top of page

Statements

ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

Board of Directors

President

Les Gallagher

Vice President
Max Ostrand

Secretary
Humberto Rodrigues

General Assembly

President

Luis Carlos Linhares

Vice President
Diogo Paiva

Secretary
Miguel Furtado

Finance Council

President

Luis Riscado

Vice President
José Furtado

Secretary
Carlos Filipe Linhares

ASSOCIATION STATEMENTS

Article 1. | Name, Headquarters and Duration

  1. The Vida Pelágica Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association, is a non-profit association with legal personality, established for an indefinite period, governed by Portuguese Law and these statutes.

  2. The Association has its headquarters at Rua Vasco da Gama, no. 46, parish of Angústias, municipality of Horta, Faial Island.

  3. The Association has legal entity number 518782441.

Article 2. | Purposes

  1. The Association's objective is to defend, protect and promote the sustainability of activities carried out in the marine environment, in all its aspects.

  2. Within the scope of its corporate purpose, the Association has the following purposes, namely:
    a) Maintaining large-scale fishing as a social, cultural, educational, economically viable and environmentally sustainable activity in the Azores;
    b).     Promote catch-and-release fishing for all large pelagic fish;
    c).     Promote the implementation of the "no-catch"/"zero-extraction" fishing practice within the Marine Protected Areas of the Azores;
    d).     Promote monitoring, data collection and collaboration with scientific research institutes;
    e). Promote the protection and restoration of the ocean ecosystem, including through reporting on risks and hazards, potentially illicit commercial fishing practices, and the removal of plastic debris from the ocean.

  3. To pursue the objectives defined above, the Association works in partnership with local authorities, economic agents, professionals, associations and individuals on the islands of Faial, Pico and São Jorge, and, possibly, on other islands in the Azores and/or the mainland.

Article 3. | Revenue

  1. The Association's revenues include, in particular:
    a). The initial fee paid by members
    b). The proceeds of the contributions set by the general meeting;
    c). Income from the association's own assets and revenue from social activities;
    d). The donations accepted by the association;
    e). Profits arising from any commercial activities carried out by the Association;
    f). The subsidies granted to it.

Article 4. | Members

  1. The Association's bodies are:
    a). The General Assembly;
    b). The Board;
    c). The Finance Council.

  2. The term of office of the members of the corporate bodies lasts two years, with renewal permitted one or more times.

  3. In the event of a vacancy, the position will be filled by co-option among the remaining members of the same body, with the term ending at the end of the current term.

  4. After the term of office ends, members remain in office until their respective successors are elected and take office.

Article 5. | General Assembly

  1. The General Assembly is the sovereign body of the Association and is made up of all members in full enjoyment of their rights.

  2. The General Assembly is responsible for:
    a). Elect and dismiss members of the corporate bodies;
    b).     Review and vote on the activity report, the annual accounts of the Board of Directors and the opinion of the Supervisory Board;
    c). Approve internal regulations and their amendments;
    d). Amend the Association’s statutes;
    e). Deliberate on the dissolution, merger or split of the Association;
    f). Consider any other matters submitted to it by another body of the Association or by at least one fifth of the members.

  3. The General Assembly meets:
    a). Ordinarily, once a year, until March 31, for the assessment and voting of the report and accounts and, if applicable, for the election of the corporate bodies;
    b). Extraordinarily, when convened by the Chairman of the Board, on his own initiative, at the request of the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Board, or at the reasoned request of at least one fifth of the members.

  4. The notice is made by email or postal notice at least 15 days in advance, containing the agenda, date, time and place of the meeting.

  5. The Assembly may validly deliberate at first call with the presence of at least half of the members entitled to vote. At second call, after 30 minutes, it may deliberate with any number of members present.

  6. Decisions are taken by a simple majority of the votes cast, except in cases provided for in these statutes.

  7. Amendment of the statutes requires a qualified majority of three-quarters of the votes cast.

  8. The dissolution of the association requires a favorable vote of three-quarters of the total number of members.

  9. The Board of the General Assembly is composed of a President, a Vice-President and a Secretary.

Article 6. | Board

  1. The Board of Directors is the executive and day-to-day management body of the Association, and is composed of a President, a Vice-President and a Secretary.

  2. The Board is responsible for:
    a). Execute the resolutions of the General Assembly;
    b). Manage the Association administratively, financially and financially;
    c). Submit internal regulations and proposals for amendments to the bylaws to the General Assembly;
    d). Define strategic guidelines for the development of the Association;
    e). Approve medium- and long-term plans, structural projects and applications for external financing;
    f). Periodically evaluate the execution of the activity plan;
    g). Propose efficiency and sustainability measures;
    h). Issue advisory opinions on decisions with structural impact.
    i). Represent the Association in and out of court;
    d). Prepare the annual report and accounts to be submitted to the General Assembly;
    e). Enter into contracts, partnerships and protocols with public or private entities;
    f). Admit and propose the exclusion of members;

  3. The Association is bound by the signature of two members of the Board of Directors, one of whom must be the President.

  4. The Board of Directors may delegate functions to any of its members or appoint representatives with specific powers.

Article 7. | Finance Council

  1. The Finance Council is the body responsible for overseeing the Association's financial and asset activities, and is composed of a President, a Vice-President and a Secretary.

  2. The Finance Council is responsible for;
    a).     Monitor the actions of the Board of Directors, particularly those of a financial nature;
    b).     Issue an opinion on the Management's annual report and accounts;
    c). Request the convening of the General Assembly, when deemed necessary;
    d). Issue opinions on any matters submitted to it by the General Assembly or the Board of Directors.

Article 8. | Members

  1. All individuals or legal entities that share the Association's objectives and commit to collaborating in its pursuit may be admitted as members.

  2. The admission of members is the responsibility of the Board of Directors, upon written proposal.

  3. The General Assembly will approve its own regulations that will define the categories of members, their rights, duties and admission, suspension and exclusion processes.

  4. Members' rights include:
    a). Participate and vote in General Assembly meetings;
    b). Elect and be elected to the corporate bodies;
    c). Propose initiatives and present suggestions to the Board of Directors and the General Assembly;
    d). Participate in the Association's activities and enjoy the services and benefits that it may establish.

  5. The duties of members are:
    a). Comply with the Association’s statutes and regulations;
    b). Contribute to the achievement of the Association’s goals;
    c). Pay dues and other established contributions on time;
    d). To safeguard the good name and assets of the Association.

  6. Serious failure to fulfill duties by a member may result in suspension or exclusion, through disciplinary proceedings conducted by the Board of Directors, with the right to a prior hearing. The final decision is the responsibility of the General Assembly.

Article 9. | Dissolution and Liquidation

  1. The Association may only be dissolved by resolution of the General Assembly expressly convened for that purpose, with the favorable vote of at least three-quarters of the total number of members.

  2. In the event of dissolution, the General Assembly will decide on the fate of the Association's assets, based on a proposal from the Board of Directors, safeguarding the allocation of assets donated or acquired with specific charges, which must be respected.

  3. The remaining assets, after all legal and statutory obligations have been satisfied, should preferably be assigned to entities with similar purposes or of public utility.

Article 10. | Transitional Provision

  1. Until the first elections are held, and with immediate effect, the following persons are appointed as members of the Association's governing bodies:
    a). General Assembly Board
    1. President: Luís Carlos da Silva
    2. Vice-President: Diogo de Oliveira Paiva
    3. Secretary: Miguel Aguiar Furtado
    b). Board of Directors
    1. President: Leslie Patrick Gallagher
    2. Vice President: Max Alexander David Ostrand
    3. Secretary: Humberto Nazaré Rodrigues
    c).     Finance Council
    1. President: Luís Nelson Rodrigues Silva Riscado
    2. Vice-President: José Ludgero Batista Furtado
    3. Secretary: Carlos Filipe Ferreira da Silva Linhares

 

Horta, May 26, 2025

bottom of page