Vol. 496 No. 1
93 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which the regional fisheries boards have the resources and authority to develop angling, both fresh water and course fishing, to its full potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21946/98]
I am satisfied that the Regional Fisheries Boards have the necessary scope under the Fisheries Act, 1980 to develop the fisheries in their areas, including angling.
In addition to receiving Exchequer funding of £10.4 million for 1998 and generating their own resources of £1.98 million, the Regional Fisheries Boards are also eligible to undertake development under the tourism angling measure, TAM, of the Operational Programme for Tourism. This measure envisaged a total expenditure on tourism angling of over £16 million for 1994-99 and an European Regional Development Fund contribution of over £12 million. TAM supports a range of tourist angling developments including the development of game and coarse fish angling It is open to any Regional Fisheries Board to apply to the TAM unit, which is located in the Central Fisheries Board, for funding under the measure.
