NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S ORGANISATIONS - RULES
1. NAME
The name shall be NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN’S ORGANISATIONS (hereinafter called “the Federation”).
2. OFFICE
The office shall be at 30 Monkgate, York, YO31 7PF. The office may be changed by a resolution of the Executive Committee of the Federation.
3. OBJECTS
The objects of the Federation are:
(a) To promote, foster and develop both co-operation between, and the interests of the members, either individually or jointly as may appear to be to their benefit and/or the members of any member organisation or association.
(b) To act as a representative body on behalf of the members. To give through the appropriate channels to international, national, regional or other authorities the views of the Federation. To take any other representational action deemed to be necessary or expedient.
(c) To co-operate with such other bodies as may appear to be in the interest of the Federation.
(d) To foster, develop and promote unity and co-ordinated joint representative action within all sectors of the fishing industry and to co-operate with all other bodies which are seen to be actively representative of their particular sectors of the industry and which can show themselves to be controlled and financed in their representational work by active participants in that sector of the industry which they purport to represent. To join such international or national organisations as may appear to assist the furtherance of these objects.
(e) To promote and develop the structural evolution of the fishing industry by assisting in the promotion and development of fishing organisations of any sort.
(f) To take any other action or to engage in any other activity which may appear to further the above objects.
4. MEMBERSHIP
(a) Members shall be the producer organisations (hereinafter called “the Organisations”) and the port associations (hereinafter called “the Associations”) and the vessel owners not a member of either an organisation or association (hereinafter called “Individual Members”) named in the list kept by the Secretary and set out in the annex (“the Annex”) to these rules and such other organisations or associations as may from time to time be approved by the Executive Committee.
(b) Members wishing to leave the Federation must give twelve months’ notice in writing of their intention to do so and will remain liable for any debts incurred during that period including subscription, levies and calls by the Federation.
(c) Secretaries of Organisations and Associations shall be responsible for keeping the Secretary of the Federation informed of any changes in vessel numbers, dimensions, tonnage and engine power represented by their Organisation or Association and Individual Members shall likewise provide such information.
5. GENERAL MEETINGS
The Federation shall hold an Annual Meeting once a year at such times as the Executive Committee shall determine. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall include consideration of accounts, and such other business as shall be decided by the Executive Committee.
General meetings other than the Annual General Meeting may be called by the Secretary at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
At all General Meetings the President shall preside, failing whom the Chairman shall preside, failing whom such person as shall be nominated at the meeting.
6. NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
Fourteen clear days’ notice shall be given to the Secretary of all business to be introduced at General Meetings and a further fourteen days’ notice shall be given of all General Meetings.
7. VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
Voting shall be as described in the Schedule to these rules and the President shall have a casting vote in addition to his representative vote in the event of a tie. Resolutions at General Meetings which are not specified on the notice convening the meeting need to be ratified by the Executive Committee (prior to adoption as Federation policy).
Individual Members or members of the Organisations and Associations who are not officially appointed as representatives of their Organisation or Association may attend General Meetings in an observer capacity but shall have no voting right.
8. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall consist of nominees as described in the Schedule to these rules. The Executive Committee shall act in the name of the Federation and shall be responsible for the management and control of the affairs of the Federation; shall appoint a Chairman and a Vice Chairman after each Annual General Meeting from amongst their own members; shall appoint from time to time a Secretary and such other officers as they deem prudent and shall be empowered to delegate such responsibilities and duties to the officers as they shall deem necessary. The Executive Committee shall appoint such sub-committees and co-opt as additional members such individuals as shall be deemed appropriate.
The Chairman shall serve a maximum of two consecutive terms of office. The Vice Chairman shall automatically succeed the Chairman if he is unable, for whatever reason, to complete the year of office. The Vice Chairman, subject to the sanction of the Executive Committee, shall succeed the Chairman at the end of his or her term or terms of office. Membership of the Executive Committee of those co-opted shall cease after 12 months but may be subject to re-appointment by the Committee after each Annual General Meeting.
The agenda for Executive Committee meetings shall be determined by the Chairman and Chief Executive and if any member wishes an item to be included in the agenda he must give 14 days prior written notice to the Secretary.
At all Executive meetings the Chairman shall preside, failing whose presence, the Vice Chairman failing whom such person as shall be nominated at the meeting. Each nominee will have one vote and the Chairman will have a casting vote in addition to his representative vote in the event of a tie. A nominated representative may be substituted by another representative provided he or she is nominated in writing prior to the meeting.
Representative actions and decisions taken at meetings at which a representative records his or her dissension from the proposed actions or decisions shall not be binding on the Organisation or Association he or she represents and such a member’s dissension shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
9. FINANCE
The Executive Committee shall nominate to a finance and general purposes committee the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Chief Executive and such other member or members of the Executive Committee as the Executive Committee may decide to do anything necessary or expedient for the furtherance of the Federation’s objects including the power to deal in any way, whether by purchase, sale or letting or otherwise with land or buildings and to operate a bank account or bank accounts with transactions being vouched by the signatures of any two of the members of the finance and general purposes committee.
The Federation shall be financed by means of subscriptions, levies or calls on members, the amount of subscriptions, levies or calls being determined by the Executive Committee and shall be based on the total number of vessel capacity units (“VCUs”) as defined in the statutory instrument 1994 No: 1568 The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme 1994 subject to a maximum of 825 VCUs per vessel of the vessels within the membership or control of each Organisation or Association or Individual Member as at 1 January each year PROVIDED THAT there shall not be included in the calculation of the total number of VCUs in an Association the VCUs of vessels already included in an Organisation. Each Organisation and Association shall be responsible for the collection of such subscription, levy or call levied on it by the Federation.
The finance and general purposes committee may, when authorised by a resolution of the Executive Committee duly passed, obtain advances on and borrow money for the purpose of the Federation (whether by means of a loan from the Federation’s bankers or by way of overdraft on any current account of the Federation with its bankers or by any other means) upon such terms as to the time and manner of repayment of principal and interest or otherwise howsoever as the finance and general purposes committee may determine.
The Executive Committee shall cause to be prepared a set of accounts each year and these shall be audited by such auditors as have been appointed by the Federation in general meeting.
10. AMENDMENT TO RULES
These rules may be amended at any time at any General Meeting called inter alia for the purpose, if approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at the meeting.
11. PRESIDENT
Members meeting in General Meeting shall be empowered to elect a President of the Federation. The President shall serve a maximum of two consecutive terms of office.
SCHEDULE
1. Voting at general meetings shall be on the basis of:
(a) one vote for each representative of each Organisation subject to a maximum per Organisation as specified in the Annex;
(b) one vote for each representative of each regional committee representing the Associations in that region subject to a maximum per regional committee as specified in the Annex provided that none of such representatives shall be members of any Organisation.
2. Membership of the Executive Committee shall consist of no more than:
(a) two representatives from each Organisation; and
(b) two representatives from each regional committee representing the Associations in that region provided that none of such representatives shall be members of any Organisation; and
(c) those individuals who have been invited by the Executive Committee in accordance with rule 8 to become co-opted members; such representatives to be nominated after each Annual General Meeting.
ANNEX
Organisations / Votes per Organisation
Anglo North Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
East of England Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
The Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Fleetwood Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Lowestoft Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
North Sea Fishermen’s Organisation / Two
North Atlantic Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Port Associations / Votes per Region
Region:
South West / Two
North East / Two
South East / Two
West Coast / Two
1. NAME
The name shall be NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN’S ORGANISATIONS (hereinafter called “the Federation”).
2. OFFICE
The office shall be at 30 Monkgate, York, YO31 7PF. The office may be changed by a resolution of the Executive Committee of the Federation.
3. OBJECTS
The objects of the Federation are:
(a) To promote, foster and develop both co-operation between, and the interests of the members, either individually or jointly as may appear to be to their benefit and/or the members of any member organisation or association.
(b) To act as a representative body on behalf of the members. To give through the appropriate channels to international, national, regional or other authorities the views of the Federation. To take any other representational action deemed to be necessary or expedient.
(c) To co-operate with such other bodies as may appear to be in the interest of the Federation.
(d) To foster, develop and promote unity and co-ordinated joint representative action within all sectors of the fishing industry and to co-operate with all other bodies which are seen to be actively representative of their particular sectors of the industry and which can show themselves to be controlled and financed in their representational work by active participants in that sector of the industry which they purport to represent. To join such international or national organisations as may appear to assist the furtherance of these objects.
(e) To promote and develop the structural evolution of the fishing industry by assisting in the promotion and development of fishing organisations of any sort.
(f) To take any other action or to engage in any other activity which may appear to further the above objects.
4. MEMBERSHIP
(a) Members shall be the producer organisations (hereinafter called “the Organisations”) and the port associations (hereinafter called “the Associations”) and the vessel owners not a member of either an organisation or association (hereinafter called “Individual Members”) named in the list kept by the Secretary and set out in the annex (“the Annex”) to these rules and such other organisations or associations as may from time to time be approved by the Executive Committee.
(b) Members wishing to leave the Federation must give twelve months’ notice in writing of their intention to do so and will remain liable for any debts incurred during that period including subscription, levies and calls by the Federation.
(c) Secretaries of Organisations and Associations shall be responsible for keeping the Secretary of the Federation informed of any changes in vessel numbers, dimensions, tonnage and engine power represented by their Organisation or Association and Individual Members shall likewise provide such information.
5. GENERAL MEETINGS
The Federation shall hold an Annual Meeting once a year at such times as the Executive Committee shall determine. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall include consideration of accounts, and such other business as shall be decided by the Executive Committee.
General meetings other than the Annual General Meeting may be called by the Secretary at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
At all General Meetings the President shall preside, failing whom the Chairman shall preside, failing whom such person as shall be nominated at the meeting.
6. NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
Fourteen clear days’ notice shall be given to the Secretary of all business to be introduced at General Meetings and a further fourteen days’ notice shall be given of all General Meetings.
7. VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
Voting shall be as described in the Schedule to these rules and the President shall have a casting vote in addition to his representative vote in the event of a tie. Resolutions at General Meetings which are not specified on the notice convening the meeting need to be ratified by the Executive Committee (prior to adoption as Federation policy).
Individual Members or members of the Organisations and Associations who are not officially appointed as representatives of their Organisation or Association may attend General Meetings in an observer capacity but shall have no voting right.
8. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall consist of nominees as described in the Schedule to these rules. The Executive Committee shall act in the name of the Federation and shall be responsible for the management and control of the affairs of the Federation; shall appoint a Chairman and a Vice Chairman after each Annual General Meeting from amongst their own members; shall appoint from time to time a Secretary and such other officers as they deem prudent and shall be empowered to delegate such responsibilities and duties to the officers as they shall deem necessary. The Executive Committee shall appoint such sub-committees and co-opt as additional members such individuals as shall be deemed appropriate.
The Chairman shall serve a maximum of two consecutive terms of office. The Vice Chairman shall automatically succeed the Chairman if he is unable, for whatever reason, to complete the year of office. The Vice Chairman, subject to the sanction of the Executive Committee, shall succeed the Chairman at the end of his or her term or terms of office. Membership of the Executive Committee of those co-opted shall cease after 12 months but may be subject to re-appointment by the Committee after each Annual General Meeting.
The agenda for Executive Committee meetings shall be determined by the Chairman and Chief Executive and if any member wishes an item to be included in the agenda he must give 14 days prior written notice to the Secretary.
At all Executive meetings the Chairman shall preside, failing whose presence, the Vice Chairman failing whom such person as shall be nominated at the meeting. Each nominee will have one vote and the Chairman will have a casting vote in addition to his representative vote in the event of a tie. A nominated representative may be substituted by another representative provided he or she is nominated in writing prior to the meeting.
Representative actions and decisions taken at meetings at which a representative records his or her dissension from the proposed actions or decisions shall not be binding on the Organisation or Association he or she represents and such a member’s dissension shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
9. FINANCE
The Executive Committee shall nominate to a finance and general purposes committee the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Chief Executive and such other member or members of the Executive Committee as the Executive Committee may decide to do anything necessary or expedient for the furtherance of the Federation’s objects including the power to deal in any way, whether by purchase, sale or letting or otherwise with land or buildings and to operate a bank account or bank accounts with transactions being vouched by the signatures of any two of the members of the finance and general purposes committee.
The Federation shall be financed by means of subscriptions, levies or calls on members, the amount of subscriptions, levies or calls being determined by the Executive Committee and shall be based on the total number of vessel capacity units (“VCUs”) as defined in the statutory instrument 1994 No: 1568 The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme 1994 subject to a maximum of 825 VCUs per vessel of the vessels within the membership or control of each Organisation or Association or Individual Member as at 1 January each year PROVIDED THAT there shall not be included in the calculation of the total number of VCUs in an Association the VCUs of vessels already included in an Organisation. Each Organisation and Association shall be responsible for the collection of such subscription, levy or call levied on it by the Federation.
The finance and general purposes committee may, when authorised by a resolution of the Executive Committee duly passed, obtain advances on and borrow money for the purpose of the Federation (whether by means of a loan from the Federation’s bankers or by way of overdraft on any current account of the Federation with its bankers or by any other means) upon such terms as to the time and manner of repayment of principal and interest or otherwise howsoever as the finance and general purposes committee may determine.
The Executive Committee shall cause to be prepared a set of accounts each year and these shall be audited by such auditors as have been appointed by the Federation in general meeting.
10. AMENDMENT TO RULES
These rules may be amended at any time at any General Meeting called inter alia for the purpose, if approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at the meeting.
11. PRESIDENT
Members meeting in General Meeting shall be empowered to elect a President of the Federation. The President shall serve a maximum of two consecutive terms of office.
SCHEDULE
1. Voting at general meetings shall be on the basis of:
(a) one vote for each representative of each Organisation subject to a maximum per Organisation as specified in the Annex;
(b) one vote for each representative of each regional committee representing the Associations in that region subject to a maximum per regional committee as specified in the Annex provided that none of such representatives shall be members of any Organisation.
2. Membership of the Executive Committee shall consist of no more than:
(a) two representatives from each Organisation; and
(b) two representatives from each regional committee representing the Associations in that region provided that none of such representatives shall be members of any Organisation; and
(c) those individuals who have been invited by the Executive Committee in accordance with rule 8 to become co-opted members; such representatives to be nominated after each Annual General Meeting.
ANNEX
Organisations / Votes per Organisation
Anglo North Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
East of England Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
The Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Fleetwood Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Lowestoft Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
North Sea Fishermen’s Organisation / Two
North Atlantic Fish Producers’ Organisation / Two
Port Associations / Votes per Region
Region:
South West / Two
North East / Two
South East / Two
West Coast / Two