LOFFCA 9th April 2018

Lower Ouse & Fenland Fisheries Consultative Association

 Meeting on Monday 9 April 2018 (AGM) Heron House Ely at 7.15 pm.

 Established 2004                                                                                         Angling Trust membership number 631

• The meeting at Heron House was appraised of the evacuation procedure by Chris Middleton EA

Those attending:

R Hiom, Colin Dodd (Treasurer), Chris Middleton (EA),

Norman Knightley, Alan Leonard (Histon AC), Peter Mottram, Neil Everard (SWAC),, Tony Brooks (EBAC), John Pope (C & J Events),

Mark Leach (USSC), Andrew Stockton (MAC), Terry Easey (CAAS), .

• Apologies: .

Paul Frost, Kelvin Allen, Mark Easey, Alan Nelson, Richard West, Paul Thomas.

• Speaker

Jake Davoile AT FMA ( Fisheries’ Management Adviser) gave a thorough and detailed presentation of his work. The talk covered all aspects of predator control, funding, his geographical area and some slides of his work and materials he recommended.

He is a licenced otter trapper and reminded all present that lethal control processes cease on April 15th. He also advised on the aspects of fencing against otters with slides and would provide free site visits on the control of otters. Funding is explained in more detail on the AT website.

• Previous minutes

The previous minutes have two amendments. Firstly the EA change permit now costs £170 and Tony Brookes of Ely Beet was not offered a lease in Ely rather than he declined it.

• Annual General Meeting

Accounts – The financial listing was proposed by Colin Dodd and seconded by Richard Hiom. The details were accepted unanimously. Balance at bank is £253 pounds.

• Constitutional change

An understanding had been reached that continuous funding in some form is needed. Two main costs occur:

AT membership – fixed annually in Autumn. At present £55

Ink costs by Secretary – occasional but can be £40 for an XL cartridge.

Colin Dodd did not want get to a balance in excess of what would be considered “a float”, financially. RH noted to the meeting that administering the payment would put work on Colin. John Pope said that extra money could be used to promote a formal image, i.e. business cards, compliment slips and the LOFFCA flyer.

Proposal 1 – A £10 fee was decided as adequate with a proviso:

1. that clubs could opt Lessening the work on Colin Dodd.
2. charges would start 2018/2019 twelve month from April

It would be noted that, for clubs that opt out, certain facilities would be restricted such as EA fisheries videoing, pennywort working and fisheries advice. This would be the decision of the committee.

This was agreed unanimously. Action Point RH to circulate suitable wording for the Constitution.

Proposal 2 – By John Pope that formal stationery be designed to enable a more professional front for LOFFCA in the more proactive days of the consultative now. General discussion of the flyer and business cards already in use by RH took place.

However, before a formal vote took place Terry Easey of Cambs Albion very generously said if John talked to him with costings Terry would pay the bill for the stationery. This was much appreciated.

• EA representative Chris Middleton Fisheries & Biodiversity Tech Officer This can be seen within the EA notes.

Also mentioned was

£8K has been made available for Floating Pennywort work. Habitat improvement is planned for true Crucians from Calverton Input to FIP grants

Working parties are now being discussed individually with clubs A car battery weed cutter purchase is being considered

• AT Regional Forum

RH covered subjects recently discussed at the Anglian Fisheries Management meeting

• Local issues

Colin Dodd reported on the Middle Level situation. It has been decided that the dissolved oxygen problems are an EA issue with Mike Nunns dealing. Questions are being asked if there is an issue with pennywort or sulphates in the water.

• Any Other Business
  1. It was noted that a traveller’s site has been noted at Bury St This has been given an EA incident number.
  2. RH gave all present a review of the DEFRA meeting at the David Attenborough meeting that he had been invited to attend. He gave his views on farming and its environmental effects from a sport point of view in syndicate working. The needs of the area post-Brexit was the central theme of the
  3. Norman Knightly raised an issue at There had been regional Pike matches run by AT with entry fees collected. However, the final was not run in 2018 although entry fees had been collected. He asked for the subject to be escalated for information. (editor’s note: James Lewis AT Competition and Development manager has been emailed).

There being nothing further to report the meeting was closed at 10.00pm

• Date of next meeting 2nd July 2018 at 7pm for 15pm start

 Doc ref: LOFFCA AGM 9 April 2018.odt