Vol. 537 No. 1
67 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will make funding available to the Western Regional Fisheries Board under the national development plan; and if, in the meantime, he will make money available to them from the existing catchment management funding. [15393/01]
Under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 a total of £24 million is available for recreational and tourism angling in the regions. Of this total an amount of £17 million is allocated to the Border, midlands and western region and £7 million to the southern and eastern region. When this measure is launched, applications for funding will be invited from fisheries boards and other public and private interests.
The Western Regional Fisheries Board informs me that its overall Corrib development programme, which includes loughs Mask and Carra, has been approximately 50% completed. The Corrib development programme received significant funding under the Tourism Angling Measure 1994-1999 and it is open to the board to submit an application for funding for the completion of further elements of the programme under the national development plan in due course.
This year I have secured additional capital funding to be spent by the fisheries boards in support of catchment management projects in co-operation with local fisheries interests and angling clubs. My Department will shortly be allocating funding to the boards, including the western board, across a range of catchment management projects.
