Greetings

 

Well the Nationals have come and gone.  The New Plymouth Surfcasting Club did a magnificent job in organising and running these and all congratulations should go to Phil Mahood and his team.  One would have great difficulty in finding fault with the organisation, venues or the overall operation of what can be a pretty stressful time.

 

Congratulations to all who took part and especially to those who gained places.  There were some good casts in that competition and some great fish caught upholding the Taranaki reputation of having some of the best fishing available.  To top it all off the weather was fantastic as well.

 

For most the event was without any real hitches, a success, but for some there was great disappointment.  It would be easily to gloss over this in these Jottings but for those who were affected it was very real and that will be what they will remember from the 2007 Nationals.  I speak of the controversial (for some) IGFA line use rule and what resulted following the disqualifications of some because of it. As this whole matter has now gone beyond the two or three clubs concerned and has been subject of, in some cases uninformed, comment on Message Boards and the like, we need to put the story straight.

 

Our NZACA President has written personally to the individuals and clubs concerned giving his apologies regarding the lack of involvement with those involved and the poor communications which followed.  It is easy to look back in hindsight and seen how things could have been done better and we are the wiser for it.  However in the rush to get out results after a late closing weigh-station on the second day meant that much of what should have been done wasn’t done and that is where the mistakes were made, and for which the apologies have been given.  I am sure this will not happen again.

 

However, we need to take a step back – well back – nearly twelve months back.  Clubs in April 2006 were told that only IGFA lines were to be used at these Nationals, and on a number of occasions via different means this message was repeated time and time again.  At the AGM and the Nationals themselves the message could not have been made plainer and 95% of competitors compiled.  If all had followed the rule none of the consequential problems would have arisen.    Whether we thought the rule was a good one, a bad one, a foolish one, a silly one or whatever – it was still a rule – well publicised and well notified – and we all know, in any form of competition, if we choose to ignore the rules then we suffer the consequences.   Those folk who were disqualified were not done so because they were cheats – there weren’t. They fished with lines well under the required upper limits and followed all other rules except this critical one of using a certain line.  The question I am left in my mind is if some of their team members used the right line – why didn’t they all do so ?

 

However that is enough of that subject but to repeat there were areas which need great improvement by NZACA personnel and for that apologies and promises have been given.  Let us all learn from this experience and be the better for it. My personal commiserations to those who were disqualified and who would have taken home the rewards of good catches.

 

 

The AGM ran smoothly with some good discussions and with this mailing are the Minutes of such together with the various Reports which were tabled.  We go into the new year with a full Executive ready to tackle the challenges before it. Welcome to the new members on the committee from the Auckland Lady Anglers Club – Anne Morgan and Jessie Vuletich.

 

Our 50^th. Year

                        If you didn’t know already the NZACA is 50 years old this year (actually slightly older if you go back to earlier discussions by recreational fishers of that time).

            We have published a very informative, interesting readable booklet which we believe every club should have a copy and all long-serving Members should have one on their home bookshelves.  Newer Members also will find out by reading how important is this organisation you belong to and how it has shaped the history of fishing in this country. 

            Shortly I will be sending out a few copies to every club with the hope you will purchase and, again hopefully, requesting more.  This is a one-off booklet of an organisation that has a history to be proud of.

            There is of course also the specially struck 50^th metal lapel badge which is available and again we will send a sample of this out with the Booklets in the hope of further orders.

            We still have a few of the 50^th Anniversary Tee Shirts available. These are now at a special sale price of just $20 each.

 

 

Have you caught up with the good news regarding the Kahawai Legal Challenge.  We took the Government to Court and won !!!!!  The Minister has been told to go back and revisit this whole issue and the bonus is that costs were awarded against the Crown.  United we stand and united we can win.  We, the NZACA, through our membership of the NZRFC, were part of this campaign and this underlines the importance of 1/ Fishers belonging to Clubs, and 2/ Clubs being part of a National Organisation, and 3/ those National Organisations working together under the umbrella of the State accepted group being the NZ Recreational Fishing Council. This decision has far reaching consequences and not limited to just the Kahawai question.

The new issue of course is the “Shared Fisheries Discussion Paper” and again we are working through the NZRFC in your best interests in this debate.

If your club knows of individuals or clubs who are not members as appropriate, use this information to encourage them to stand up and be counted and play their part in the wider recreational scene. The few dollars it costs is all well worth while in the end.  There is a lot to lose if we are not united.

 

Don’t forget any reasonable catch send in a “Catch Recognition Application Form” These new forms have been forwarded to all clubs and are used for any form of catch recognition reward whether it be a Record, a Merit Certificate or an Annual Award. Especially encourage your Juniors to forward applications as we had trophies remain in the box this year as no one had applied for them.  Remember also our Association Records are now the same as NZ Records and we no longer have an “Open” section but now Mens & Ladies etc. 

Encourage Members to have a look at and have a go at the Masters Award.  This is an award that can be worked at over a period of time and should be well within the capabilities of most fishers.  Join the select group who can call themselves “Master Anglers”.

 

A suggestion that has come from this years Nationals – What do you think
of changing the name of the “Golden Oldies” to being called “Masters”. 
This would fit in with a trend in other sports where the more senior group
are referred to as Masters and we even have such things as
“Masters Games” etc.  Let me know your thoughts on this one.

 

Well the end of the page of a Jottings which has much of importance, congratulations and thanks where appropriate, and not shied away from a topic which has generated much emotion. We rely on those who are in the receipt of this to pass on what is in it, and lastly remember this is your Association not the Executives and it is what we all make of it. Let us together make it work and be for another 50 years a leader in the recreational fishing scene.