Joint Services Sea Angling Association Rules

Organisation

1. The Joint Services Sea Angling Association (JSSAA) is an amalgamation of Sea Anglers from the Sea Sections of the following organisations:

    1. Royal Navy and Royal Marines Angling Association (RNRMAA)
    2. Army Angling Federation (AAF)
    3. Royal Air Force Competitive Angling Association (RAFCAA)

Aim

2. The aim of the JSSAA is to organise, administer and promote tri services Sea Angling

Objectives

3. The main objectives of the JSSAA are to:

    1. Host Inter Service and Combined Service Shore and Boat Angling Competitions.
    2. Adjudicate over any tri-service matter regarding the JSSAA rules and the sport in general. The judgement of the JSSAA Committee (JSSAAC) shall be final in all matters.
    3. To promote the sport of Sea Angling in the British Armed Forces.

Administration

4. A committee (para 5) shall administer the day to day running of the JSSAA.

Committee

5. The JSSAAC shall comprise the following on a tri-annual basis, in the order AAF (Sea), RNRMAA and RAFCAA.

    1. President. The President shall be the President of the Single-Service Association/ Federation administering the day to day running of the JSSAA during any one year (hereafter referred to as the Host Service).
    2. Chairman. The Chairman shall be of the Host Service.
    3. Shore and Boat Sea Secretaries. Shall be the Sea Secretary of the Host Service.

6. The Sea Secretaries of the other two services shall assist the Sea Secretary in the day to day running of the JSSAA. Other individuals drawn from the Host Service can assist the JSSAAC in the organisation of events. Should any member of the JSSAAC leave their post within the Single Service Association/Federation during any year, the newly elected replacement shall assume the post vacated.

Committee Meetings

7. The JSSAAC shall meet annually to outline plans for the following year and discuss any routine JSSAA matters. Ideally, meeting this should be in the September/October of the year preceding the next lead Service's tenure. Apart from rule changes which require unanimous agreement between all three member associations, all other proposals shall be made binding on a majority vote (one equal vote per member association).

JSSAA Rules

8. These rules are in force and can only be changed with the unanimous agreement of all JSSAA member associations.

Entry Conditions

9. Eligibility of JSSAA is granted to all Regular Serving personnel who are paid up members of the RNRMAA, AAF and RAFCAA under their own membership rules. The JSSAAC reserves the right to refuse entry to the Association. Members may represent the JSSAA in any Combined Services event, providing they have represented a Single Service or are the reigning Champion of a Single Service. Each Single Service shall pay an equal proportion of entry fees. In the event of abandonment or cancellation, the whole or a portion of available money shall be refundable at the discretion of the JSSAAC.

Match Organisation

10. Inter Service Competitions. Inter Service Shore and Boat Competitions will be held annually. They shall be organised by the Sea Secretaries of the JSSAAC and hosted by the Host Service (see para 5 for rotation details). The choice of venue and dates shall be proposed by the Host Service, prior to the annual committee meeting (where possible). The venue and dates shall be mutually agreed with the other two services at the annual committee meeting (see voting conditions in para 9). In order for member associations to plan their own programmes, the following months specify when Inter Service events should be planned [but not mandatory if other circumstances apply]:

    1. Inter Service Boat Championships. October.
    2. Inter Service Shore Championships. November/December.

11. Combined Services (CS) Competitions. Shore and Boat Competitions involving CS Teams versus other Angling Associations (e.g. SAMF) shall be held annually. They shall be organised by the Secretaries of the JSSAAC. Hosting of these events can be on a rotational basis. Whenever the event is to be hosted by the CS, the team captain shall be appointed from current Inter-Service champion team. The team manager may also be chosen in the same way. However should a 'venue specific' manager be available from within the CS, the JSSAC will decide if applicable.

Team Sizes

12. Team size for all Inter-Service Competitions shall be as follows:

    1. Shore - 12 plus a 3 man team for a Reserves Competition.
    2. Boat - 9 plus a 3 man team for a Reserves Competition if it is decided amongst the Service teams that numbers permit.

13. A Service short of team numbers that "borrows" other Service members cannot win the Inter-Service competition, but can win with an under strength team.

14. Every effort should be made to have a Reserves Competition [one or two day event] run under Host Service arrangements.

15. Combined Service representation shall ideally comprise equal numbers of anglers from each Service. Should a Service be unable to field an equal number of anglers then the other Services may be required to find anglers of suitable ability to attend.

Competition Timings

16. Competition timings shall be decided by the Host Service and published in the competition rules. Any blatant disregard of any timings stated by the JSSAAC will result in disqualification for anglers involved. Competition timings for Combined Services events shall be decided between the opposing teams' committees and promulgated prior to the event.

Health & Safety

17. The Host Service for all events is responsible for ensuring statutory and military Health & Safety aspects are addressed and safety briefs covered wherever necessary. This applies to all JSSAA events.

Fishing Positions

18. The JSSAAC and Managers/Captains of each team, prior to the event, will conduct a draw for fishing positions in Inter Service competitions. The draw shall be made in such a way as to ensure that members of each team shall fish alternate positions.

    1. Boat Competitions. The draw shall allocate anglers to one of three boats and within the boat to individual positions. Boat positions are to be drawn in such a way as to ensure that an angler from each team fishes on each side of the boat and over the stern. Reserve Competitions will be drawn in the same manner.
    2. Shore Competitions. The target for shore competitions shall be:
      1. The draw shall allocate individual anglers to one of three zones and within the zone, to the individual positions (pegs).
      2. Pegs are positioned to allow reasonable distance for power casting techniques to be used.
      3. Reserve Competitions will be drawn in the same manner

Tackle

19. Inter Service Competitions. Tackle rules for Inter Service Competitions on Boat and Shore shall follow the intent of the NFSA rules in place at the time of the competition. The lead Service for the competition shall highlight the key points in the event instruction. Particular attention should be paid to:

    1. Numbers of rods able to be used, size and their state of assembly.
    2. Restrictions and definitions of terminal tackle, eg trebles hooks count single or three.
    3. Bait restrictions.
    4. Shore and Boat casting style and shock leaders.
    5. Assistance from other anglers, stewards, skippers, including "trace touching".
    6. Foul and double hooking.
    7. Size limits [see para , measuring rules and devices authorised.
    8. Protests.
    9. Pegging, including draw.
    10. Double/treble patting.
    11. Loss/Damage responsibilities/liabilities of organiser.
    12. Boat safety and shore spectator safety.

Spokemen/Stewards

20. Inter Service Competitions. Where possible, all Inter Service Competitions should be stewarded. Stewards will normally be drawn from the three Services who are not fishing but can also be drawn from within the angling fraternity in general. Selection of stewards must be mutually agreed between the competing associations. Where no stewards are available the following rules will apply:

    1. Boat Competitions. The JSSAAC shall select one angler per boat from the Host Service, to act as the boat spokesman. He will be issued with a full set of information prior to the event, to assist in clarification of the rules once at sea.
    2. Shore Competitions. All anglers shall be designated as spokesman for the duration of the event and are responsible for ensuring that anglers on their immediate left and right comply with the rules.

21. Combined Service and other Competitions. Steward/Spokesman rules for Combined Service and other competitions may differ from the above. Steward/Spokesman rules for these events will be decided between opposing team's committees and promulgated prior to the event.

Minimum Sizes And Eligibility

22. Where size limits are to be applied, boat and shore competitions shall adopt the NFSA area minimum size limits applicable to the chosen venue. It is the responsibility of the Host service to ensure that the area size limits are agreed upon prior to the event with the other services. The JSSAAC reserve the right to adjust size limits, above or below the minimum sizes for measure and return matches only, if conditions warrant.

23. The following species shall be ineligible: Octopus, Crustaceans, Squid and Cuttlefish. Many local or National bans on species of fish in force at the time of a competition shall be adhered to.

Match Procedures

24. All boat and shore competitions may be decided upon using weight, points or measure and return. The latter option is to be encouraged in all types of competition where applicable. The Host Service is responsible for ensuring that all anglers involved in the competition, fully understand the system in use prior to the competition taking place, which must be agreed upon by majority vote. In the event of a dispute regarding the choice of system chosen or the details of a proposed system that cannot be agreed upon, the JSSAAC decision shall be final.

Match Results

25. All Inter-Service competitions shall be decided upon by a point to placing ratio. The choice of system to be used should be uncomplicated. The host service is responsible for ensuring that all anglers involved in the competition, fully understand the system in use prior to the competition taking place, which must be agreed upon by majority vote. All permeations of the awarding of points should be covered by the host service.

Trophies And Prizes

26. All trophies shall be awarded on merit with no limit to the number an individual can win. All trophy holders shall be responsible for the safety and insurance (if applicable) of awards and are responsible to return them in a clean and presentable condition when asked for by the JSSAAC/owning Service. The owning Service is responsible for ensuring it has signatures for the trophies it owns. Perpetual trophies should not be submitted for engraving until after the official results have promulgated.

Protests

27. In the event of a dispute, a verbal protest must be lodged with the JSSAAC within two hours of the end of the event or sooner where possible. The complainant shall also present the sum of £10 at this time, as a deposit for each complaint. The team Manager/Captain of the complainant shall place the complaint in writing before the JSSAAC within 14 days of the end of the event. The deposit is only refundable should the complaint be upheld and will be donated to the RNLI should it be over-ruled. Failure to submit a written complaint within 14 days will result in the deposit being forfeited.