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Charter of The Danish Society of Living Sea

Rules and Object

§ 1. The Name of the Society

The name of the society is The Danish Society of Living Sea/ Landsforeningen Levende Hav

§ 2. The Object of the Society

The object of the society is:

·         To work for the preservation of the marine landscape and guarantee the diversity of species in the flora and fauna connected to this.

·         To work in order to guarantee future generations a fishing trade based on ecological principles which is sustainable economically and socially, and which guarantee the occupation within the different parts of the trade.

The society seeks to fulfil this purpose through:

·        Establishing Havpolitisk Forum/ the Forum for Marine Policy which discuss comment and work out suggestions for solving the activities in the marine landscape from an ecological and sustainable point of view.

Taking an active part in supporting and assisting in:

·        Putting an end to all sea pollution

·        a fishing policy built on the principles of prudence in using the ecosystem and resources of the sea

·        Introducing to the consumers fish and fishing products caught and made true to ecological principles

·        Developing and introducing methods of regulations within the department of fisheries which is to consider a stabile ecosystem and a sustainable use of resources

·        Experiments and projects intending to develop fishing methods and fishing technology in the way of ecology

·        Taking steps to undertaking restorations, and preservation of vital biotopes with a view to guaranteeing spawning grounds, grounds for reproduction and food basis plus areas of scientific and recreational interest

·        Making building plants on the coast or at sea ecologically sustainable

·        A restriction on the genetic pollution of the marine environment due to the international sea transport or due to the transfer of marine species to breeding in sea farms

·        Exchanging internationally all knowledge and experience within marine ecological problems and fishing conditions, especially for developing areas

·        Educating personnel, producing information material and documentation regarding information of the sea seen as a nature- and cultural landscape

§ 3. The Structure of the Society

The society consists of the annual general meeting which is the highest authority of the society, a board who lay down the overall policy of the society, a clerical staff, and Havpolitisk Forum/ The Forum for Marine Policy which is an advisory body for the board.

§ 4. Membership of the Society

Anyone who accepts the purpose and the rules of the society plus pays the minimum dues laid down by the society can be admitted as a member of the society. The receipt counts for a valid membership card. Membership does not entitle anybody to a share of the capital of the society. Members are not personally liable for the debts of the society. Resignation must be given in writing to the day-to-day head.

§ 5. Exclusion

The board is entitled to decide the expulsion of a member who does not fulfil the duties connected with a membership or acts in order to harm the society. The decision can be submitted to the annual general meeting. A member who in spite of demand does not pay his payable dues will be striked off the list without further warnings from the end of the financial year in question. Membership rights will cease immediately on the day of payment of the amount due. Expulsion or striking off due to being in arrears with dues does not exempt anyone from the liability of the dues for the financial year in which the expulsion takes place.

§ 6. The Fortune of the Society

The funds of the society are provided through membership dues and through applications of support from other sides and through gifts of any kind. Clause on gifts for the society must be respected. Only the fortune of the society is liable.

Motions from the board to the annual general meeting lay down the more definite rules concerning dues including the amount of the dues. The society is entitled to employ paid staff plus enter into an agreement about buying, selling, renting, borrowing etc. The decision to raise a loan and buying, selling and mortgaging of real estate or ship can only be decided according to the recommendation of the board and according to the accept at the annual general meeting. The liquid fortune of the society is placed in a bank account or a savings bank account according to the instructions of the board.

§ 7. The Accounts

The financial year of the society is the calendar year. The accounts must be finished on March 1 at the latest. The accounts are to be presented for approval on the next board meeting after the presentation of the accounts and subsequently on the next annual general meeting after that. The accounts must be checked by a chartered accountant.

§ 8. The Annual General Meeting

The annual general meeting is the highest authority of the society. Voting members at the annual general meeting are members whose dues have been paid at the latest three weeks before the annual general meeting. On demand a receipt must be produced for the chairman. No voting by proxy. At the election of the board voting by letter is allowed. The resolution about changing the rules and about dissolution of the society must be decided by a majority of two thirds. All other resolutions by a simple majority. Voting’s must be in writing when at least five members want so. Minutes of the adopted resolutions of the annual general meeting are taken. The minutes are signed by the keeper and the chairman.

§ 9. Ordinary Annual General Meeting

Ordinary annual general meeting is held every year in March. Summoning must be in writing at a month's notice.

The agenda must have the following items:

1. Election of the chairman and the keeper of the minutes
2. The President's report
3. Adoption of the annual accounts
4. Evaluation of Havpolitisk Forum/ The Forum for Marine Policy
5. Evaluation of ongoing and final projects and working groups
6. The proposals received
7. Budget for the next year and setting the dues
8. Election of the board
9. Election of the accountant
10. A.o.b. 

Proposals for changing the rules and proposals for the agenda must be received by the clerical staff at the latest a fortnight before the holding of the annual general meeting. All proposals, the accounts and the report must be sent to the members 8 days at the latest before the annual general meeting.

§ 10. Extraordinary General Meeting

Extraordinary General Meeting can be held when at least 10 members of the society or a majority of the board or the accountant of the society make a written application including an agenda . Within one week the board calls a general meeting with the given agenda plus an explanation for calling the general meeting at ten days' notice.

§ 11. The Board

The board has the leadership of the society between general meetings. The board is chosen by the members of the society at the annual general meeting. Candidates for the board must be supported by at least five members. If more candidates than can be chosen for the board are nominated, a ballot will be held. For the ballot papers to be valid for the election of the board you must write down and prioritize a number of names according to the number of members who are to be elected. If two or more candidates get equal votes, a second ballot between these must be held. If again there is a parity of votes, the election is settled by ordinary draw. The candidates who are not elected for the board, are elected as substitutes according to the order the number of votes indicates. Three substitutes are to be elected.

Ø      The board consists of 7 members and 2 substitutes

Ø      Popular elected politicians are not eligible for the board

Members of the board and substitutes are elected for a period of two years. At the first board meeting, however, two of the board members are chosen for a period of only 1 year. Re-election can take place. If a board member resigns, the substitute joins instead. If there are no more substitutes, the board is entitled to complement itself until the next annual general meeting. If the whole board want to resign at the wrong moment, they call immediately and within a week an extraordinary general meeting. Proposals for candidates of the board must be sent to the clerical staff 5 days at the latest before the extraordinary general meeting.

Board work is unpaid. Direct expenses connected with board members' attending meetings can be refunded according to the instructions of the general meeting. At the first ordinary general meeting the board recommends the adoption of proposals on instructions for refunding board members' direct expenses.

§ 12. The Board's Day-to-Day Work

The board constitutes itself at the first board meeting after the election with a president, a vice-president and a treasurer. Ordinary board meetings are held at least four times a year. The president or at least two board members can call an extraordinary board meeting. The president calls ordinary board meetings in writing at a fortnight's notice and by indicating the agenda and enclosures for the meeting. The board lays down its own procedure.

The clerical staff take part in the board meeting and is the secretary for the board. A decision minutes is taken, is approved and signed by the persons present. The minutes are sent out to all board members 10 days at the latest after the meeting. The signed minutes is kept by the clerical staff and is available to everyone.

The board forms a quorum when the meeting is legally noticed, and when at least 4 members of the board are present. Decisions are made by simple majority of votes. AT parity of votes the president's vote is decisive.

The board can make decisions by telephone in the following situations:

Ø      if a board meeting does not form a quorum, an absent board member can approve the decision

Ø      in urgent cases the president can make the decision after approval from two board members. Such decisions must be approved at the next board meeting

Ø      No voting by proxy

The board must see to it that the running of the society is according to the object of the society, that the decided resolutions of the general meting are carried through ,and that the society is run according to the budget decided at the general meeting. The board defines the responsibility of the clerical staff, prioritize its tasks and evaluates its work. The board sets up managements groups for Havpolitisk Forum/ The Forum for Marine Policy and working- and project groups and follow the work there.

§ 13. The Board's Political Work

The board sets up the policy and development of the society according to its object and the resolutions made at the general meeting.

§ 14. The Clerical Staff

The clerical staff is in charge of the day-to-day running of the society and reports quarterly on the activities of the society to the board. The clerical staff has the administrative responsibility of the society and keeps the accounts according to the existing rules and the board's decisions. The clerical staff prepares a budget proposal for the next year for the board. The budget proposal is sent to the board for adoption Nov 1 at the latest. Profit and loss account and balance sheet are prepared by the clerical staff and the documents are endorsed by the accountant of the society.

§ 15. Havpolitisk Forum/ The Forum for Marine Police

The Forum for Marine Policy is the advisory body for the society. In this way the Forum is the platform for the professional political work of the society according to the object of the society. The purpose of The Forum is to guarantee that proposals and solutions from the society have been discussed and prepared thoroughly at the highest possible scientific and professional basis.

The board establishes The Forum for Marine Policy and appoints a management group who chooses subjects for discussion, plans and carries through the necessary sessions

All the members of the society can take part in The Forum of Marine Policy and all can send in suggestions for subjects. This must be done in writing and with an argument to the clerical staff. You should not presuppose that all subjects or proposals will be included.

The form of the session will be laid down by the management group according to what is required within the various subjects. In this way The Forum for Marine Police can be the host of a seminar, a symposium, a conference or a hearing. For the sessions a chairman and a secretary will be chosen.

In connection with holding the sessions The Forum may invite scientific experts, representatives from the business community, environmental and professional organisations as well as representatives from the political and public life. The representative will be invited with a view to being first speakers at a given session. The results of the work in The Forum for Marine Policy is public. This might happen through the press, sending information or meeting politicians or institutions and organisations involved.

Ø      The work in The Forum for Marine Policy will be evaluated at the annual general meeting of the society.

§ 16. The Financial Power to Sign for the Society

The board represents the society publicly. The society is obliged publicly by a signature from two board members; one of these must be the president of the society. The board gives the necessary post-, giro-, and bank written authority to the clerical staff. The board can entitle the clerical staff to sign for the society.

§ 17. The Political Power to Speak for the Society

The president of the board represents the society publicly. Through a board resolution the power to speak can be given to another board member or to the day-to-day leader of the clerical staff. Project- and working groups are allowed to speak on subjects and individual cases concerning these works after having consulted the president of the board or the day-to-day leader of the clerical staff. If unanimous the Forum for Marine Policy may comment and speak on any question discussed and prepared in the forum and related to the purpose of the society.

§ 17. Amendments to the Rules

Resolution to amend the rules of the society can only be passed by at least a majority of two thirds at the general meeting

§ 18. Dissolution

The resolution to dissolve the society can only be passed by a majority of two thirds on two successive general meetings which are called with one item on the agenda : the dissolution of the society , and must be held with at least one month' s interval.

At the dissolution of the society the board has the responsibility of seeing to it that the potential profit, after all debts paid, is used according to the object of these rules, and three months at the latest after the closing down of the society the board must publish an audited liquidation account.

Notice: The amendments of the rules which were adopted at the ordinary general meetings

·        First in 27/3 1995

·        Chance in 25/3 1999

·        Chance in 25/3 2000

·        And last in 27/4 2004