This is the letter that was sent to td,s, now you know why the IFI are looking to introduce this SSTRAI Salmon & Sea Trout Recreational Anglers Ireland To all members of the Oireachtas Leinster House Kildare Street Dublin 2 26th November 2013 Re NEW INLAND FISHERIES IRELAND ACT Dear TD, I am writing to you on behalf of the Salmon & Sea Trout Recreational Anglers of Ireland. We are members of the Angling Council of Ireland a prescribed body in fisheries legislation, and are the registered Game Angling NGB with the Irish Sports Council. As you are aware a new Inland Fisheries Act is currently being prepared. This new legislation will provide the basis for the introduction of a Statutory angling contribution scheme. Secondary legislation will be required to outline the specifics of any such scheme. We support this new legislation and we will, as stakeholders, consult with Inland Fisheries Ireland and make a submission on the proposed scheme when advised. SSTRAI works closely with our colleagues in the Angling Council of Ireland and follow a strategic approach to the development of angling throughout the 32 counties. Our work is project based and driven. Our works programme is approved firstly at ACI level and secondly by the Irish Sports Council. This is to ensure we deliver programmes in line with the goals of the Irish Sports Council and Coaching Ireland’s National Coaching Development Plan for Ireland. We support the introduction of a Statutory angling contribution for the following reasons. Since the introduction of the Salmon Conservation Fund scheme, funding was made available to angling clubs to carry out much needed salmon habitat development work. This scheme has proved very successful over the past few years. This is evident in the quality of the 50 completed salmon habitat projects on rivers that needed it most. In addition to the works undertaken by IFI staff from the fund, €500,000 was made available to angling clubs for projects. Some clubs used the funds as seed capital to attract Leader funding which enabled them to carryout larger projects and thus get much better value for our money. Without such a scheme and the full cooperation of Inland Fisheries Ireland such crucial works would not have been possible. Enabling voluntary workers from angling clubs to carry out development work under close supervision of IFI staff provides great value for money, creates a great sense of pride in the local community and increases angling opportunities for generations to come. All of these salmon habitat projects were completed to a very high standard and were approved by IFI, NPWS and OPW etc. The experienced gained by members from these type of projects has given rise to a general willingness by most anglers around the country to now subscribe to a Statutory angling contribution scheme. Funding is needed for angling also in other areas such as angling facility development, fisheries protection and training. Child welfare training, Garda Vetting, Health & Safety awareness training along with well structured coaching programmes, are now seen as a vital link in introducing new members to our sport. While we have embraced this approach and see the full benefits of coaching, we do realise much more is now needed. In particular, the areas of Angling for Youth Development Ireland and Coaching People with Disabilities can be developed much further in local communities by setting up well structured and funded Angling Hubs. Angling is now well established in terms of a national sport, our main office is now at the centre of the National Sports Campus at Irish Sports HQ. We are developing a world class venue for international competitions and for coaching our international teams. Each year ACI federations send out international teams across the globe and this has to be funded from their own resources. The ACI and SSTRAI bring international competitions also to Ireland each year. We need to develop our angling facilities to ensure we continue to attract European and World angling championship events to Ireland. This all costs money and in these hard pressed times anglers do not expect the State to fund their sport. We are prepared to pay our way through a statutory angling contribution. The wild stocks of salmon and sea trout are of enormous economic benefit to Ireland from both a commercial and non commercial amenity benefits. Angling in Ireland is now reported to bring in the region of €755 million PA and sustainably supports more than 10,000 jobs. Many of these jobs are in rural communities in the west of Ireland. There are many job creating opportunities within angling sport. Holland for example has almost 70 anglers employed to deliver services to their members. Angling Trust, one of the many UK organisations, has 48 people employed and similar numbers are employed within other EU States. Ireland’s angling organisations are all voluntary based. However, jobs can be created in coaching, marine and countryside guiding, as ghillies and casting instructors or through facility and habitat development in addition to tackle shops and accommodation providers etc. We support a Statutory angling contribution; past experience has shown us that the voluntary share certificates scheme raised very limited funds through the Co-ops even though it was matched by State funds. Between 1992 and 2003 the average fund raised was €130,484 PA. We request that you please contact Minister Fergus O Dowd and give your support for the proposed Inland Fisheries Act. It is required to protect and develop our excellent and sustainable sport. Our anglers believe our sport has great potential and we are happy to invest. Mise le meas Bob Seward Hon Secretary Salmon & Sea Trout Recreational Anglers Ireland Salmon & Sea Trout Recreational Anglers Ireland ACI Office Irish Sports HQ National Sports Campus Blanchardstown Dublin 15 E-mail [email protected] Tel. 0858
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 23:50:22 +0000
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