CONSTITUTION, RULES, AND BYLAWS 

 

(1) The club shall be called the PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT COARSE ANGLING CLUB (PADCAC) Hereafter known as the club. 

 

OBJECTIVES 

 

2) To co-operate, with the E.A., Riparian owners and other clubs and associations in matters affecting fishing interests. To stock and assist in re-stocking club waters. To acquire rights, and, to promote the sport of all its members and to safeguard the interests of the club. In addition to any other powers it may have, the committee has the following powers in order to further these objectives. (But for no other purpose). 

To raise funds to buy, take on, lease or in exchange hire or otherwise acquire any property and maintain it for use. To sell, lease or dispose of all or any part of the property belonging to P.A.D.C.A.C. 

In exercising this power, the committee must comply with the objectives of PADCAC constitution. To borrow money and to charge the whole or any part of the properties belonging to PADCAC as security for repayment of the monies borrowed. In exercising this power, the committee must comply with the objectives of PADCAC as laid down in its constitution. In the event of Plymouth and District Coarse Angling Club ever ceasing to be a club the committee will elect a winding up sub committee to oversee said dissolution. All assets of PADCAC both in possessions and in cash shall be donated to either another suitable fishing club with similar aims and objectives to our own or to a worthy charitable body to be decided by the winding up committee and ratified by the full committee. 

 

MEMBERSHIP 

 

1) The club shall consist of: – Life Members, Senior Gold/Senior Members, Junior members & OAP Gold/OAP members. Hereafter known as full members and junior members. 

2) Membership of the club shall be open to all persons who complete or have completed for them on their behalf an online application form and pay the current annual subscription fee, irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion and or beliefs; or of age, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of angling as a sport. Completion of the membership application form constitutes an agreement to abide by the constitution, codes of practice, policies, and rules that the club has adopted. 

3) The membership confirmation document and photo id card remain the property of the club and are subject to withdrawal if the committee deems a member to be in serious breach of the club' rules. 

4) Membership will be restricted to a fixed number decided by the committee, but this can be changed at any time by the committee to suit ruling conditions. 

5) All Members (Senior, OAP, and Junior) will pay an annual subscription fee as set by the AGM, see tariff page for current rates of fees. Joining should be done via, iBook our online platform. Members not able to get online can still join via iBook by contacting one of the iBook admins. Members will furnish the secretary with an online photograph via email or messenger within 14 days of joining; this will need to clearly show the members face. The secretary will use this to issue the member a photo id card which must be carried at all times whilst fishing club waters. Fees are due on a 12-month rolling basis meaning memberships will last 12 months from date of purchase. The subscription for OAP members will be half that of a Full Membership providing they turn or are 65 on January 1st of that year. Life Members and Serving committee members will not pay a subscription and this will be deemed paid from club funds. Members joining prior to the 1st of January will be entitled to fish from date of purchase. A junior member shall be a person who has not attained the age of 17 as of the 1st of January in that membership year. Junior members will pay the fee shown on the tariff page. Full members (Seniors) are members who are already between the ages of 17 and 65 on the 1st of January in the joining year. OAP are members who are already 65 or older on the 1st of January in the joining year. Juniors under 12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult on or around the lakes. Spouses/partners of full members shall be entitled to fish free of charge when accompanied by said members and occupying the same swim.  

Note- It is the personal responsibility of all members (and any guests with them) to ensure they comply with all E.A licence requirements, National and Local By-laws, which form part of the rules of the club. 

6) Any full member may bring no more than two guests fishing at any one time, a guest ticket can and must be purchased by a full member. They will pay the fee listed on the tariff page for the full duration being fished and proof of payment may be requested so must be always carried. The ticket must be on their person whilst fishing and can only be purchased by the bona fide member for their guests, the member is responsible for their guest's behaviour whilst on our waters and must always be present. All guests must occupy the swims either side of the member and always be on the same lake. Guests, like all members, are still required to have a suitable EA fishing license and abide by all club rules. Anyone, be it a member or guest, must also either always carry a hard copy or digital copy of their EA rod license with them when fishing any club water as they may be asked to show this at any time. It is the responsibility of the member to ensure that their guests have all the required equipment as stated in these rules and by-laws and will be held accountable for the behaviour, or lack of correct equipment, of their guests whilst on any PADCAC controlled venues. 

7) Life membership shall be granted to club members who have rendered outstanding service to the club and served a minimum set term of 7 years on the committee. Life members shall have all the rights and privileges of Full members. 

8) No person shall be deemed a member of the club or entitled to vote at any meeting until their subscription for the current year has been paid, or be elected to any office, or become a member of the committee or exercise any of the privileges accorded to members. Members may be required to show their membership ticket before admission to the AGM or any general or special meeting. 

9) The management of the club shall be in the hands of the committee consisting of: – Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary, Specimen Officer, and up to fifteen other members (Hereafter called the officers). The committee shall have the power to co-opt ordinary members to assist the committee if by attending a committee meeting the said member's knowledge is to the advantage of the club. Save the co-opted members have no power to vote. 

10) The officers and members of the committee shall be elected at the AGM and hold office until the next AGM. 

 

MEETINGS 

 

11) The AGM will be held in NOVEMBER of each year at a venue and time decided by the committee. 

12) All nominations or resolutions for the AGM must be submitted to the secretary in writing and duly proposed and seconded prior to the previous committee standing down at the AGM. 

13) The committee meetings will be held on a date and venue to be decided at the previous committee meeting.  

14) Committee meetings will be held monthly at the Parkway Social Club, Ernesettle Lane, PL5 2EY and are open to all members with an active membership. All meeting dates/times can be found on the club website or requested from the Club Secretary, in the case of Zoom meetings please contact the club secretary or padcac.co.uk to be sent the Zoom Code.  

15) A special meeting may be held at any time if called by not less than ten members on giving fourteen days clear notice thereof in writing to the secretary. Stating the purpose for which such meeting is called. No business shall be discussed at any special meetings other than of which notice shall be given. The committee shall have the power to summon a special meeting at any time on giving seven days' notice. 

16) The chairperson or vice chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the club, but should they be indisposed a chairperson may be elected by the management committee from those present at the time. The chairperson shall not have a vote, except in the event of equal number of votes being cast for and against, in which case the chairperson shall have the casting vote. 

17) A quorum of 5 members shall be required for any committee meeting. Minutes shall be taken of all proceedings of all the committee meetings and shall be open to inspection by any current member of the club by applying to the Secretary.  

18) The committee shall have the power to replace any committee member that fails to attend 3 successive committee meetings without due cause. Bailiffs can be appointed at any time to meet the requirements and needs of the club and its venues, bailiffs are not required to attend all meetings although it would be advantageous for them to do so, if they cannot attend the meetings they must be active on the online committee chats to keep themselves up to date on all recent events and information. All bailiffs must visit at least one venue once a week, they must carry out a complete check of all lakes at the venue including all facilities, fixtures and fittings such as pegs, toilets etc, visits must be logged and a full report of any findings made to the 'Lake Visits' chat on Facebook Messenger on the day the inspection was carried out. 

19) All agreements on behalf of the club approved by the committee shall be entered into by the following members: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary (herein known as the trustees). Should circumstance dictate and with the agreement of the full committee retiring Chairperson/Vice Chairperson, Treasurer and secretary may stay on as trustees. 

20) The club shall take-out third-party insurance as it shall deem necessary. 

 

ACCOUNTS 

 

21) A complete account of all club finances shall be produced, including all incoming monies and expenditures, and presented at the AGM in November every year to the committee at the AGM meeting and be audited by any two members of the club prior to the AGM.  

22) The treasurer shall furnish an account to every AGM covering the clubs' finances from the previous AGM up to the date of the current AGM. 

23) The treasurer shall keep a true account of all monies expended and received and furnish a report to every committee member.  

24) The monies of the club shall be banked in the name of the club.  

25) All cheques shall be signed by two of the following officers: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer or Secretary. 

26) All expenditures of club funds (unless needed for urgent emergency repairs, must not exceed £50 and be authorised by the Head Bailiff) need to be authorised by all committee members, either in the committee chats online or at a monthly meeting, any funds expended that are not previously authorised will not be reimbursed. 

27) The clubs' books of accounts, pass books, and all other documents relating to the clubs' finances shall be open to inspection by any member of the club applying to the treasurer. 

 

DISPUTES AND DISCIPLINARY MATTERS.  

 

28) Any disputes or incidents arising between members as to matters connected with the club shall be referred to and be settled by the committee whose decision is final. If members are found to have repeatedly contravened any club rules or standards then the procedures as listed in number 29 below will be put into action. These procedures will be carried out by a Disciplinary Subcommittee consisting of all senior committee members being the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Head Bailiffs and three other committee members which the latter will be selected at random and rotated so all committee members will be required to participate at some point in time. 

29) If the conduct of any member is in the opinion of the Committee be injurious to the interest and character of the club, the committee after a fair hearing as detailed below, shall be empowered to expel or suspend them from the club. In extreme circumstances, such as a physical assault or altercation, the person\s involved shall have an immediate temporary ban period enforced pending further investigation and a disciplinary hearing. The normal process for disciplinaries is as follows: 

a)Averbal warning issued by a club official will be given in the first instance giving details of the incident and any corrective actions. 

b)If a further incident (even if differentin nature to the first incident) occurs then a second warning in writing will be issued by a member of the Disciplinary Subcommittee informing that if any further incidents occur then said member will be invited to a hearing. Outcomes at such hearings could be mandatory cleaning or attendance to work parties, short temporary bans from fishing to even a total and indefinite membership ban from the club or other outcomes commensurate to the severity of the  

c)Ifa third incident occurs then said member will be invited, in writing, to a hearing where they will be given the opportunity to provide the Disciplinary Subcommittee any information that may be relevant to the incident/s and give their full account. Prior to this hearing the subcommittee will carry out a full investigation into the reported incident/s and present this during the hearing. After a recess period during the hearing, where the disciplinary subcommittee will discuss and look at all information provided including any witness statements that may have been obtained during the investigation period and hold a vote on possible outcomes, the member will then be invited back into the hearing where a final decision of what has been deemed an acceptable outcome will be delivered. Affected members may appeal this decision within seven days of the final hearing but only if new evidence has become known and can be presented to the disciplinary subcommittee. 

30) Any Member who shall cease to be a member of the club for whatever cause shall have no claim upon the property of the club. Nor have any part of the subscription returned. 

31) Membership of the club shall be deemed to constitute acceptance of the club's constitution, rules and by laws as in force and operation.  

 

ALTERATION TO CONSTITUTION RULES AND BY-LAWS.  

 

32) The clubs constitution shall not be altered and no new rules shall be made, nor any of the rules herein contained or hereafter to be made shall be amended, altered or rescinded without three fourths of the votes cast by those full members present at the AGM or special general meeting convened for that purpose. For avoidance of doubt an abstention shall not be treated as a cast vote. 

33) The committee shall have the power to amend alter or add to the clubs By-laws, such by laws to be in force immediately on approval by the committee. Except in extreme circumstances, all proposed by-law changes will be proposed and discussed and then deferred until the next meeting when they will be further discussed and voted upon. Committee members absent from the initial meeting are to be informed in writing of the proposals, a poll vote shall then be held on the committee online chat via messenger so all current committee/bailiff members including those unable to attend meetings can vote, this is to be done prior to the next meeting. Some decisions can be made without the need to hold a meeting, but only if the subject is fully discussed online and a poll vote takes place online where all the current serving committee and bailiff members can be included in the vote. 

34) Any member shall be entitled to approach the committee to alter amend or add to any club by laws which will then be discussed as above. 

 

Club Bylaws 

 

Membership and Permits, Committee and Officers. 

 

1. Membershipis restricted to holders of PADCAC current permits in the holder's name and holding said permit is deemed acceptance of its rules. 
2. A current statutory EA rod licence mustbe held by all members whilst fishing club waters and upon request, must show this to any club bailiff or committee member. Members are reminded that an appropriate license is required to fish with three rods, this can only be done between 1st October to 1st March, outside of these dates it is only permitted to use two rods which will be enforced. Rod licences, be it a hard copy or digital copy, must be carried by anyone fishing at all times.  
3. All anglers must on request produce their club membership to any official or club member and allow their catches of fish or tackle they have in use at thattime to be inspected by such a person. Members are obliged to co-operate with PADCAC bailiffs and committee members when asked to do so, no form of abuse towards officials or fellow members will be tolerated, anyone reported for this will be dealt with as per the disciplinary procedures listed in this document. 
4. Junior members (under 17s) who are under the age of 12 mustalways be accompanied by an adult/s. An adult need not be a PADCAC member, if the supervising adult/s are not members they are not permitted to fish, they may only fish with an appropriate guest or day ticket. No junior under the age of 17 is allowed to fish overnight without a responsible adult present at all times. 
5. Without prejudice, PADCAC reserves the right to refuse membership and may, at the committee'discretion, ban membership rights of any member found to be in serious breach of the rules following the clubs' disciplinary procedures as set out in this document. 
6. All disputes in the affairs of PADCAC shallbe referred to the committee to seek a decision. PADCAC is not liable for any claims made by members arising from a member's negligence or that of a third party. 
7. Decisions made by PADCAC will only be authorised via the committee. Where a matter affects the constitution of PADCAC, an annual general meeting (AGM) will beconvened to determine the issue and a decision made. 
8. The officers of PADCAC (Chairperson,Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, Head Bailiffs & any other member of the committee) shall not incur any personal liability for any duties properly carried out on behalf of PADCAC and any officer so acting shall be indemnified from club assets. 

 

Fish care 

 

9. All fish (including Eels) in club watersremain the property of PADCAC and fishing methods are restricted to rod and line only. The use of Gaffs is prohibited, and all fish must be returned to the water alive.  
10. No person shall leave rods unattended and never be further away than 5 seconds or 5 meters. Any peg, like Peg 1 onMain Lake Cadover for example, that is located beside roped off fish safe zones or known snags will be exempt from the 5 second/5-meter rule and rods are never to be left unattended at any time whilst fishing these pegs. 
11. All hooks must bebarbless, micro or crushed barbs are also strictly prohibited, as are treble hooks. Anyone found to be using a barbed or treble hook of any description will be, in the first instance, asked to hand over all barbed or treble hooks and rigs in their possession and if refuse will be asked to leave the venue and a note will be made against their membership information on iBook. If they are found doing this again, they will be asked to leave the venue, and a written warning will be issued by a member of the disciplinary subcommittee advising that if a third instance happens then they will be invited to a disciplinary hearing with the disciplinary subcommittee where a suitable punishment will be decided such as a temporary ban from fishing any venue for a specified period of time for instance. 
12. All members must carry and use whereappropriate a carp landing net which must be a minimum size of 30", and a suitably sized padded unhooking mat whilst fishing club waters even when stalking and being mobile. ALL fish over 4 ounces must be netted and not swung in, all fish to be landed and unhooked safely and left in nets to recover whilst you organise weighing equipment/camera etc.  
13. All nets and keepnets must be made of a fish friendly material. Keepnets shall have a top ring of no less than 12 inches diameter and be a minimum of 6 feet in length. Keepnets should not be used outside of official matches during periods of elevated temperatures as the dissolved oxygen levels decrease, especially around the margins where the water is warmer, these can lead to increased stress levels for the fish which can lead to fatalities. 
14. All Carp mustbe returned immediately after capture and can only be placed into official retaining/weighing slings for weighing and quick picture purposes only. Regarding pictures, all fish should be held low to the ground in a crouching position and must have a padded mat or cradle beneath it at all times, no water to be thrown over the person holding the fish or any other social media fad, just a quick picture as described above with the fish returned immediately after. Under official match conditions only, carp under 3lb may be kept in nets, carp over 3lb must be returned straight away. All retaining/weighing slings should be a minimum size of 36"x36" and must be made from a fish safe material. 

 

General 

 

15. Excessive noise or disturbance to othersis prohibited. Radios may only be used at low volume. 
16. Excessive ground bait must notbe thrown into the water after fishing ceases. 
17. Fishing from boats onall PADCAC controlled waters is prohibited. 
18. All dogs mustbe kept on a short tether within the confines of your own swim or on a lead whilst on club waters. Filham operates a no dog policy unless it is a support dog which must be easily recognised either by a high viz jacket/scarf that clearly says support dog on it. Members are reminded to keep to designated paths ensuring that all gates and padlocks are closed and locked behind them. 
19. Fishing is onlypermitted from officially recognised swims and pegs. A swim or peg shall be halfway to the adjacent swim and halfway across the lake. No line should pass beyond these points.  
20. Bait Boats arepermitted; however, members must use these responsibly and stay within the confines of the swim or peg they are fishing, they are not to be used to race around the lake with fellow members. 

Bylaws continued. 

21.  Setting up/leaving of equipment in one swim whilst stalking or fishing from anotherisprohibited. Members or their tackle may occupy only one swim at a time. Stalking may only be carried out as a strictly mobile exercise and only from a vacant swim. Strict care must be taken not to interfere in any way with anyone already fishing the lake, you also must always carry both their membership card, their EA rod license and a minimum 30" net & suitably sized unhooking mat.  
22.  All litter and discarded line mustbe removedfrom PADCAC waters and swims are to be left clean and tidy. Any litter in the vicinity of a member's swim shall be deemed to be their responsibility and must be removed when leaving. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action against offenders. 
23.  No camping tents,firesor ground level BBQs are allowed on club waters. No damage to trees or cutting of water lilies on PADCAC waters unless duly authorised by a club official. 
24. Drinking of alcohol on and aroundany PADCAC controlled water or venue is permitted in moderation to all members over 18. Please remember that alcohol taken to excess around our waters may well lead to disturbance to others and putting themselves or others around them, plus the welfare of the fish, in danger. Anyone caught or reported for being drunk on our lakes will be liable for expulsion from the club. The club does not condone the use of any illegal substances on or around any of its venues. Any member reported or caught to be found using any illegal substances or being overly intoxicated from the use of said illegal substances, by which putting themselves and fish welfare at risk, will be asked to leave immediately and may also face expulsion as is regarded the same as excess alcohol consumption. In extreme cases authorities might have to be contacted if there are major concerns for people's safety. 
25.  Pegs can onlybe fishedfor a maximum of 72hrs per session. At the end of the 72hrs you must vacate the swim and do not return to the same peg within a period of no less than 48hrs. You may continue to fish the same lake if you so wish but just from a different peg. After the 48hr period has elapsed, you may return to the original peg, but only if it is still free and available. 

26.The method of spinning for predator fish, such as Perch for example, is prohibited on all PADCAC controlled waters and venues. It is also prohibited to bring live or dead baits obtained from an external source onto any of our venues, this is to minimise the risk to our fish stocks from exposure to diseases such as KHV (Cyprinid Herpesvirus) which can be fatal. It is permitted to catch a small quantity of silver fish, these must not be more than 3"/75mm in size and no more than five in any one session, for the use of live baiting to catch predator fish. 

Note: All members are asked to carry a fish skin abrasion treatment such as Klinic. Any fish carrying spawning marks, Heron/Cormorant damage, ulcers, or skin damage of any kind should be liberally treated.