Vol. 454 No. 8
47 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for the Marine when it is proposed to approve more projects for inland fisheries development under the Operational Programme for Tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11524/95]
Twenty-six fisheries projects, representing an investment of almost £2.4 million, have been approved to date under the tourism angling measure of the Operational Programme for Tourism. I hope to be in a position to announce a further round of successful projects later in the summer.
The tourism angling measure, under which almost £19 million has been provided for investment in the development of the tourism angling product over the period 1994 to 1999, provides an unprecedented opportunity to develop our inland fisheries resource. It is the objective, over the period of the programme, to increase the annual number of foreign tourist anglers from 180,000 to 240,000 and to create up to 1,000 related additional jobs in the inland fisheries sector.
