Canney welcomes Inland Fisheries Ireland funding for Fishing Futures project in Wicklow
Canney welcomes Inland Fisheries Ireland funding for Fishing Futures project in Wicklow
Target community groups participate in angling in safe environment
Tuesday, 27th November 2018: Fishing Futures, a project targeting local community groups in Wicklow, has been awarded funding from Inland Fisheries Ireland to help support its work. The project, which is organised by the Wicklow Travellers Group, allows young people to experience fishing in a safe and supervised environment.
Sean Canney TD, Minister with responsibility for the Inland Fisheries sector has welcomed the initiative and the funding by Inland Fisheries Ireland of €1,630 through the National Strategy for Angling Development. “This investment will support the purchase of new fishing equipment enabling larger groups to engage in angling trips and increase participation across the community” said Minister Canney. “Over the coming year, local volunteer anglers and an outreach worker working with Wicklow Travellers Group will provide access to young people to organised angling activities as an enjoyable and rewarding component of healthy outdoor pursuits” he added.
Participants in the project will learn about water safety, bait collection and preservation, healthy lifestyle as well as practical angling skills. The project ultimately aims to provide novice anglers with the necessary skills to engage in mainstream angling with local clubs. Since the inception of the project over 11 years ago, the project has engaged with many groups from the community. Some of the volunteer anglers who support the project today took part in the initiative themselves over a decade ago.
Ian Daly, Jim O'Brien and Peter O'Reilly from Wicklow Travellers Group
Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “Fishing Futures is a fantastic project which helps young people access their local fisheries resource in a supportive environment. We are delighted to award funding as part of our National Strategy for Angling Development to many projects, such as this one in Wicklow, which will help increase participation in angling and secure the future of our precious and valuable natural resource as a result.”
The National Strategy for Angling Development aims to ensure that Ireland’s fish stocks and angling infrastructure are protected and enhanced with a view to ensuring a sustainable habitat and the delivery of the economic, health and recreational benefits which they offer to communities across Ireland. Inland Fisheries Ireland is aiming to grow the angling sector’s socio-economic contribution of €836 million per year by an additional €60 million annually through the strategy. This will be achieved by driving angling participation among domestic and overseas visitors, which in turn is supported by improving access to fishing and developing angling infrastructure.
For more information about Inland Fisheries Ireland, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie .
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For more information:
- Órla Sheils
- Communications Manager
- Inland Fisheries Ireland
- E: orla.sheils@fisheriesireland.ie
- T: 01 8848673
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About Inland Fisheries Ireland
Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. Inland Fisheries Ireland promotes supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. Inland Fisheries Ireland also develops policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling and advises the Minister on same.
