A Galway TD has announced funding to the value of €275,298 to angling development and conservation projects in Galway.
Sean Kyne TD announced the funding on a visit to ongoing river enhancement projects on the Grange River, a major tributary of the Clare River in Galway.
Galway is one of 24 counties in the state to be included in the €2.2 million which will be received by 115 initiatives.
Eighteen of the 115 projects to receive funding are in Co. Galway.
A full list of funding awarded to Galway projects is below.
| Organisation | Project Title | County | Funding Awarded |
| Kilconnell Community Development Association LTD | Disabillity carpark and access point and new permanent fishing stand. | Galway | €6,810 |
| Clifden Trout Anglers Association | Improvement of Owenglin river access walkway | Galway | €19,530 |
| Outdoor Ranger ltd | Angling equipment to develop youth angling | Galway | €2,000 |
| Leenane Development Association | Fisheries species, habitat and angling information signage | Galway | €122 |
| Delphi Fishery Ltd | Angling Access Delphi Fishery | Galway | €1,614 |
| Inland Fisheries Ireland | Clare River angler access from Claregalway to Gortatleva (Phase 1) | Galway | €7,888 |
| Kylemore Abbey & Gardens Ltd | Kylemore Abbey Angling Access Programme | Galway | €19,881 |
| Lough Corrib Angling Trout Federation | Fisheries enhancement and angling access project | Galway | €3,517 |
| Cairde Na Chlair | Abbert River Spawning & Habitat Regeneration | Galway | €56,685 |
| Cathal Hughes Angling | Promotional Angling Videos | Galway | €1,875 |
| kevin Molloy Boathire | Purchase of boats to improve angler access | Galway | €4,375 |
| Annaghdown Angling Club | Fencing & In-stream Development | Galway | €3,026 |
| Forum Connemara CLG | West of Leenane Invasive Species Survey and Management Plan | Galway | €1,837 |
| Hugh O’Donnell | Angling boats to improve angler access | Galway | €4,000 |
| Inland Fisheries Ireland | Rock ramp on River Bunowen Ahascragh | Galway | €120,000 |
| Lough Corrib Boats | Angling boats to improve angler access | Galway | €7,500 |
| Inland Fisheries Ireland | Kylemore Riverbank and spawning bed restoration project | Galway | €10,238 |
| Inland Fisheries Ireland | Riparian Management Bealanabrack | Galway | €4,400 |
The projects, which focus on improving Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resource, will begin delivery in 2018.
In total, applications for over 140 projects were received bringing the overall value of projects applying for funding to above €2.9million.
The Fine Gael TD congratulated the applicants who were awarded the funding.
“The projects receiving funding are located in 24 counties across the country. They include fisheries habitat conservation projects as well as the provision of infrastructure and equipment to allow for improved access to angling,” he said.
“Education/youth initiatives and projects aimed at attracting increased number of tourist anglers also attracted funding. I recently announced to forthcoming addition, in early 2018, of ‘Fisheries Projects Animators’ for Inland Fisheries Ireland and that initiative will support the implementation of these projects in assisting community organisations nationwide in realising these ambitious angling projects and conservation initiatives over the coming year.”
The 2017 Funding Call was first announced in August 2017 with local groups and individuals including local development associations, tidy towns, angling clubs, local authorities and others invited to apply for funding, with 115 angling development projects being awarded funding to the value of €2.2m.
The scheme is part of Inland Fisheries Ireland’s National Strategy for Angling Development.
Sean Kyne TD said that 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, according to the Galway West TD, by driving angling participation among domestic and overseas visitors, which in turn is supported by improving access to fishing and developing angling infrastructure.
