Minister of State Launches New Irish Angling Guides

Suzanne Campion, head of Business Development Inland Fisheries Ireland, Michael Fitzpatrick, Inspector Inland Fisheries Ireland and author of the new angling guide, Dr. Ciaran Byrne, CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Minister Fergus O’Dowd TD at the

Minister of State at Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Fergus O’Dowd TD today launched two new angling guides at the Ireland 2012 Angling show in Swords.

These publications are entitled:  ‘ A Guide to Coarse Angling in the Erne and South Donegal and A guide to sea angling on the East Coast’.   The Erne guide was written and designed  by Michael Fitzpatrick and Shane O Reilly two of the foremost experts on coarse angling in Inland Fisheries Ireland. Norman Dunlop, renowned sea angler originally wrote the sea angling guide in 2009 and due to popular demand it has been updated and reprinted.  Both publications contain detailed information on angling venues, methods, seasons for various fish species and bait availability.  There is also essential contact information on angling guides, chartered boat skippers, fish species and safety regulations.

Speaking at the launch,  Minister Fergus O Dowd complemented the authors on their publication. ‘I wish to congratulate Michael, Shane and Norman on the work they have put in to developing these  comprehensive guides and to Inland Fisheries Ireland who produced the design and layout of the guide and also arranged for their publication. These guides present the coarse and sea angler with an enviable choice of angling locations in Cavan, South Donegal and indeed along the whole east coast from Dundalk Bay in the north to Ballyteigue Bay on the south Wexford coast. 

These guides are invaluable reference books for those new to the sport and also to tourists who can plan their visit to any one of the numerous angling locations featured in these guides and make informed choices relating to the type of fishing which they wish to pursue.  They play an important part in encouraging and stimulating overseas tourism. They are designed to provide the angling visitor with much needed information when planning a fishing holiday. Revenues and economic activity from our angling tourists are vitally important in supporting and sustaining jobs and businesses in small local and coastal communities, especially in the current economic climate.  In 2010, there were 123,000 overseas visitors to Ireland who participated in angling and the overall spend on angling tourism for the year was €88,000,000. Of this 73,000 came to Ireland specifically for fishing and the remainder did a little fishing while on holiday in Ireland.

Both of these guides are free and are available from Inland Fisheries Ireland, Tel:01 8842600, www.fishinginireland.info, www.fisheriesireland.ie