Why EFFA
Some years ago, the different levels of fly fishing training between Europe and the USA necessitated the introduction of a new instructor examination programme which matched european standards. This led to the founding of the FFF Europe FCICIP in partnership with the FFF in 1996, which was based in the USA. The Affiliation Agreement envisioned that the organisation handles the examination programmes independently and only be bound by its own statutes. In this manner, european funds would remain in Europe and be used as earmarked. A minimal contribution went to the USA for the use of the FFF trademarks.
The FFF Europe fly fishing instructor programme developed consistently since its creation and since then, instructors from 12 european countries including Italy, Norway, the UK and Latvia have successfully graduated from the programme, which is regarded as the most demanding in the world. In January 2006, from across the Atlantic, came the announcent that the FFF has claimed the european territory as its own and will see to it that the levels of the european instructors be equated to the levels of their - considerably less advanced - american colleagues.
Put simply, this means that FFF only intended to examine according to the american levels here in Europe and pool all the collected funds, including the funds from additional full FFF memberships and certificate extensions, in the USA. If FFF Europe were to refuse cooperation, the FFF would terminate the partnership and deny the organisation the right to use the name.
FFF Europe has received little from the FFF in recent years apart from the much- criticised FFF Code of Ethics, which FFF-Europe had to adopt. Contrary to the USA, where the programme was originally called into being for financial reasons, FFF Europe FCICP has consciously kept the costs as low as possible to allow EVERY talented prospective instructor the chance to begin. Seeing as the loss of autonomy, US supervision, the adoption of FFF levels and the transfer of european funds to the USA all cannot be endorsed (and are furthermore out of the question), it was decided with overwhelming instructor approval the the partnership between the organisation with FFF be ended.
The FFF Europe fly fishing instructor programme developed consistently since its creation and since then, instructors from 12 european countries including Italy, Norway, the UK and Latvia have successfully graduated from the programme, which is regarded as the most demanding in the world. In January 2006, from across the Atlantic, came the announcent that the FFF has claimed the european territory as its own and will see to it that the levels of the european instructors be equated to the levels of their - considerably less advanced - american colleagues.
Put simply, this means that FFF only intended to examine according to the american levels here in Europe and pool all the collected funds, including the funds from additional full FFF memberships and certificate extensions, in the USA. If FFF Europe were to refuse cooperation, the FFF would terminate the partnership and deny the organisation the right to use the name.
FFF Europe has received little from the FFF in recent years apart from the much- criticised FFF Code of Ethics, which FFF-Europe had to adopt. Contrary to the USA, where the programme was originally called into being for financial reasons, FFF Europe FCICP has consciously kept the costs as low as possible to allow EVERY talented prospective instructor the chance to begin. Seeing as the loss of autonomy, US supervision, the adoption of FFF levels and the transfer of european funds to the USA all cannot be endorsed (and are furthermore out of the question), it was decided with overwhelming instructor approval the the partnership between the organisation with FFF be ended.
European Fly Fishing Association (EFFA)
A new independent organisation was found. The successful work of FFF Europe is now continued by the European Fly Fishing Association (EFFA). EFFA will now become active in all aspects of fly fishing, including conservation, to further the interests of fly fishers on a wide and international basis. This also entails the opening of EFFA's doors to each and every fly fisher and allow them the possibility of membership. Previously, this was simply impossible, as the FFF allowed only activity under the framework of the examination programme in Europe.
This opening, now enables the EFFA also to participate in parnernertships which had previously necessitated the approval of the American FFF. All interested fly fishers are called upon to help and participate in this new european venture. We would like to thank the many fly fishers for the appreciation we have been shown in previous years and hope that the European Fly Fishing Association (EFFA) will benefit from support which was previously withheld by the ties with the USA.
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