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Displaying items by tag: Habitats and Conservation Scheme

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is to provide more than €1 million in new grants to support fish and their habitats in rivers nationwide.

IFI’s Habitats and Conservation Scheme funding call for 2024 is now live and expressions of interest can be made up to Friday 15 December.

Since 2016, IFI has given more than €6 million in grants to over 280 projects throughout the country under the programme.

Barry Fox, head of operations at IFI said: “The conservation and protection of Atlantic salmon and sea trout is an integral part of IFI’s progressive and sustainable fisheries management operations.

“This funding will improve fish habitats and increase juvenile abundance of salmon and trout. A total of €1,050,000 is being allocated in 2024.

“We are investing in transformative conservation projects that have a strong focus on outcomes.

“Priority will be given to proposals that rehabilitate damaged river habitats, improve water quality and help fish traverse physical in-stream barriers, like weirs.”

Replenishment of spawning gravels in a drained channel near Partry, Co Mayo — one of the projects supported by IFI in 2023 | Credit: IFI Replenishment of spawning gravels in a drained channel near Partry, Co Mayo — one of the projects supported by IFI in 2023 | Credit: IFI

IFI’s Habitats and Conservation Fund comprise two schemes — the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund, and the Midlands Fisheries Fund. These competitive initiatives are financed from salmon and sea trout angling and commercial fishing licences in Ireland, as well as the sale of fishing permits.

In 2023, the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund provided a total of €99,273 to 24 projects in counties Cork, Offaly, Donegal, Galway, Clare, Kerry, Kildare, Sligo, Mayo, Meath, Wicklow and Westmeath.

Up to €50,000 is available through the Midlands Fisheries Fund to support angling and sustainable development works in the midlands fisheries group permit area.

Eligible angling clubs, fishery owners and other stakeholders are invited to express their interest in applying for funding. Full application details and comprehensive information can be found on the IFI website HERE.

Published in Angling

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has launched a funding call of up to €1 million to support vital conservation projects around the country through the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund.

Since 2016, more than €6 million in grants have been awarded to over 280 projects throughout the country under various funding schemes operated by IFI.

From now until Friday 16 December, eligible angling clubs, fishery owners and other stakeholders are invited to express their interest in applying for funding to support fisheries conservation through IFI’s Habitats and Conservation Scheme.

Priority will be given to projects that focus on habitat rehabilitation and conservation, such as rehabilitating damaged river habitats, improving water quality and helping fish overcome physical barriers like weirs.

In similar schemes in 2022, a total of €1,123,000 in funding was approved for 35 habitats and conservation projects based in Cavan, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Leitrim, Limerick, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Wexford, Westmeath and Wicklow.

A rock ramp fish pass on the Burren River at Ballinacarrig, Co Carlow | Credit: IFIA rock ramp fish pass on the Burren River at Ballinacarrig, Co Carlow | Credit: IFI

Suzanne Campion, head of business development at IFI said that the scheme’s focus is on protecting and conserving fish species and their habitats for future generations.

“Since 2016, projects under the Habitats and Conservation Fund have delivered approximately 29km of in-stream maintenance works and 37 kilometres of habitat restoration works. As well as that, 83km of spawning and nursery habitats have been made more accessible to migratory fish species, through five fish passage projects,” she said.

“Under the Habitats and Conservation Scheme, which is made possible through fishing licence and permit income, groups can now apply for grants to fund projects and measures in 2023 to continue this vital environmental work.”

In addition to the €1 million in funding available through the Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund, up to €50,000 is available through the Midlands Fisheries Fund.

An information guide about the funding call is available to download. As part of the two-step process, all applicants must firstly complete an ‘Expression of Interest’ application on Inland Fisheries Ireland’s online grant management portal before 5.30pm on Friday 16 December.

After expressions of interest have been completed, full applications that align to fund objectives can be submitted via the online grant management portal until 5.30pm on Friday 27 January 2023. Decisions on applications and grants will be announced by IFI in May 2023.

Published in Angling

Scottish Series Background

Although the format of the Scottish Series varies little from year to year, it is interesting to see some of the changes which the event has seen over the years:

  • CYCA handicap class added to IOR (1976)
  • IOR level rating classes to reflect the popular sizes and World Championships being held in the UK
  • Separate one design class for Sonatas (1980 to date)
  • Campbeltown dropped with offshore races direct to Tarbert (1982)
  • Unique light displacement CYCA class - the forerunner of today's sportboats (1982)
  • Computer results system introduced in 1982 and now recognised as the best in the UK
  • Separate one design class for Sigma 33 (1987 to date)
  • Separate one design classes in certain years for Impalas, Sigma 38, Melges 24 and Cork 1720
  • Inner triangle to shorten courses for smaller classes (1986)
  • Points loading for offshore race reduced from 2 to 1.5 to 1
  • First racing in Scotland under Channel Handicap (1988)
  • Second racecourse for smaller classes (1989)
  • Discard introduced
  • Windward leeward races - two per day (1993)
  • Sportboat classes with no overnight races (1994)
  • Marquee on quayside for main social events (1995-2008)
  • Restricted Sail Class (1998)
  • Third racecourse for sportboats with up to three races per day (1998)
  • Day feeder races (2002)
  • Overnight and day feeder races discontinued (2005)
  • Stand-alone Tarbert Inbound and Outbound passage races introduced (2005/6)

With all these changes, some things have stayed the same:

  • Huge support from Ireland every year since 1975
  • A magnificent effort ashore and afloat from the volunteer helpers of the Clyde Cruising Club, Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club and Tarbert Loch Fyne Yacht Club
  • Results and communications service at the forefront of technology
  • The best competition and the best social scene in the country
  • An overall Series winner, the roll call including many of the top sailors in Scotland and beyond.

Scottish Series 2022

Following the cancellation of the 2020 event, the dates for the 2021 edition of Scotland's biggest sailing event at Tarbert is: 3 –5 June 2022

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