This last year has again seen our Organisation taken to a new height with developments and technological challenges that have been met.
A big thank you to my executive committee who have stood by me and helped with dynamic, ground breaking decisions and planning.
The highlights of this last angling year have been the following:
- The updated scoring measurement to weight program written and rolled out by Chris de Vries (SASAA Records Officer). There have been a few problems experienced at National Championships in using the program but these will all be ironed out if we can get the responsible people dealing with scoring together with Chris for some training. This is being planned for the new fishing season and Provinces will be advised in the near future.
- Television coverage of five events thanks to the newly formed partnership with Hennie Papenfus for this year. We hope that Supersport will get into a more permanent relationship with Hennie next year and the planning will be to entrench our partnership with him and the doors will really open for our membership growth and sponsorship opportunity.
- International between Namibia and South Africa with the Masters, Juniors and Senior Divisions fishing one event at the same time in Port Elizabeth in December 2009. Thank you to Eastern Province for hosting a great event with lots of fish and naturally the cherry on the top being South Africa taking the gold in all three Divisions. Every year the bar is raised in the International competition between South Africa and Namibia and this really gives the anglers something to look forward to.
- The Ladies Triangular International between South Africa, Namibia and Italy was organized by West Coast and fished from Saldahana Bay. This tournament was fished in similar type conditions to a FIPSM event with the exception that there were no pegged areas and zones. Namibia took the gold in first place with Italy second and South Africa in third place. Thanks to West Coast for hosting a history breaking event where for the first time ever we fished a Ladies International Tournament in South African waters. It was also the first time ever that Namibia have fielded a Ladies team and what an achievement to have won the Tournament!
- A delegation of six persons; myself, Dirk Lukas, Frans Claassen, Pierre du Preez, Johan van der Westhuizen and Charl Marais represented South Africa in Monte Negro at the World Angling Championships in November 2009. We were well received and we came back with lots of photo's and information as a fore planner for the World Shore Angling Championships to be held in Saldahana Bay in 2010. We also managed to get a commitment from 23 Countries to send men's teams to South Africa and at least 13 Countries to send ladies teams to the World Angling Championships to be held in 2010.
- Trials for the selection of a Protea team to represent South Africa at the World Shore Angling Championships in Saldahana Bay in November 2010 was held on the West Coast in March 2010. Sixteen anglers from the Senior Men's and Masters Divisions were invited to the three day trials based on their three year rating points. The trials were fished in exactly the same format as the FIPSM Championships would be held. A Protea Men's team was selected in this process and I trust that they will be good ambassadors for South Africa at the World Championships in November 2010.
- A Ladies Protea team was selected to represent South Africa at the World Championships in Saldahana Bay in November 2010 at their National Championships in February 2010 and I wish them the best of luck and trust that they will win a medal.
- For the second year running, a SASAA Yearbook has been published and distributed to all affiliated anglers. I trust that this will continue and that we will get more assistance from the general body of anglers with the submission of articles to be published in next years edition. A big thank you to Frans Claassen for his hard work in putting the yearbook together for a second year running.
- The SASAA website has been professionally edited and I know that everyone will now be visiting the site on a more regular basis. The reason for the upgrade was because of the upcoming World Championships and all the visiting Countries requesting more information and displaying an interest in our website. A big thank you to Chris de Vries for his effort in this regard.
- The regular executive committee telecom meetings of which eight have been held since the last AGM. Thank you to all executive members who assist in giving their input , ideas and votes for the progressive direction in which SASAA is proceeding.
- Two very important meetings held in Cape Town during 2009 with Marine and Coastal Management. This has cemented the partnership which now exists between us and them. The exciting news from Johan Malherbe (Beach Control Delegate) is that there is a real possibility of vehicle access for Interprovincial's in the future and this will open a whole new avenue for our sport.
- The successful beach permit applications (vehicle access), where historical ground was broken with the permits being granted for access to areas in Zululand and Border recently, which were previously denied, as well as additional vehicles being granted permits, two vehicles per team were now allowed in stead of the normal allocation of one vehicle per team. I know that SASAA is progressing in leaps and bounds and that Johan Malherbe has a special relationship with MCM in this regard. A big thank you to Johan for his consistent hard efforts.
- SASAA's written objections to Marine and Coastal Management's proposed 200 / 300 percent increase in angling license fees as well as various media objections through radio broadcasts and newspaper articles, which have had a profound effect on the Minister of Enviromental Affairs and Tourism in finalizing same. I trust that the increase will be reasonable as a result of our efforts and that the Government will in future consult with us before implementing radical laws that effect our sport.
I wish to thank the entire body of affiliated anglers for the support, input and true sportsmanship in which we are taking our sport forward.
Yours in angling
David Goldberg
President
