Inland Fisheries Ireland makes €2m funding call for angling and conservation projects
August 31, 2017
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has announced a new €2m funding call for angling projects and conservation initiatives. Applications are invited from groups, associations, clubs, local authorities, or other appropriate bodies looking to improve Ireland’s fisheries resource.
IFI have launched a new web-based application, The Inland Fisheries Ireland Grant Application Portal (IFIGAP) to manage grant applications.
Several funding programs are run each year by IFI, via funds accumulated through the sales of salmon licenses (Conservation Fund), Midland Fisheries Group permits and the annual Sponsorship Programme.
The 2017 funding call consists of three separate funding streams, through which Inland Fisheries aims to ensure that Ireland’s fish stocks and angling infrastructure are ‘protected and enhanced’ into the future. These are the National Strategy for Angling Development Fund, the Midland Fisheries Fund, and the Salmon Conservation Fund, respectively.
According to a recent statement released by IFI, projects completed through these funding schemes help “improve our fisheries and sea angling resources, and improve access to angling for all”.
Myles Kelly, Website Manager at Inland Fisheries Ireland, provided details on successful projects funded by the schemes in previous years.
Angling Stands, Town Lake, Carrigallen Photo: Inland Fisheries Ireland
Under the National Strategy for Angling Development Fund, for example, angling infrastructure and access routes, which were previously in poor condition, were replaced at Town Lake, Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim.
Funding for this project enabled the construction of a new walkway and ten angling stands with associated catwalks, the clearing of vegetation to allow for construction and maintenance, purchase of gravel for an access lane and extended car park, and purchase/hire of relevant machinery and equipment to carry out these works.
Under the Salmon Conservation Fund, Kilbride Angling Club, Co.Meath was allocated financial support to help carry out a series of works to protect and enhance salmon stocks along a stretch of the Blackwater Main Channel in County Meath.
The funding supported river bank protection, fish passage improvement works, spawning enhancement, instream structures and fencing as well as riparian zone improvement in the area. The project also comprised of the addition of spawning pools, complete with spawning gravel, above and below the Donaghpatrick Bridge.
Regional Information Workshops
Inland Fisheries Ireland will host Regional Information Workshops to provide more information and guidance around the new Funding Call and how to use the new IFIGAP, through which applicants can create and save draft grant applications.
Members of the public are invited to attend as follows:
Please RSVP to Inland Fisheries Ireland Funding Scheme here, with your name and contact details should you wish to attend a workshop.
According to IFI, projects which will be supported include:
- Habitat enhancement
- Bank side/shorelines access projects
- Instream angling access projects
- Angling equipment
- Marketing and promotional projects for angling
- Funding for undertaking feasibility studies/fisheries development plans
- Match funding for larger projects to be funded from other sources that contribute to achieving the objectives of the National Strategy for Angling Development.
Funding is available to anglers and other fisheries interests for development projects and other sponsorship initiatives. These include Inland Fisheries Ireland programs, Waterway’s Ireland funding, and Heritage scheme grants.
The closing date for applications to Inland Fisheries Ireland’s 2017 Funding Call is Friday, 13th October 2017.
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