A number of unscrupulous people are contacting our members to make a  false booking.

The scam emails usually look like the following or similar:

2017-08-26 21:09 GMT+01:00 James Pearson <dav000111ccc@gmail.com>:
Hello ,
Do you have boat available for booking from 24.October.2017-30.October.2017. The number of guests to expect is 6 people.
Get back to me if you have opening for reservation during my stated date.
James Pearson
Glasgow
Scotland
+447042099660

This is an overpayment scam. The scammer will pay with a stolen credit card and will want you to collect the travel expenses and wire the money to his "travel agent". The "travel agent" is in reality just another character played by the scammer himself to try and steal your money.

If you are on Facebook we post scam warnings as soon as we are aware of it.

The link to our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/irishcharterskippersassociation/

It’s that time of the year again, where we look back over the Season Past and look forward to another year on the “Bounding Main”. It was a season that did most of us few favours on the weather front, in the latter half of the year especially. Here’s hoping we have a calm and sunny season coming, with ample bookings, and sufficiently big catches every day this coming year !


Much of the work of the ICSA was done this last year through members working on behalf of the ICSA on the various Regional Inshore Fisheries Forums (RIFFS). ICSA members were asked to join the RIFF on the basis of their membership of an association representing the Charter Skippers of Ireland, and from there, some were asked to join the Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), which oversees the disbursement of EMFF funding, to those who apply for it. These are vital areas to have first hand representation for Skippers .

Among the important issues addressed, objections were lodged to efforts to seek a commercial take of Bass, a case was put forward for a scientific Blue Fin Tuna catch and release quota for Charter Boats, and we were part of the consensus to try to reserve inshore waters (within 6 miles of the coast) for sub 12 meters small craft, to the exclusion of the Big Boats.

Members are strongly encouraged to renew their membership for this coming year. The fee is small, and it is important to be part of a National Organisation capable of representing our interests on the National Stage, especially as we are now subject the Common Fisheries Policy.

The best of luck to you all, and best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year in 2018!

Donal Kennedy
​
Chairman
The Irish Charter Skippers Association

We received the following email from one of our members:

Hi all, I'm just writing a note to any skippers in Ireland to warn of a very convincing Swiss conman who had booked some angling trips with me this week. Hi name is Dieter Reusser and owns the website which runs guided fishing holidays to Ireland http://www.begleitete-fischerferien.ch

It looks very legit and he even has a facebook page with c.1300 followers. He said he had paid me a deposit for three trips of e1200, but when the money didn't arrive in my account I began to get worried. He delayed and timed deposit arrival for this so it was close to his arrival date. He did two days fishing here and didnt pay me but insisted money had gone into my account. He then agreed to pay me the balance but failed to turn up to the meeting point or answer the phone, texts, notes sent to his hotel room or emails after that. After confirming with the bank, I discovered the proof of deposit payment he had sent me was fake.
I called a friend of mine in the guards who checked with the hotel he was staying in to see if payment had gone through there. They checked and the card number was rejected as he had given them a card number with nothing on it or was already maxxed out. He owed the hotel e2600 for the entire group, and even booked the hire cars in one of his guests names on the guests own credit card as he said he forgot his card at the airport (all guests had paid him in full for entire trip months previous). He was ready to do a runner tonight.

I ended up having sit outside the hotel for the whole day to catch him when he came back to get his stuff from his room before getting the guards, who took his passport before he agreed to pay. He had no money or cards with him, so had no intention of paying, and ended up having to ring someone in Switzerland to get their card number, and the hotel kindly processed theirs, and my payment through their card reader for me. 

The reason I am sending this is as I know he has a total of three other trips for sea fishing and sharking booked to Ireland this year, all in July, and one of his guests told me he knows people on the trips so these are full also, so he will be looking for a boat for these dates.

I nearly got caught and would hate to see it happen someone else, just beware of this conman. Please circulate this to any skippers or angling guides you know who may get caught with this chancer.

Thanks,
Daryl

Also about Dieter Reusser:
www.fischerforum.ch (in German)

Minutes of the AGM 2016 are now online!

Please click HERE to access the AGM page in the Member Area of the Irish Charter Skippers Association.

Happy Easter All,
The ICSA AGM has been re scheduled for Tuesday 05th of April next, at 11:00, in the Clayton Hotel, near Dublin Airport (formerly the Bewleys Airport Hotel)
We have booked the same room as before, and if a quorum won’t be reached (a simple majority of 4 of the 7 districts), we need 5 days notice to cancel the meeting, or we have to pay the Hotel again.
Can you let me know as soon as possible whether at least one of the 2 delegates for each District will or will not be able to attend?
Agenda for 2016 AGM

1. Chairman’s Address.
2. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising
3. Financial report.
4. RIFF and NIFF – our role in them
5. National Angling Development Strategy(photocopy of reply to Campion for all?)
6. Set fee for next year?
7. Quota for angling Boats update – any news of catch/landing sampling plan?
8. Any other business

Joe Lynch
Secretary

Notice Of 2016 AGM of the Irish Charter Skippers Association
 
The results of this Ballot will be Notified at our AGM on Saturday 20th of February 2016 (timing will be notified later)at the Clayton Hotel . (Note : This is the day of the annual Specimen Fish Awards, in The Clayton Hotel Swords, this year)
 
The AGM Agenda will be circulated in advance of the Meeting.

If there is a matter you want put on the Agenda, submit it to The Secretary : Joe Lynch, 89 East Ave. Parkgate Frankfield Cork, (preferably by email to : joelynch@iol.ie )
 
It is hoped that every member will attend this meeting, where matters vital to the future of Charter Sea Angling in Ireland will be discussed.
 
 
Joe Lynch
Secretary
Irish Charter Skippers Association
​

​From Joe Lynch, Secretary of the ICSA
89 East Ave. Parkgate,
Frankfield
Cork
Co. Cork
 
To All members of the ICSA
 
Call for nominations for election to the Board of the ICSA for 2016-2017
 
You are requested to indicate to Joe Lynch, 89 East Avenue Parkgate, Frankfield, Cork, (preferably by email to: joelynch@iol.ie ), by the 8th of February 2016, if you wish to go forward as a candidate for election to the Board of the Irish Charter Skippers Association.
 
There will be 2 members elected for each of the 7 Fisheries District Areas. From these 14 members will be selected the Board Officers for the next Year (Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer Etc.) prior to the AGM
 
The existing 14 Board members for the 7 Fisheries areas are as follows :
 
East : Kit Dunne, Eamonn Hayes        
South : Walter Foley, John O’Conner           
South West : Joe Lynch (Secretary), Butch Roberts            
Shannon : Luke Aston, Nealie Lyne         
West : John Brittain,            
North West : Mary Gavin Hughes (Treasurer), Donal Kennedy (Chairman)     
North :  Patrick Doherty, John McLaughlin (Vice Chairman)
 
 
They will also be candidates for this forthcoming election, and all except one are willing to continue to serve on the steering committee. (The exception is Shane Bisgood (West), who has nominated John Fleming (West) to replace him)
 
As soon as the list of all candidates is finalized, ballot papers will be circulated to all members in each area. In the event that no new candidates come forward, the existing board members for that Area will be deemed re-elected at the AGM. If there is no other candidate for the vacancy in the West, John Fleming will be deemed elected for the West.