Rules & Constitution

LTFA RULES (2016) 

GENERAL SECTION 

OBJECT  

• The object of the Association is to promote and encourage game fishing on the River Teign and its tributaries and to preserve and develop the Association’s fishery in accordance with current legislation and environmental interests.

1. MEMBERSHIP 
   • Members of the Association shall be of the following three classes: 
   • Ordinary Members who shall be entitled to one Non-Transferable ticket per season on payment of their Annual Subscription. Members who have not paid their Annual Subscription by 28th February in any season shall be deemed to have resigned from the Association. 
   • Honorary Members who shall be Riparian Owners whose fishing rights are offered to and accepted by the Association and also such other persons as the Committee shall decide to elect. 
   • Life Members who shall be Ordinary Members who having rendered exemplary service to and for the Association have been elected to Life Membership by the Membership of the Association at a General Meeting.
   • In addition there shall be Associate Members who shall not number more than ten and who shall be entitled to fish the River Bovey and such water on the main River Teign as shall be determined by the Association and subsequently confirmed at General Meeting [For additional information on Associate Membership see Fishing Section Rule 9] 
   • The total number of Ordinary Members shall not exceed sixty-five or such number as shall be determined by the Association General Meeting. 
   • It shall be the duty of the Secretary to present to the Membership in each year an up-to-date list of Ordinary, Life, Honorary and Associate Members for the current season.  
   • Application for Membership shall be submitted to the Membership Secretary and each applicant shall be proposed and seconded by an existing Member of the Association. The election of Members shall be at the discretion of the Committee. 
   • The Membership Secretary will maintain a waiting list for Membership and all persons placing their names on the Association waiting list shall pay a registration fee of such sum as shall be decided by the Committee. The registration fee will not be returnable unless decided by the Committee and is additional to the entrance fee payable when a Member is elected.
   • Associate Members may be elected from existing Ordinary Members who may wish to revert or from names on the Waiting List.
2. ENTRANCE FEES 
   • All new Members shall pay an entrance fee the amount to be agreed each year at the AGM.
   • Former Members wishing to rejoin shall pay the entrance fee again unless excused by the Committee for any special reason.
   • Members resigning who may wish to rejoin at a later date must apply for their names to be placed on the Waiting List.
3. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS 
   • All annual subscriptions shall be subject to annual review and amendment by the Association General Meeting.
   • Associate Members shall pay an annual subscription which shall be subject to review and amendment by Association General Meeting.
   • On transfer to full Ordinary Membership, Associate Members shall pay the annual subscription for Ordinary Members plus the appropriate entry fee, less any amount already paid.
   • Life Members are exempt from subscriptions.
4. TICKETS
   • No person shall be allowed to fish on water controlled by the Association without being in possession of a ticket (except as provided under Rule 5c) which must be shown to the Water Bailiff or to any Member of the Association when requested. Members shall wear an LTFA badge or other identification which will be supplied by, and remains, the property of the Association. 
   • Non-transferable Season Tickets shall be issued to all Members for each season at the prevailing annual subscription as reviewed and decided at the AGM preceding that season. This ticket will entitle the holder to fish on any day of the week including Sunday.
   • A Member is entitled to take his or her child or grandchild under the age of 16 to fish for Salmon, Sea-trout and Brown Trout on Association water, free of charge, provided that such child or grand-child is accompanied by the Member. The child or grandchild may fish their own rod but must be appropriately supervised at all times. Each individual must be in possession of a current Environment Agency Rod Licence.
5. ADDITIONAL TICKETS
   • Each Ordinary Member may, at the discretion of the Committee, have daily Guest Tickets for his family and friends to the number, and at the reduced price, currently prevailing and covering the right to fish for Salmon, Sea-trout and Brown Trout. Daily Guest Tickets shall be issued to Members on application to the Secretary or other authorised person who shall only issue them for the purpose stated in this paragraph. A guest shall be accompanied by a Member. [For additional information on guest tickets see Fishing Section, Rule 8]
   • Honorary Members may, at the discretion of the Committee, have tickets issued to them free of cost or otherwise which may be transferable or non-transferable and may be limited in any way in either class. The Committee shall decide the class and limitations of such tickets.
   • Tenants of land bordering the river whose landlords are Honorary Members of the Association may, at the discretion of the Committee, be issued one or more transferable or non-transferable tickets which may be in the name of any Member of his or her family The Committee shall have power to limit any such ticket in any way and shall decide in whose name it shall be issued. The Committee shall have power to grant or withdraw any such tickets issued to Honorary Members or Tenants of land.
   • Visitors may obtain short period tickets at the price currently prevailing. [See Fishing Section, Rule 7]
6. CONTROL
   • The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in December or January (or not more than 15 months after the previous AGM) when the Chairman,  Secretary and Treasurer and a Committee of ten Members shall be appointed, who shall have power to co-opt additional Members for specific requirements. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be additional Members of the Committee. Twenty-one days notice, at least, of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all Members of the Association.
   • The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Committee who shall meet at least twice every year, five Members to form a quorum, and all questions arising under the Rules shall be decided by the Committee without appeal. [N.B. 8, Alteration of rules]
   • At each Annual General Meeting the Treasurer shall be required to present a certified statement of the Association accounts to the Membership.
   • The Members of the Committee shall retire every year but shall be eligible for re-election. No Member of the Association, other than a retiring Member of the Committee, shall be eligible for election to the Committee unless his name has been proposed and seconded by Members of the Association in writing to the Secretary at least fourteen days prior to the Annual General Meeting. If more than ten persons, including the retiring Committee, are nominated and are willing to serve, the election of Members to the Committee shall be decided by ballot.
   • All fishings, land or other capital assets of the Association shall be held on behalf of and in trust for the Association by Lower Teign Fishing Association Ltd, a non-shareholding company limited by guarantee (herein after referred to as  ‘the Company’).
   • The Company shall comprise not less than six Directors the power of appointment or removal of whom, individually or severally, shall reside with the Committee of the Association. Unless the Directors decide otherwise, the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Association shall also each act as the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Company for such period as each shall hold the corresponding Association post.
   • The Company, duly registered and regulated according to its Articles of Association and Memorandum under such United Kingdom company law currently pertaining, shall not have the power to act without either the direction or the assent of the Committee of the Association or, where appropriate, the assent of the Membership of the Association through General Meeting.
   • The Company” in addition to holding the Association’s assets, shall also act as the agent of the Association for the purpose of acquiring, leasing, mortgaging, charging or selling fishing rights or property of any kind-on behalf of the Association. The Company shall also deal with such rights or property as the Association Committee may by majority of Members present from time to time direct; such duly authorised acts of the Company shall then be binding on all Members of the Association.
   • A certificate signed by the Company Secretary shall be taken as conclusive evidence in favour of a subsequent purchaser, mortgagee, chargee, lessor or lessee that a direction complying in all aspects with the above rules (g) and (h) was given to the Company acting as the duly constituted agent of the Association.
   • All Company financial matters shall be progressed by the Company Treasurer in accordance with pertaining United Kingdom company law to which end the Company Treasurer shall present the Company accounts to the Annual General Meeting of the Company Directors. This shall in no wise preclude the requirement for the annual presentation of the Association Accounts to Association Members at the Association Annual General Meeting. [See note 7(c) above]
   • An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary of the Association at any time upon the written request of at least seven Members or at a time of emergency when the Chairman considers it necessary for the continued well-being of the Association. Fourteen days’ notice at least of such a meeting shall be given to all Members of the Association.
7. ALTERATION OF RULES
   • No new rule shall be made or existing rule altered or rescinded in whole or in part, except at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary Meeting, nor then unless notice of intention to propose such new rule or alteration or rescission of an existing rule has been given to the Secretary fourteen days at least before the date of the Annual or Extraordinary Meeting.
   • It shall be the duty of the Secretary to send notice of such intended proposition to all Members of the Association at least seven days before the date of such meeting.
   • It shall be competent for the Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting to amend on points of detail propositions of which notice has been given.
8. VOTING
   • Proceedings at General Meetings: No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum of Members is present.
   • Ten Members present in person shall form a quorum.
   • At any General Meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided by a show of hands unless a poll is demanded by either the Chairman or at least three Members present or by proxy.
   • If a poll is demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the Chairman shall decide.
     1. Unless a poll is demanded a declaration by the Chairman that a resolution has been carried or lost on a show of hands and an entry in the Minute Book to that effect shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against the motion.
     2. Every Ordinary or Life Member present at a General Meeting shall have one vote, and in the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the Chairman of the Meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.
     3. On a poll votes may be given personally or by proxy and the instrument or letter appointing a proxy shall be in writing signed by the Member appointing the proxy. Only Ordinary or Life Members of the Association may vote by proxy but Associate Members who are not entitled to vote themselves may act as proxy for Ordinary or Life Members.
9. SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS
   • Any person holding a ticket and not complying with the rules of the Association or so conducting himself or herself as to be an annoyance to other people on the river, shall, at the discretion of the Committee, forfeit his or her ticket and shall be suspended from fishing.
10. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
    • It shall be the duty of the Committee (if at any time it shall be the opinion of the Committee that the interests of the Association so require) to invite by letter any Member of the Association causing concern to attend a meeting of the Committee. Not less than four weeks’ notice of the meeting shall be given to the said Member and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to inform said Member, in writing, of the time and place of the meeting and the nature of the complaint or complaints against the Member. At such a meeting the Member shall be allowed to offer an explanation of his/her conduct verbally or in writing, following which, if two thirds of the Committee present shall vote for his/her expulsion said Member shall immediately cease to be a Member of the Association. It shall be in the power of the Committee to exclude such a Member from fishing until such committee meeting is held. Any person shall, on ceasing to be a Member of the Association, forfeit all rights and claims upon the Association and its property and funds.
11. RIGHT OF APPEAL
    • Any Member so disbarred may, within a period not exceeding six weeks, present to the Committee, either in writing or in person at a meeting specifically convened for the purpose, his/her case for reinstatement. It shall require a two-thirds vote of the Committee in favour for re-instatement. If a two-thirds vote is not achieved in favour of re-instatement the expulsion shall stand and the original decision of the Committee shall be final.
12. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
    • If at any General Meeting a resolution for dissolution of the Association shall be passed by a majority of the Members present and such resolution be passed a second time at an Extraordinary Meeting held not less than six weeks later (of which not less than fourteen days’ written notice has been given to-each Member) and at which not less than two thirds of the Members shall be present voting on said resolution, then the Directors of the controlling limited company shall immediately (or at such future date as shall be specified in the resolution) proceed to realize the property of the Association and after the discharge of all liabilities shall divide such property pro rata amongst Members in proportion to the amount each Member has paid in initial fees and subscriptions over his/her years of continuous Membership.  

FISHING SECTION 

1. LICENCES
   1. No fishing, whether for Salmon, Sea-trout or Trout, is allowed without both an applicable Environment Agency Rod licence and an Association Ticket whether seasonal or short-term.
2. GENERAL RESTRICTIONS
   1. All Members are required to abide by all relevant Environment Agency Byelaws, both National and Local.
   2. No fishing is permitted save with one rod and line at a time per authorised angler.
   3. No ticket holder may sell the fish caught by him.
   4. No angler is allowed to fish a pool for more than half an hour at one time if any other angler also wishes to fish it. An angler may not attempt to reserve a pool by leaving his rod or bag there against his return at a later time.
   5. No dogs shall be allowed to accompany anyone fishing on any part of the river not bordered by a public footpath.
   6. All gates must be shut and every effort should be made to avoid trespassing. Trespassing on growing crops is especially prohibited and anyone infringing this rule will be held personally liable for any damage they cause.
   7. No Member of the Association, other than the River Maintenance Committee, shall, on any account, cut or injure any of the trees or bushes on the banks of the river, except with the express authority of that Committee.
   8. Each Member shall have made by the 31st October in each year a full and true return to the Returns Officer of the number, weight and place of catch of all Salmon, Sea-trout and Trout taken in water controlled by the Association. Any Member failing to submit such return by the due date will be deemed to have resigned their Membership of the Association.
   9. No Member may participate in any activity through their Membership of the LTFA which may result in commercial advantage either to themselves or to any third party.
3. BAIT 
   1. The holder of a ticket is not permitted to fish for Brown Trout in Association water other than with Artificial Fly.
   2. The use of a float of any kind is prohibited.
   3. Fishing with worm or maggot (real or artificial) is not permitted in any Association water at any time.
   4. By Night: from Sunset to one hour before Sunrise, no bait except artificial fly without maggot or anything else attached is allowed.
4. WADING
   1. Wading is permitted in all waters controlled by the Association.
5. LIMITS
   1. Size:
      1. Trout 8 inches, Sea-Trout 10 inches – All fish of these species and less than these lengths must be returned to the water unharmed.
      2. Members will return all unharmed sea trout over 24 inches long.
      3. Every person fishing shall put all the fish retained into a bag or a basket which shall always be opened on demand, to the inspection of the Water Bailiff. It shall be the duty of the Water Bailiff to inspect all bags and baskets so used.
   2. Number:
      1. Salmon – two salmon per year may be retained by a Member after the 16th June. All other salmon caught must be returned unharmed to the river. Any salmon retained by a Member’s guest shall count against that Member’s allocation. The Association’s target for returned fish is currently (2016) 80%.
      2. Sea Trout – there is a daily bag limit* of two sea trout up till 1st June, and a daily bag limit* of four sea trout after 1st June.
      3. Brown Trout – There is a daily bag limit* of eight brown trout. *The ‘daily bag limit’ applies to any 24 hour period from sun-rise to sun-rise the following day.
6. SEASONS
   1. Salmon 1st February to 30th September.
   2. Sea-Trout 15th March to 30th September.
   3. Brown Trout 15th March to 30th September.
   4. Other dates may be laid down by the Environment Agency or other statutory authority. There is currently (2016) an expectation that there will be an agreement for a 14-day extension for salmon fishing each October.
7. VISITORS’ TICKETS
   1. Visitors’ Tickets entitling the holder to fish for Salmon, Sea-Trout and Brown Trout will be issued for use on the following beats and will be valid from sunrise on the day for which they are issued until sunrise the following day.
      1. Beat 1 From the top of the Association water to the bottom of the first field below Bridford Bridge.
      2. Beat 2 Ashton (Spara) Bridge to the sill of Chudleigh Weir.
      3. Beat 3 Sill of Chudleigh Weir to Teign Bridge excluding both banks of the length of fishing from New Bridge to Preston Iron Footbridge.
   2. Tickets will be issued according to the following regulations:
      1. Beats 1 and 2 Tickets shall be available throughout the fishing season.
      2. Beat 3 No tickets shall be issued before the 1st of May or after 31st August
   3. Not more than three tickets shall be issued for each beat in any one day.
   4. The price of visitors’ tickets will be subject to review and amendment by the Committee.
   5. Visitors will be subject to the Fishing Rules of the Association.
   6. Visitors’ tickets shall be available at normal opening hours from such agency as shall be designated by the committee.
   7. Visitors’ tickets may not be made available to persons acting as agents and hence must be collected by the user in person.
8. MEMBERS’ DAILY GUEST TICKETS
   1. Guests will be subject to the Association’s Fishing Rules.
   2. Tickets are valid for the whole of the LTFA water excluding the length of fishing from both banks between New Bridge and Preston iron foot-bridge and will be valid from sunrise on the day for which they are issued until sunrise on the following day.
   3. Each Member shall be entitled to a maximum of eight Members’ Daily Guest Tickets per year.
   4. The price of Members’ Daily Guest Tickets shall be subject to review and amendment by the Committee and shall be limited to five in number for the whole Membership on one day and shall be issued by the Honorary Secretary or other authorised person.
   5. In addition each Associate Member is entitled to a guest on the river Bovey subject to a maximum of 5 Guests per Member per year and subject to a maximum of two guests for the whole Membership on any one day.
   6. Members may only take one guest at a time.
   7. Each Member shall, on behalf of each of his guests, make a full and true return of the information required in the Catch Return section of the Member’s Guest Ticket.
9. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
   1. Associate Members shall be entitled to fish only in the River Bovey (or such other water as agreed at General Meeting by the Full Membership) in accordance with the existing rules of the Association and to attend meetings and to speak and vote on matters pertaining to their permitted waters only.
   2. Associate Members’ entitlement to fish the Association water on the River Bovey for Salmon, Sea-trout and Brown Trout throughout the season in accordance with Rule 3 of the Fishing Section shall not include any entitlement to fish the Junction Pool.