€230,000 in Funding Announced for Rehabilitation of Wild Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout Stocks

€230,000 in Funding Announced for Rehabilitation of Wild Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout Stocks

Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Gaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources, Joe McHugh TD, has today (31.07.14) announced €230,000 in funding for the rehabilitation of wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout stocks under the Salmon Conservation Fund, managed by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).

24 projects have been approved under the Fund and beneficiaries of this year's scheme include angling clubs, private fishery owners, riparian owners and tourism organisations. Funds will be distributed across the country with the main beneficiaries undertaking projects on the Rivers and tributaries of Castletown, Fane, Dee, Boyne, Vartry, Nore, Suir, Cork Blackwater, Lower Shannon, Newport, Glen and Crana.

Willow planting to stablise river bank - Colligan on the Colligan River

3 months after works the vegetation is re-established and willows growing well

The fund was open to contributors to the scheme with works to include: fish passage improvement; spawning enhancement; in-stream structures (such as repairs to weirs, insertion of deflectors, rubble mats, random boulders); river bank protection; fencing to restrict livestock access to the river; tree pruning along with the removal and control of exotic invasive species.

These works will contribute towards the rejuvenation of Ireland's wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout stocks with a view to opening further rivers in the coming years to facilitate angling and commercial fishing activities. The works are seen as an important initiative to conserve, develop and protect the country's valuable natural resources.
Minister McHugh commented: "The Salmon Conservation Fund is an annual fund open to contributors to the scheme and I would encourage all those interested in the promotion of our wild Atlantic salmon and sea trout fisheries to consider suitable projects for consideration under the fund for 2015 and beyond."

Full details of the Salmon Conservation Fund can be obtained on the Inland Fisheries Ireland website at: http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Salmon-Management/salmon-conservation-fund.html.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Suzanne Campion: Tel 052 6180055 / 0872690183

Or Sarah Harte, DHR Communications, Tel: 01-4200580 / 087-9858259

Note for Editors:

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. IFI will promote, support, facilitate and advise the Minister on, the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling and develop and advise the Minister on policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling.