International Fly Fishing Association

Constitution

(approved by Annual General Meeting 1st June 1973)
(amended by Annual General Meeting 7th May 2019)

1. The Organisation shall be called the International Fly Fishing Association (IFFA) and shall consist of Team England Fly Fishing (AT-TEFF); the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association (ITFFA); the Scottish Anglers National Association Competition Clubs Ltd (SANACC) and the Welsh Salmon & Trout Angling Association (WSTAA) each of which is recognised by this Association as being the authority in control of the selection of that country's International Trout Fly Fishing Team.
2. Founder Members shall be the National Organisations of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. National Organisations of other countries may be admitted at the discretion of the Association.
3. The objects of the Association shall be :
  1. To promote friendship and understanding through organising angling contests between representative teams of the Member Countries.
  2. To take any steps considered necessary for the encouragement and betterment of angling.
4. The Association shall consist of a President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and three representatives from each National Organisation. The Association shall meet in the week before each International Match and at such other times as may be determined. Nine members will form a quorum.
5. The first meeting of the Association in any year will be the Annual Meeting when a President shall be elected for one year from the National Organisations in the rotation England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and to these shall be added any other National Organisation in the order of admission. He shall not take office until 1st January of the following year. He will preside at all meetings of the Association or any of its Committees and will have a casting vote at all Meetings but shall not have a deliberative vote, unless representing his country.
6. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be appointed for one year at the Annual Meeting of the Association and shall remain in office until the next Annual Meeting. Both appointments may be filled by the same person who will not be entitled to vote at meetings unless representing his country.
7. The financial accounts of the Association will close on 31st December each year. The Treasurer will present an independently examined statement for the previous year, for approval at the Annual Meeting of the Association.
8. At the Annual Meeting, the Association shall make such rules and arrangements as may be necessary for future matches.
9. There shall be three International Matches in each calendar year, one of which shall be a Rivers International. The Matches shall be fished in each country in the rotation laid down in Article No. 5 or as mutually agreed. The Association shall have full powers to accept or reject any venue and to vary the rotation at their discretion.
10. National Organisations will compete for the Association Trophies as listed hereunder and such other trophies as may from time to time be accepted by the Association. No other prizes or awards will be competed for in any match arranged by the Association.
TROPHY PURPOSE
Graham Munro Hall Memorial Trophy (the premier award) Lochs - Winning Team
Captain's Badge Lochs - Winning Captain
Brown Bowl Lochs - Best Individual Basket
H. Emyr Lewis Trophy Lochs - Heaviest Trout in the Match
Grafham Trophy Lochs - Best individual basket in English Team
Harry Lafferty Cup Lochs - Best individual basket in Irish Team
Phoenix Salver Lochs - Best individual basket in Scottish Team
Gillie Farr Trophy Lochs - Best individual basket in Welsh Team
The Spoon Lochs - Team with the lowest weight
John Hedges Chalice Lochs - Best Basket - Officials
 
Geoff Clarkson Trophy Rivers - Winning Team
Moc Morgan Trophy Rivers - Best individual Basket
Mike Childs Trophy Rivers - Largest Fish in Match
 
The Mallet Held by International President

11. The Association shall be responsible for the running of all International Matches and shall have the power to delegate authority and to appoint any person to any particular duty.
12. The National Organisation of the country in which a match is being fished shall be known as the "Host Organisation". Subject to the directions of the Association, the Host Organisation shall be responsible for all local arrangements. Expenses incurred by the Host Organisation arranging the Match, including such administrative expenses as may be notified by the Treasurer of the Association, will be charged in proportion to the participating National Organisations. The cost of the International Dinners will be covered by the sale of Dinner Tickets through the National Organisations.
13. All International Matches shall be fished by teams of such number as the Association may determine. Each country will select its team from representatives over 18 years of age.
14. A team will be constituted from the time the anglers leave the pier, anchorage or starting point, and only the teams then nominated shall count in the match. If for any reason, one or more anglers fail to report at the finishing time, the reserve anglers, if any, will not be permitted at that time to substitute. The placings in all loch matches shall be by the total weight of trout caught by the respective teams, and in the event of a tie, the team with the greater number of trout shall be the winner.
15. Any person having fished for one country will not be eligible to fish for any other.
16. The Association in General Meeting may institute "Bye-Laws" which shall be binding on all constituent members. Amendments to such "Bye-Laws" may be made at any General Meeting of the Association under the terms and conditions laid down in Article No. 19.
17. Any dispute or complaint on any matter in any Match shall be notified to the Secretary before the weigh-in is completed and before the results are announced. A Sub-Committee consisting of the International President, who will have the casting vote, and one non-competing official from each country taking part, shall at once be convened to investigate the matter and adjudicate thereon. The International Secretary will attend the meeting but will have no vote. The decision of the Sub-Committee shall be final.
18. Any member relinquishing membership for any reason will forfeit any interest in the Funds, Assets or Property of the Association. No part of the income and property of the IFFA shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise to its members. If the IFFA is wound up the members may, at a General Meeting, dispose of any remaining assets to other organisations with similar objectives.
19. Amendments to this Constitution may only be made by a three-quarters majority vote at the Annual Meeting of the Association. Resolutions to amend the Constitution must be in the Secretary's hands at least 28 days before the date of the Meeting. Notice of such Resolutions will be sent to constituent organisations by the Secretary at least 14 days before the Meeting.
20. The constitution of, and rules in operation in, any constituent organisation shall, where necessary, conform to this Constitution and such rules and regulations as may be decided by the Association.
21. As from 1st January 1978, references in this Constitution to Members, Office Bearers, Anglers, Representatives, Individuals and Persons will apply to both sexes.