Minutes

Lily’s Bar Glenavy

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Present: Anthony McCormack (Chairman)*, Peter Robinson (Secretary), Barbara McGeown* (Treasurer), Anthony McAlister*, *Directors

Gabriel McGeown, Davy Marley, Dominic Moore

Apologies: Karen Burke, Bridget McCabe, Danielle O’Neill, Daryl Mirza

All

Tony began his report by reminding all present that Conservation must come before Angling and explained how this featured in the recovery of the pollution incidents on the Glenavy River over the last few years. The club will continue to meet with local MPs to push for change in our legal system in relation to fines. The chair spoke of a club receiving a pay-out of £8,500 and the importance of fines increasing as a deterrent.

LCCC our local council have expressed an interest in supporting further walkways for our community which the Chair and committee have welcomed. The Club will continue to work with the Council in the future to show our support. The Club are planning a series of clean up events for the new season, in particular the club want to target the bottles dumped at the site of the former Kay Foam factory, Glenavy Riverside Trail and St Aidan’s Church grounds and the Youth club. Dates will be forwarded to all willing to help. The Chair was invited to visit Ballymacricket PS to discuss the Angling club and our plans to include the primary school children in a conservation activity with salmon fry in the near future. The Chair thanked the committee for their support and also the Treasurer on obtaining Big Lottery funding for this coming year and for her ongoing support.

Funding

The club were able to avail of £911 instead of £1400 last year in grant funds from DSD small grants. The club have received funds of £7,446 from the Big Lottery for the following activities:

Glenavy River Rescue Project. This will be carried out in 3 stages.

Stage 1: 12 conservation team members will be trained for kick sample methods to record findings on 3-4 points on the river. Recordings bi-monthly will be uploaded to DAERA

Stage 2: Training will filter down to the Youth Club and a demonstration on the invertebrate in the river and demonstration of how pollution and dumping affects the river.

Stage 3: Re-use waste project will follow with the Youth club re-using rubbish taken from the river on the clean-up event incorporating an art project. A large recycling bin will be funded by the project and art equipment and a celebration event and prizes.

An outing for the Youth Project participants will hopefully be a sea angling outing in Aug 17.

BMG

All

DO N

DMirza

The chair has asked that we waive the joining fee this year to help build up the club membership.

ALL

The Chair had an open discussion with the members in the room around the proposed methods and the reasons why the club committee felt that they had to change our fishing methods to encourage young anglers. The chair spoke of the difficulties experienced angler have fly fishing in some areas on the Glenavy River due to the narrow width of the river and the overhanging branches. A graph was produced showing the drop in membership over the last several years with just 31 adults and 6 new members. This has literally reduced by 50% in the last 5 years.

A vote was called to approve

All Legal methods allowed: Fly worm and spinning.

No maggots, casters or sweetcorn

Daily Limits: 2 fish   – Results 8 out of 11 present said yes.

7.    The Election of officers were as follows:

Officers Election: ( Directors*)

A McCormack* Chair and Child Protection Officer

B McGeown* Treasurer

Peter Robinson Secretary

Anthony McAlister *

Committee

Dominic Moore

Gabriel McGeown

Davy Marley

Karen Burke

Bridget McCabe

Christopher Lees – New member was welcomed onto the Committee.

Junior Co-ordinators were co-opted on in their absence:

Daryl Mirza

Danielle O’Neill

BMG

TMC