Standing Committee Meeting & A.G.M. Cobh August 2008

Fifteen members sections were represented at the meetings. The following items of general interest were covered.

The meetings were opened by the Chairman who commented that it was good to be returning to Cobh after an absence of 41 years.

Delegates from the recently formed Cyprus section were welcomed.

There was nothing further to report on the Faroe Islands and Canary Islands section formations. Enquiries had been received from Turkey regarding membership.

As requested at the last meeting consideration had been given to the request for Game Championships to become an annual event. It was considered that the work involved precluded this, but a suggestion was made that perhaps Festival Pins could be awarded for events within European waters in intervening years, to encourage support for such events.

Enquiries as to a block insurance to cover all EFSA events had indicated that this was not practical. Responsibility must remain with the organising section.

The suggestion that spring meetings be held at venues other than Gatwick was discussed. It was confirmed that this would be considered when a section wished to host a meeting, subject to firm proposals and costing.

Following an enquiry from EFSA Italy it was confirmed that sections have the right to affiliate to any other bodies within their country. No approval is required from HQ.

The Treasurer report that the finances were running in line with budget. Supplies prices were circulated, although it was pointed out that the cost of Festival Pins was likely to increase to £85 per set.

The Fish Recorder reported 18 Line Class, 10 All Tackle and 5 Shore Records
had been approved.

A total of 82 anglers would be fishing the Mexico Game Championships. Proposals for an event in 2010 in Thailand had been received, and other were in course. A decision will be made at the April 2009 meeting.

Revised Fishing, Line Class and Shore Rules have been finalised, and were approved.

The appointment of an Assistant Secretary, Marcus Wuest, was approved. He will take over the Secretary’s duties in 3 years time.

The following changes to the Constitution were approved:

1. 1. The post of President has been abolished, and that of Chairman re-titled President/Chairman.
2. 2. The A.G.M. will in future follow the Standing Committee Meeting, in a simplified format. The A.G.M. is open to all members.

A new rule 7.4. was added to the Constitution:

Executive officers shall not hold office in any other International Sea Angling Body. On election to the Executive they shall immediately relinquish any such office.

Good progress was being made on the 2009 Championships in Scotland, and the 2010 event in Iceland. Brochure for the former is on the EFSA Scotland website, and was also circulated.
Details and application forms for the 2009 Species event in Plymouth were circulated.

Approval was given for the 2010 Boat and Line Class Championships in Norway (venue not yet finalised). The 2010 Species event will be in Portugal in early September –full details will be available in April 2009. The 2010 Shore Championships will be in Wales.

Due to insufficient entries at the closing date the 2008 Shore Championships have been cancelled.
The next Standing Committee Meeting will be in Gatwick on the 25th April 2009.