.

Whereas PADI filed this application without seeking prior approval from CMAS and without even notifying CMAS, although a correspondence from PADI to CMAS, dated February 20, 1979, i.e. 5 months later, addresses various matters that PADI wanted to discuss with CMAS.

Considering that it was only on 20 March 1979 that CMAS became aware, through a third person, of PADI’s application for registration of the CMAS mark.

Considering that PADI was invited to provide explanations on 30 March 1979 but that their arguments were not considered convincing by the Executive Board meeting in Paris on 21 April 1979.

Considering that the Executive Board decided to put this question back on the agenda of 15 September 1979 and to invite PADI to send a representative to explain itself more thoroughly.

Whereas, although the Executive Board had been warned that it might have to take one of the sanctions provided for in Article 8 of the Statutes, PADI declined the offer to send a representative and maintained the written explanations previously provided.

Considering that the CMAS Executive Board cannot accept as a valid explanation the fact that by applying for the registration of the CMAS trademark in the USA PADI simply wanted to defend its legitimate rights.

Whereas PADI could have first phoned or telegraphed CMAS to find out whether it had not itself taken steps to register its name and emblem in the USA, which was the case.

Considering that PADI should have in any case requested the agreement of CMAS before making this application for registration of the mark, which could also have been done very quickly by telephone or telegram, assuming that the emergency situation alleged by PADI was real.

Considering that the bad faith of PADI results from the fact that its secretary-treasurer declared officially under oath that to his knowledge the CMAS mark belonged to PADI and that no other person, company or association had the right to use the said mark and also from the fact that no information of these steps was given to CMAS, although several months had passed before the facts were discovered.

Considering that the facts are very serious and justify the removal of PADI from the CMAS Technical Committee.

Considering that the striking off of PADI entails at the same time the withdrawal from Mr Denis Graver, director of PADI, of the title of 4 star international instructor which was granted to him on June 4, 1978.

Considering that the seriousness of the facts justifies reservations on any possible future action against PADI or those of its officials who have made false declarations to the US administration.

The Executive Board decides :

• to remove PADI from the CMAS Technical Committee with immediate effect and prohibit it from issuing CMAS certificates in the future (only CMAS certificates issued by equivalence between 21 January 1977 and 15 September 1979 remain valid);
• to ask PADI to return immediately the types of certificates sent to it on 31 January 1977, 26 April 1977 and 20 May 1977, as well as the specimens of the signatures of Mr Dumas, Mr Berkemann and Mr Normand sent to it on 26 February 1978;
• to withdraw from Mr. Dennis Graver, Director of PADI, the title of international 4-star instructor which was granted to him on June 4, 1978;
• CMAS further reserves the right to initiate criminal proceedings against the person or persons guilty of making false statements under oath to the US administration.

These decisions were adopted unanimously by the CMAS Executive Board meeting in Paris on 15 September 1979.

Jacques Dumas
President of CMAS

Note: This is the full text which notifies the cancellation of PADI from CMAS in 1979.

Decision of the CMAS Executive Board of 15 September 1979

Whereas the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) with its headquarters at 2064 North Bush Street, Santa Ana, California 92706 (USA) was admitted to the CMAS Technical Committee on 29 January 1977.

Whereas on September 29, 1978, PADI filed an application with the Washington Patent and Trademark Office for registration of the CMAS acronym and the CMAS emblem (two-tailed siren) as a trademark.

Whereas, in order to make this application successful, the Secretary-Treasurer of PADI signed an affidavit on behalf of PADI on September 21, 1978, stating that PADI was the owner of the CMAS mark and that, to his knowledge, no other person, company or association had the right to use this mark.

Whereas this statement was signed by the Secretary Treasurer of PADI even though the affidavit itself stated that any false statement was punishable by fine or imprisonment or both under 18 U.S.C. § 1001.

Whereas PADI filed this application without seeking prior approval from CMAS and without even notifying CMAS, although a correspondence from PADI to CMAS, dated February 20, 1979, i.e. 5 months later, addresses various matters that PADI wanted to discuss with CMAS.

Considering that it was only on 20 March 1979 that CMAS became aware, through a third person, of PADI’s application for registration of the CMAS mark.

Considering that PADI was invited to provide explanations on 30 March 1979 but that their arguments were not considered convincing by the Executive Board meeting in Paris on 21 April 1979.

Considering that the Executive Board decided to put this question back on the agenda of 15 September 1979 and to invite PADI to send a representative to explain itself more thoroughly.

Whereas, although the Executive Board had been warned that it might have to take one of the sanctions provided for in Article 8 of the Statutes, PADI declined the offer to send a representative and maintained the written explanations previously provided.

Considering that the CMAS Executive Board cannot accept as a valid explanation the fact that by applying for the registration of the CMAS trademark in the USA PADI simply wanted to defend its legitimate rights.

Whereas PADI could have first phoned or telegraphed CMAS to find out whether it had not itself taken steps to register its name and emblem in the USA, which was the case.

Considering that PADI should have in any case requested the agreement of CMAS before making this application for registration of the mark, which could also have been done very quickly by telephone or telegram, assuming that the emergency situation alleged by PADI was real.

Considering that the bad faith of PADI results from the fact that its secretary-treasurer declared officially under oath that to his knowledge the CMAS mark belonged to PADI and that no other person, company or association had the right to use the said mark and also from the fact that no information of these steps was given to CMAS, although several months had passed before the facts were discovered.

Considering that the facts are very serious and justify the removal of PADI from the CMAS Technical Committee.

Considering that the striking off of PADI entails at the same time the withdrawal from Mr Denis Graver, director of PADI, of the title of 4 star international instructor which was granted to him on June 4, 1978.

Considering that the seriousness of the facts justifies reservations on any possible future action against PADI or those of its officials who have made false declarations to the US administration.

The Executive Board decides :

• to remove PADI from the CMAS Technical Committee with immediate effect and prohibit it from issuing CMAS certificates in the future (only CMAS certificates issued by equivalence between 21 January 1977 and 15 September 1979 remain valid);
• to ask PADI to return immediately the types of certificates sent to it on 31 January 1977, 26 April 1977 and 20 May 1977, as well as the specimens of the signatures of Mr Dumas, Mr Berkemann and Mr Normand sent to it on 26 February 1978;
• to withdraw from Mr. Dennis Graver, Director of PADI, the title of international 4-star instructor which was granted to him on June 4, 1978;
• CMAS further reserves the right to initiate criminal proceedings against the person or persons guilty of making false statements under oath to the US administration.

These decisions were adopted unanimously by the CMAS Executive Board meeting in Paris on 15 September 1979.

Jacques Dumas
President of CMAS

Note: This is the full text which notifies the cancellation of PADI from CMAS in 1979.