Inland Fisheries Ireland opens 2021 Sponsorship Programme

Inland Fisheries Ireland is launching its Sponsorship Programme for 2021 this week and is open for applications at 9am this Friday, 11^th of June from organisers of eligible angling events and initiatives nationwide.

The programme, which is one of the main funding mechanisms of Inland Fisheries Ireland, awarded funding to 87 angling events and initiatives across the country during 2019, resulting in an investment of €30,000 to support novice anglers and angling tourism in Ireland.

Newport sea angling club3

Due to public health guidelines around the Covid-19 pandemic, the Sponsorship Programme didn’t go ahead in 2020 but in 2019, it supported 45 angling competitions to showcase Ireland’s angling resource and contribution to local economies. Over 800 anglers travelled from outside Ireland to participate in these competitions, such as the Lough Ree International Pike Classic and International Coarse Fishing Festivals (Longford/Roscommon), the Arvagh International Coarse Fishing Festival (Cavan) and the Irish Winter Shore Angling Festival (Wexford).

A total of 37 Coaching and Juvenile events, aimed at novice and young anglers with a view to increasing participation in the sport, along with five public awareness events and angling-related initiatives were supported in 2019. In total, over 600 juvenile and novice anglers participated in these initiatives, which included a Juvenile Angling competition held by Killaloe Ballina and District Anglers (Offaly/Tipperary), Easter and Summer Angling Camps for Children organised by the Trout Angling Federation of Ireland (Cork) and a Youth Initiative Day- Ulster organised by the Irish Federation of Sea Angling (Donegal).

Eligible events and categories in the 2021 Inland Fisheries Ireland Sponsorship Programme are as follows:

• Large international competitions held in Ireland which showcase Ireland’s angling resources and contribution to local economies, supporting jobs and businesses (maximum sponsorship available is €3,000 per event).
• Novice angler events and training courses which increase participation in angling including funding of transport hire for participants to facilitate attendance at novice angler events. Minimum of 20 novice angler participants required (maximum sponsorship available is €500 per event or course).
• Information dissemination or initiatives to promote fisheries awareness, conservation and protection of the inland fisheries and sea angling resource; promotion of angling as a key Irish tourism activity e.g. Production of high quality angling promotional videos, seminars, coaching, training or workshops (maximum sponsorship available is €1,000 per event).
• Juvenile and minority angling teams representing Ireland at international events both home and abroad (maximum sponsorship available is €500 per team).

Initiatives which support novice anglers and sustainable angling tourism are “key priorities” for funding in 2021, according to Suzanne Campion the Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland. Launching the programme, she said: “We are delighted to make financial support available in 2021 to support key priority projects and events that will support novice and junior anglers and help grow sustainable angling tourism here in Ireland. The past year has shown us all how important engaging in outdoor activities has been for people’s physical and mental wellbeing and the Sponsorship Programme has a focus on encouraging new and novice anglers to enjoy the outdoors more by participating in angling in a sustainable manner. In addition to supporting those who are holding a rod for the first time, we also have a unique opportunity to inform novice anglers about conservation and protection of our precious wild fisheries. As the deadline to apply under the Sponsorship Programme is Friday, 25^th of June we are encouraging all angling clubs, groups and associations to get in touch with us in Inland Fisheries Ireland and apply for funding through the programme.”

Applications for funding from the Sponsorship Programme are now invited from angling clubs, associations or any local group organising an angling initiative. The programme will remain open for funding applications until the 25th of June 2021 with applications for equipment, staff support and biosecurity assistance available throughout the year.

The application process opens at 9am this Friday, 11^th of June. To find out more and to apply, visit https://ifi.smartsimple.ie/s_Login.jsp. Applicants will have to register to apply or if they are already registered, just log in and fill in the application form.  Awards will be subject to budget availability and adherence to the programme requirements.