KDAA RULES

CONSTITUTION

Title. Kelvedon and District Angling Association, hereafter to be referred to as the “KDAA”.
Objects. That for the purpose of cultivating social feeling, promoting the principles of fair angling and to protect angling waters in this district.
Membership. a) Membership of the KDAA shall be limited to a maximum number of fee paying members. The membership limit to be that which provides the financial income level set by the Committee. The paying membership categories shall be Adult, Husband/Wife, Parent/Junior, Intermediate, Junior, Senior Citizen and Disabled (Proof of disabled status to be provided). Juniors and Intermediates must state their date of birth when paying their subscriptions. The Junior half of a Parent/Junior membership is only permitted to fish with the Parent. Adult and Senior Citizen members may take one non member child under twelve years old fishing with no charge. Under 12 year olds fishing with an Parent/Adult may only use a float rod. b) Night fishing permits will be required to fish waters where night fishing is allowed and will issued up to a limit set by the Committee. The fee for the permit is in addition to the normal subscription. Night fishing is between 10pm and 5am. Night fishing permits will be available up to a limit set by the Committee each year. Night permit upgrades can only be made through the Membership Secretary and within that limit. c) Membership Fees (including Night Permit and Guest Tickets) to be set at each AGM. All previous years members shall be guaranteed membership if their subscriptions are paid by the end of April. The Committee reserves the right to refuse in the best interests of the Association or terminate membership. There is no provision for the refund of subscriptions if the fishing rights to any water rented/owned by the Association is relinquished or lost during the membership season. All members shall be issued with a membership card that remains the property of the KDAA.
Subscriptions. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS BECOME DUE ON THE 1st APRIL The coarse fishing season on the Association’s still waters, except where specified in the handbook, commences on the 15th March and closes on the 14th March in the following year. The coarse fishing season on the Association’s rivers commences on the 16th June and closes on the 14th March
Expulsion/Suspension of Members. Members of the KDAA who make themselves a nuisance to other anglers or riparian owners or decline to abide by KDAA rules may be expelled or suspended by a resolution passed by the Committee. The Member may appeal to be heard by the Committee by writing to the Secretary within fourteen days of the date of the expulsion/suspension letter. Subscriptions of dismissed members are forfeit.
Executive Officers. The Executive Officers of the KDAA shall be Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Match Secretary, Fishery Manager, Publicity Officer, and Head Bailiff. Non-Executive Officers are President and Vice Presidents.
Election of Officers. All Officers and Vice Presidents to be elected annually by members of the KDAA at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), only the President to be elected every third year. All members elected must be over 17 years of age. Officers may be re-elected to the same office the following year. A member who wishes to be considered for election at an Annual General Meeting, as a replacement Officer, must notify the Secretary by the 20th November prior to the meeting and must have been a member of the Committee for at least two years at that date. This provision may be overridden at the discretion of the Committee.
General Committee Composition. The affairs of the KDAA shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising the Executive Officers of the KDAA and nine other Members elected from and by the Members in groups of three serving three years. Three having served three years automatically resign each year at the AGM and may offer themselves for re-election. The General Committee shall meet twelve times per year on agreed dates. A committee member who misses more than three meetings without apologies is deemed to have resigned. Eight members of the General Committee are required to form a quorum. No member who is an official or committee member of another club may serve as an official or committee member of the KDAA.
General Committee Duties. The duties of the General Committee shall be:-

To control the affairs of the KDAA on behalf of the Members.
To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the KDAA through the Treasurer. A Responsible Individual (not a member) shall be appointed yearly to examine all accounts and certify to their accuracy. These accounts shall be presented to the AGM.
To co-opt members to the General Committee if vacancies arise between AGMs.
To create, amend or delete KDAA rules at any time provided a notice is posted on any relevant waters and subjected to ratification at the next AGM
To make decisions based on a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes for,and against, the Chairman shall be entitled to an additional casting vote. In the event of the abstentions exceeding or equalling the votes for, the proposal will be carried forward to the next meeting for further discussion and voting.

General Meetings. The Annual General Meeting of the KDAA shall be held during January each year. 14 clear days notice of the AGM including the agenda shall be given in writing to members. Notice of motion for discussion at the AGM from non committee members must reach the Secretary by the 20th November. An extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the discretion of the Committee or by 20% of the members, giving notice to the Secretary or Chairman in writing. The business of the AGM shall be to:-

Confirm the minutes of the previous AGM and any General meetings held since the last AGM.
Receive the audited accounts for the year from the Treasurer.
Receive the annual reports from Secretary, Membership Secretary, Match Secretary, Publicity Officer, Head Bailiff and Fishery Manager.
Review the KDAA subscription rates and agree them for the following year.
Elect the Officers of the KDAA.
Elect the Committee members to fill the three automatic vacancies and any other vacancies.
Consider and vote on any proposed changes to the Constitution or Rules.
Discuss “Any other Business”
Make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chairman shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

Dissolution On the dissolution of the Association, its property, including rights, equipment and all other assets shall be applied in payment of debts and the rest shall pass to the Angling Trust.
Trustees The property of the Association and Agreements and Documents affecting it shall as far as possible be entered into in the name of the Association. Where this is not possible the Committee shall appoint three members to act for the Association and take such steps as necessary to safeguard the interests of the Association

GENERAL RULES

Conduct

ANY MEMBER CAUGHT FISHING WITH LITTER IN THEIR SWIM OR CAUGHT LEAVING LITTER ON A CLUB WATER WILL BE LIABLE FOR SUSPENSION.
All members must carry their membership cards at all times, failure to do so will result in the member being asked to leave the water.
Any member has the right of challenging any other person for their membership card. Membership cards are not transferable
When on Association waters, Members are forbidden to carry guns, snares or rabbit nets. Members must not take dogs on Association waters at any time other than the Layer Marney complex. Members wishing to take a dog on the Marney complex must obtain a dog permit from the Membership Secretary and must keep the dog on a lead at all times and tethered in the member’s swim while fishing. The individual dog permit to be reviewed annually. All gates must be closed and no litter left. Fires must not be lit including firepits and disposable BBQs. Banks must not be dug into except as action of an official working party. Members must not climb or damage trees.
No personal audio device to be used without headphones.
Members must not use more than two rods at any time.
Any member, including juniors, may purchase guest tickets to cover the period 5am to 10pm on all waters apart from Silver End Pits. Guest tickets must be purchased in advance of the fishing date.The guest must be accompanied by the member applying who is responsible for the behaviour of that guest. No more than two guest tickets to be available to any member at any one time. The guest ticket must be retained by the member and be presented to a Bailiff, if requested to do so, in the form of a printed ticket or if purchased online in the form of printed or saved emails for both the ticket application and the PayPal receipt. Night fishing is not allowed on a guest ticket and, therefore, guests must not be on Association waters, between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am. Adult members may take one non-fishing guest when at the Club waters at the discretion of the bailiff.
No cars, motorcycles are allowed down the entrance to any of the Association waters, except where parking is provided. Cars, motorcycles or cycles must not be parked obstructing the entrances or tracks.
Members shall not reserve swims. Any angler leaving a swim must remove all tackle and sundry items. Bailiffs decision to be final.
Competitors only may fish the waters where a competition is arranged and no member or competitor shall fish on that water during the five hours preceding the start of the match (see Fixture List).
No matches are to be fished on Association waters unless organised by the club or written permission is granted by the Committee.
All watercraft, including bait boats and drones are banned from all club waters unless on official club business.
No member shall leave visible human excrement on any of the Association’s waters or adjacent land.
Wading is prohibited except for fish welfare or landing fish..
Night fishing Juniors must be accompanied by a responsible Adult member, parent or guardian.
Illegal drugs and alcohol are banned from all club waters.
Members must not stay on a club water for more than 72 hours between 1st April and 31st October. After which the angler must leave the complex for at least 24 hours, i.e. a member cannot move from Silver End Front Pit to the Back Pit or vice versa without a 24-hour break. The Committee reserve the right to reduce the 72-hour maximum if circumstances make it necessary.
Anglers must not fish over half way across a water if another angler is fishing or setNo member shall create a social media Group, Page, account or website in the name of the Association without prior approval of the Committee
s up in a swim opposite.
No member shall create a social media Group, Page, account or website in the name of the Association without prior approval of the Committee.

Fish Welfare

a) All fish to be returned alive to the water. b) Fish deaths must be reported to a KDAA official. c) No fish should be taken away alive or dead without the express permission of the KDAA Secretary; to do so may give rise to a civil prosecution or criminal prosecution under Schedule 1 Section 2 of the Theft Act. d) Fish caught in KDAA waters may be used for live and dead baiting but only in the water caught and on the day of capture.
Baited rods must not be left unattended
All unused bait and groundbait to be taken away from the water.
The possession and use of ALL NUTS including peanuts and tiger nuts is banned on all Association waters.
Fish may be kept in floatation slings only for no longer than 30 minutes or less at the discretion of the bailiff. Carp sacks are banned
No carp longer than 30 cm (12 inches) may be held in a keepnet except in authorised matches.
Members must carry a suitably sized, assembled landing met when fishing Association waters. A 42inch carp landing net must be used by anglers specifically fishing for carp at the Silver End Pits
All members fishing Association waters must be in possession of a suitable unhooking mat. In the case of carp fishing if a cradle is not used then the mat must be cushioned and of a minimum size of 18 inches x 24 inches x 2 inches deep.
Members must not have in their possession on the bank or put into the water more than a total of 4kg of boilies and 2kg of dry groundbait and/or particles in any 24 hour period. No pre-baiting is allowed. There may be limits to the amount of feed allowed on individual waters and be changed in year if they are found to be detrimental to any individual water. See fishery rules and notices on waters. Particle bait that contains micro seed including items such as Partiblend, Pigeon conditioner, Multiseed or other similar products that contain small seed or bird seed is banned. Prepared maize, sweetcorn, hemp and tares are allowed including pellet.
All members fishing Association still waters must be in possession of a disgorger or unhooking device appropriate to the fish being sought.
Members must not fish for spawning fish or in an area where fish are spawning

Bailiffs and Licences

The Committee shall appoint a number of honorary bailiffs, who need not be Association members, who shall be issued with a warrant card and be vested with the powers to act on behalf of the KDAA including the power of discretion for minor offences.
All Members and Guests must be in possession of a current EA Rod Licence when fishing Association waters.
Every member or person fishing in the waters of the Association shall show the contents of his/her tackle if requested to do so by one of the Association’s bailiffs or other authorised person.

Rules specific to an individual water are shown on the Fishery pages in the Handbook.

MATCH RULES

All Open Cup Matches shall be of a peg down nature. The swim will be as follows; 2 metres upstream and to within 2 metres of the next peg down stream. Distances between the pegs to be 15 metres where possible.
No competitor shall be allowed to break the surface of the water before the starting whistle, except for the positioning of keepnets, bank-sticks, rod rests, mixing of groundbait, float shotting, and plumbing depth. No moving of a peg will be permitted without the Steward’s decision, and if appropriate shall re-fix the peg.
Each competitor shall land his/her own fish. Any competitor who has difficulty in doing so shall notify the Steward.
One rod and one hook only to be used, other rods may be made up in reserve behind the angler. Two rods may be used in 24 hour carp matches only.
Stewards shall be permitted to inspect keep-nets and tackle during the duration of the contest. Keep-nets shall conform to the Environment Agency’s specification.
All fish to be weighed in at the competitor’s peg.
Anyone wishing to fish the club matches other than Opens must be an Association member.
Pike and Trout will not count in any club or Open Matches.
Any complaints must be made to the Organisers or Stewards in writing within one hour of the end of the match. Alterations to Matches to be made at the discretion of the Match Secretary and Committee members present. Club Roamer Matches, the distance between anglers shall not be less than 15 metres.
Club Match draws to take place one and half hour prior to the start of the match. Open Match draws to be two hours prior to the start of the match.
The Association reserves the right to refuse entry, by anyone, to any match organised by the Association.
All competitors are restricted to one draw only except under exceptional circumstances.
Fish must be retained in a keepnet, no other container is permitted. Carp and Silver fish to be kept in separate keepnets.
In Roamer Matches the competitor’s fishing position is that position where the member’s rod is projecting over the water.
In order to be eligible to receive any prize money drawn for at the end of a match, anglers must participate for the full duration of the match.
On Junior Matches only verbal assistance may be given to a competitor. However if a competitor is in difficulties, assistance may be administered provided it has been sanctioned by the Match Steward.
All trophy winners must return their trophies by the 1st December or the following season, except Open Cups which will be retained by the Association.
All carp above 8lbs must be weighed and returned and not placed in a keepnet.