FOSAF News - Andrew Fowler

Andrew Fowler

A farming acquaintance recently wrote of an organisation that represented a seemingly noble cause, but in a way with which he didn’t perhaps quite align.

He said this:

“Please take care as to where you throw in your lot in terms of membership. I realise that all you want to do is be a member of an organisation that fights all the big fights out there that might challenge your ability to farm both now and into the future.

But remember this too please. Once you have paid your subs, please take the effort to stay informed. Hold your organisation responsible by making sure you agree with what they are doing. You don’t have to read the news all day. Just stay informed.

Because remember, your organisation needs your opinion and input regularly, in order to make sure it represents you effectively. Go to AGMs. Read emails and news letters, and read the WhatsApp messages.”

Those words resonated with me. They resonated because note that at no point does he say “resign” or “don’t join”. In fact, what he is saying is “get involved”.

In just about any industry or sport or endeavour, you encounter, there exists an organisation that represents that body of people and to whom subs are paid.

Invariably those organisations are stuffy and dour, be it by perception, reputation or in fact. People talk over a pint about how their levies disappear into some Ivory tower somewhere, and complain “what value do we ever see”. Most often their levies do cover overheads and activities that are difficult to define or value.

But when your pastime is down on its luck, or threatened by some or other turn in the tide, then people rally to the cause. They can do that by starting a competing organization (read: descend into petty politics), or they c a n d o i t b y r a l l y i n g b e h i n d t h e aforementioned “stuffy bunch”, and making it their own.

And when that threat has abated, organisations either peter out for lack of direction, or they survive and become stronger, having built their purpose around the threat, but while doing so, building a broad base of usefulness and value-adds.

And just as often, there is some coup that was thwarted, about which members know nothing, and the industry watchdog or representative body goes on as an unsung hero.

What on earth does this have to do with flyfishing?

FOSAF is the body that represents our sport, and all the species for which we throw a fly. It is there to represent us when environmental degradation threatens. It is there to police sloppy corporate governance that may affect our waters or fish or permissions. In fact, it is there to do anything that us flyfishers deem appropriate for a national federation representing our clubs, venues, and target species. FOSAF will be as good (or as bad) as we make it.

So, what does flyfishing need? What are our causes? Pollution in the Vaal. Legislation against Trout. Yes…we get those. What else? Broader environmental degradation perhaps. How about service delivery by the government or municipal departments whose action determines water quality across the country? What about angler access to public waters? What about your club’s access to fish for stocking? Are you happy with the state of repair of government run venues and resorts where you used to fish? What about coastal and freshwater fish populations and actions that could and should protect them? Are there things about the importation of fishing tackle that you don’t like? Do you have ideas about how a subsistence community and paying flyfishers should share a fishery resource?

This reminds me of a quote I saw the other day, and which I for one have sort of adopted as my own mantra. It goes like this:

“I kept thinking that someone should do something about that. Then I realized that I am someone”

So, my challenge in respect of FOSAF is this: Be someone. Don’t descend into petty politics. Join. Lead a coup if that’s what you believe is needed (bloodless please). Share, like, and comment. Send a voice note. Speak your mind (but fairly). In other words, do something other than that apathy thing.

Got it?

Be someone!