South Africa hosted International Sport Angling Confederation

From 17-18 April this year, the South African Sport Anglers and Casting Confederation (SASACC) had the memorable distinction of hosting the 45th Congress of the International Sport Fishing Confederation(Confédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive, CIPS) when 65 CIPS delegates from Europe, the USA and Africa, representing the Fédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive en Eau Douce (F.I.P.S.e.d. – freshwater angling), the Fédération Internationale de la Pêche Sportive – Mer (F.I.P.S-Mer – saltwater angling) and the Fédération Internationale de Pêche Sportive Mouche (F.I.P.S-Mouche – flyfishing) converged at the Cullinan Hotel in Cape Town for the international event made possible with the support from SASACC sponsor Columbia PFG Sportswear and the City of Cape Town.

The Congress delegates were welcomed during Thursday morning’s opening ceremony by Cape Town Deputy Mayor Cllr Eddie Andrews, with the opening address delivered by CIPS President, Professor Claudio Matteoli from Italy, who, having officiated at a number of CIPS World Championships in South Africa is no stranger to this country’s sport anglers. After the welcoming dinner on the Thursday evening, graciously hosted by the City of Cape Town, a key-note symposium, entitled ‘The science of future sport leadership: A focus on angling’ was presented by Johannesburg-based Matt White International.

During the two-day Congress’ working sessions, the three general assemblies of the various disciplines focused on the finalisation of the sport fishing World Championships and World Club Championships for the years 2025 to 2027, allocating hosting rights for the different World Fishing Championships to be presented in the freshwater, saltwater and flyfishing disciplines.

SASACC President, and also project leader for the Congress organising committee, Andries Maree reports that a matter of concern that the Congress paid close attention to “is the immense pressure our natural resources are under due to climate change, pollution and overfishing. It is based on this that the principle of catch-and-release is embedded in the participation regulations of the various World Championships,” he pointed out.

The organising committee scheduled various leisure activities for the delegates to enjoy which included visits to historical sites and tourism destinations. “The visit to the Aquila Game Reserve was declared by many of the delegates as one of their highlights of their time in Cape Town,” he recalls.

“SASACC is very grateful to report that we received numerous written and verbal words of appreciation and compliments for the excellent hosting of the Congress. Most of the delegates stated that it was one of their most memorable experiences in their lives.

“SASACC would like to thank all our partners for their contribution to the Congress, and to the organising committee and all the support staff we would like to extend a word of thanks for their dedication and hard work which ensured the successful hosting of the 45th CIPS Congress,” he concludes.

Delegates are looking forward to attending the 46th CIPS Congress, to be hosted in Slovenia in 2025, which will be an elective congress for the board and presidium positions of CIPS and the various International Federations.

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