The Annual general Meeting of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association was held on Tuesday 26 February in the Partick Burgh Halls, Glasgow, with 154 members in attendance.

The key decisions made were as follows:

1)  Annual subscription 2014 Proposal

The members voted to retain the annual membership at the current levels in 2014 i.e. £185 for a full membership and £78 for an OAP concession.  Members also agreed unanimously to reduce the cost of a junior membership from £50 to £20 with immediate effect i.e. for season 2013.

Any young person wishing to purchase a junior membership (available for persons aged 12 – 18 years) should write, phone or email the Association at the contact address provided at the end of this report.

Other permit prices are as per the AGM report.  Namely no increase in the cost of River Leven annual permits, River Leven and Loch Lomond day permits to rise from £15 to £20 and no increase in the cost of either a River Leven child season permit or day ticket.  Coarse tickets issued by the Association will rise to £35 for the season and £5 for a day ticket.

2)  Election of Vice Chairman

With the resignation of Sid Gath the Committee recommend the appointment of Mr Eddie Edmonstone as Vice Chairman.  This recommendation was accepted by those in attendance with no votes against.

3)  Election of Committee members

As there were no nominations for appointment to the Committee prior to 31 December 2012 according to article 7 (d) the two longest serving Committee members may continue in office.   Given that the Committee was elected in block last year it was deemed for the purposes of establishing longest serving members that Mr James Raeburn and Mr Keith Adams were re-elected for the purposes of defining longest served members.

While no notifications for election to the Committee were received by 31 December, notification was confirmed before the AGM that 3 members wished to serve.

Mr Tam Dorrian, Mr Robert McKinlay and Mr Gareth Bourhill were duly elected on to the Committee.

4)   Notification of VOLDAC representative

The VOLDAC representative for 2013 is Mr Alan Miller.

5) Constitutional Changes

The following constitutional amendments were proposed and accepted by the membership on the night in accordance with the existing Association constitution:

a)   Article iii (2)(a)   (to increase the number of junior members)

“Junior Membership shall be open to the children up to the age of 18th birthday of Ordinary Members.”

To

“Junior Membership shall be open to any young person up to the age of 18.”

b)   Article iii (2)(k) (to introduce reduced membership rates for younger anglers)

“Between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one Junior Members in Full-Time education may be eligible for concessionary subscriptions to be set by the Committee annually.”

To

Between the ages of 18 and 21, or in the case of those in full-time education to the age of 23, members may be eligible for concessionary subscriptions to be set by the Committee annually.

c)   Article iii (j)  (to increase the benefits available to members)

“An Ordinary Members spouse and children or grandchildren up to their eighteenth birthday and accompanied by or under the supervision of an Ordinary Member may fish all the Associations waters free of charge.”

To

“An Ordinary Members spouse and children or grandchildren up to their eighteenth birthday and accompanied by or under the supervision of an Ordinary Member may fish all the Associations waters free of charge, this will include the right to fish for coarse fish on Loch Lomond throughout the coarse fishing season.”

d)   Insert Article vii (d) (iv)  (to extend membership of the committee to a representative from the River Leven season ticket holders and the coarse season ticket holders)

“The Committee will be allowed to appoint one Associate member and one coarse fishing ticket season holder to the Committee to represent the interests of River Leven and coarse anglers.”

e)   Article viii  (to allow the Committee to bring experts, who were not necessarily Association members on to sub committees if required)

“The Committee shall have the power to appoint such Sub-Committees or Management Teams as they think fit, which shall consist of elected Ordinary Members only.”

To

“The Committee shall have the power to appoint such Sub-Committees or Management Teams as they think fit.”

6)   Amendments to conservation bye-laws introduced in June 2012

The following amendments have been made to the bye-laws passed by the EGM of the Association in June 2012:

  • The number of tags issued to each angler will rise from 3 to 5
  • There will no compulsory catch and release of salmon before 1 June, however, all salmon must be returned in the month of October
  • Hen sea trout over 3 Lb in weight must be returned after 31 August
  • The above changes will apply to all Association waters including those parts of the River Endrick above the Honeyholm bridge.

Committee Comment

While the decision of the membership to amend the decisions made at the EGM of June 2012 is disappointing to a majority of the Committee, we can all none the less acknowledge that our club has finally agreed to adopt bye laws which enshrine the principle of conservation.  This is a major step forward for the Association where members are already returning in the region of 73% of all salmon caught and 89% of all sea trout caught.

The move to issue each member with 5 tags brings us into parity with what is offered on the Clyde and the Kelvin.  There will, however, be practical issues to resolve, not the least being that we have already issued in the region of 300 memberships and 300 sets of tags.  It was suggested on the evening of the AGM that members who have received their permits be consulted and asked if they wish to receive the additional 2 tags.   The Committee believe this is a pragmatic approach and we will be writing to members imminently.

With regards to the updated bye laws please be aware these will be strictly enforced as will the pre-existing bye law relating to the killing of any coloured / unseasonable fish.

The AGM though was not just about tags and bye laws it was also about constitutional change and facing up to the problems of an aging membership.  Some of the changes that were passed on the night should go some way to attract younger anglers into the club.  This is essential if the club is to survive and flourish. The decision to finally allow an Associate member on to the Committee is also welcomed as is the decision to include coarse fishing representation on the Committee.  It is hoped that these changes will be followed up next year with a revised constitution and it is the intention of the Committee to fully consult on this issue later in the year.

Voluntary Catch and Release Policy.

Last season we introduced a Voluntary Catch and Release Policy to help protect our stocks of spring salmon which have been in gradual decline over the years. We now aim to introduce a similar policy this year and would ask all conservation minded anglers to subscribe.‘ Please think twice before dispatching the Lomond System’s springers.’

Regards,

LLAIA Committee.