THE TIPPET - NUMBER 27 - February 2010

2010 is now well upon us, with all its hype and promise.  Among all the soccer fans that will visit this remarkable country of ours, will surely be some flyfishers.  It would be a worthwhile exercise to be able to showcase our flyfishing opportunities and to use the World Cup to leverage some extra ecotourism added-value around flyfishing to highlight the important contribution flyfishing can and does make to our economy.  It will also be a great opportunity to make new international friends and partners for all flyfishers in our region.

The subscriptions for the 2010 year have been slow in coming in over the Christmas period.  As much as we would wish it was so, FOSAF like many other organisations cannot run on dedication and passion alone.  May I urge you all to each enlist at least two additional people to join FOSAF.  We really do need and would appreciate your help with this! It is worth remembering that members are entitled to discounts from some suppliers, destinations and other benefits.

The Favoured Flies and Select Techniques of the Expert series of books have been selling well with Volume 5 the final book in the series now out and available.  There are special offers for members on the series and on the old 5^th Edition of the Nedbank  Guide to Flyfishing in Southern Africa.  (Follow this link: http://www.fosaf.co.za/merchandise.php for more info.)  The new FOSAF Guide which is currently being updated and in preparation is due for publication later this year.  Visit our website for more information.

The ongoing saga around the NEMBA Alien and Invasive Species Lists and Regulations appears to currently be lost somewhere in the bureaucratic maze.  We were chased into a flurry of activity during the course of last year and I am grateful to all our members who interacted with Dr Schwartz in the preparation of maps for the demarcation of areas for different species.  FOSAF developed a set of principles that have been accepted for use together with the maps of demarcated areas.  While there is some basis for optimism that common sense will prevail we still need to remain vigilant as in the past we have been unpleasantly surprised by new versions of such legislation quite different to what had been agreed to by stakeholder.  We will keep members posted on any further developments.

May I take this opportunity to wish all our members and friends a wonderful year and a decade of making a difference as we struggle with the challenges of climate change and work to ensuring this planet and all our fellow travellers on it, survive into the future.  Happy fishing!