Dear all,
This post will be deleted in a week’s time and this thread is locked.
This message is based on facts and intends to clarify our position. Any additional information/clarification can be obtained from either Darragh or Valerie by PM or email (darragh.sherwin[AT]gmail.com or vi.rousseau[AT]gmail.com)
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In the view of all the recent fighting/backbiting/slagging/alledging that has taken place on this forum, we think it is now time to give our members a little more information and background history leading our decision to disable the accounts of some members : ChrisM and PaulM.
PaulM :
In a recent thread, leading to the 1st meeting for the Federation, PaulM was issued with a warning as he openly insulted one of our users on the public forum. However, he continued posting political and offending posts on the public place, hence the disabling of his user account.
ChrisM :
Chris, over the years, has also been very committed to the forum and has greatly contributed to its development. However, in the recent past, Chris has also been repeatedly been breaking rules on the forum by posting and promoting another fish related website, despite having been issued with a warning. The decision was very unenthusiastically taken to disable his account when he asked one of the sponsors to consider the LFKS for support on the ITFS forum.
The forum name change
Users have been wondering why the ITFS Forum was changed to the ITFS/CFKS forum. The LFKS have now their own website and club communication is conveyed through it. The launch of the Midlands Aquatic Society (MAS) has been postponed. The Munster Fish-keeping Association have also expressed the wish to be unaffiliated from the forum. Darragh, the owner of the website (who is independent from both the ITFS and the CFKS) has undertaken to include the CFKS in the discussion forum title as this new society will be using it for some club communication along with the ITFS. Nothing else has changed or will change unless specifically requested by the relevant parties.
The Clubs and the Federation
The 1st Federation (IFAS) meeting took place on Sunday the 16th of March. Each club willing to consider an affiliation to it were represented at this meeting. It was also unanimously decided, and approved by Darragh later, that this forum cannot and will not be used as a communication tool for the IFAS and any information/discussion will be held by the means of emails.
The LFKS have informed the rest of the Federation Committee (elected at the 1st meeting) on the 20th of March that the LFKS members have voted not to join the Federation this year. We respect their decision and hope they will be joining the Federation next year.
Another Irish Club, the Munster Fish-keeping Association (formerly SAS) did decide from very early on that they would not affiliate themselves to the Federation. Upon the club’s relocation in Cork City, they also have chosen not to use this forum as a communication tool.
The leading member of the Munster Fish-keeping Association, Holger (aka Apistodiscus/hh5), has also been a great contributor to this forum over the years. We do miss his knowledge and experience. He however felt the need to unregister from this forum when it was reproached to him that he was coming across too negative in some of his posts relating to the overall fish keeping scene. He has undertaken to build up the fish keeping scene in the South of Ireland, focusing on meeting socially with like-minded fish keepers and being more hands-on to help people out in the hobby. We respect his decision, wish him the very best of luck in his undertaking and would welcome the Munster Fish-keeping Association if they wished to join.
In conclusion
The message has been conveyed by some people that the LFKS has been unwelcome and unwanted. This might also be the perception of some users who might not know all that has gone on in the background : this however is completely unfounded.
Our decision to disable accounts of 2 members was a very tough one as the 2 offending users are representatives of the LFKS and we did not want to severe the link between the clubs. They have simply been disabled because of repeated instances of breaking the forum rules and not because they are part of another club. The LFKS has chosen to take its independence from this forum and we respect this decision. However, we cannot accept any more political disruptions on this forum. This public forum is about fish and we intend to keep it this way.
We are in the process of rewriting the rules for this forum. In the meantime, any post that does not relate to fish-keeping will be deleted promptly by one of us (except for family acceptable jokes and gentle, considerate banter of course as, after all, we should have some fun too!).
We insist that any user, club member or not, wishing to receive additional information explaining one or several points mentioned above, can feel free to contact either of us. Please note that we are open to suggestions and you can be sure we will consider any valid ones.
On a more personal note, we both wish whole-heartedly this discussion forum encompasses, peacefully, members from all clubs, non club-members, from Ireland and beyond. We should see ourselves as Ambassadors to fish-keeping and represent the hobby in a bright and cheerful light to others. Our new motto should be “3Fs” : Fish-keeping, Fun and Friendliness !
The ITFS Team : Darragh and Valerie
