Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
1637. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the worth of angling to the Irish economy annually; if he will provide a breakdown by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25129/16]
View answerInland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) commissioned Tourism Development International (TDI) to undertake the most comprehensive Socio Economic Study of Recreational Angling ever undertaken in Ireland. The Study was published in 2013 and has since been reviewed and updated. The study estimates that recreational angling contributes €836 million to the Irish economy annually and directly supports some 11,000 jobs, many of which are located in the most peripheral and rural parts of the Irish countryside and along our coastline. The IFI Omnibus Survey in 2015 showed over 273,600 active anglers (aged 15+) resident in Ireland.
I am advised that IFI manages fisheries with respect to the ecological, environmental, habitat and conservation imperatives of the different species for which it has responsibility. For most species this involves management by River Basin District which do not align with county boundaries. In the case of salmon, management is by all 147 individual rivers (including sections of river and estuaries) due to the genetically unique stock of salmon in each river. A significant number of rivers also cross county boundaries.
The TDI study breaks down economic contribution by species. The table attached sets out the economic contribution across a number of species and groups of species. Species specific analysis documents available at http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/NSAD/socio-economics-papers-nsad.html provide an estimate of the economic contribution of each of the most important angling species but also identify, to some degree, which counties contain the most productive fisheries for each of these species.
I have organised for a copy of the TDI study to be forwarded to the Deputy. If the Deputy has a particular county or region in mind I would be happy to organise for IFI to provide further information where it is available.
Table 14: Estimated Contribution of Angling in Ireland by Angling Type – 2014/2015
|
- |
Domestic Participation Estimate |
Northern Irish Participation Estimate |
Overseas Participation Estimate |
Total Participation |
€ Millions |
||||||||||||
|
Angling Type |
% |
Number of Anglers Total |
€ Total |
€ per person |
% |
Number of Anglers Total |
€ Total |
€ per person |
% |
Number of Anglers Total |
€ Total |
€ per person |
Number of Anglers |
Gross Expenditure per Angler |
Net Expenditure Per Angler |
Gross Expenditure |
Total (Inc. Multipliers) |
|
Sea |
24 |
65,664 |
€94,940,000 |
€1,446 |
11 |
4,510 |
€1,623,600 |
€360 |
16 |
21,120 |
€20,000,000 |
€943 |
91,294 |
€1,273 |
€1,731 |
€116 |
€158 |
|
Bass |
4 |
10,944 |
€30,732,000 |
€2,808 |
5 |
2,050 |
€738,000 |
€360 |
17 |
22,440 |
€21,000,000 |
€943 |
35,434 |
€1,473 |
€2,004 |
€52 |
€71 |
|
Salmon & Sea Trout |
23 |
62,928 |
€102,187,000 |
€1,623 |
42 |
17,220 |
€6,199,200 |
€360 |
37 |
48,840 |
€45,845,000 |
€943 |
128,988 |
€1,197 |
€1,628 |
€154 |
€210 |
|
Pike |
12 |
32,832 |
€68,430,000 |
€2,084 |
5 |
2,050 |
€738,000 |
€360 |
5 |
6,600 |
€5,800,000 |
€943 |
41,482 |
€1,808 |
€2,459 |
€75 |
€102 |
|
Coarse |
7 |
19,152 |
€51,300,000 |
€2,678 |
12 |
4,920 |
€1,771,200 |
€360 |
14 |
18,480 |
€17,500,000 |
€943 |
42,552 |
€1,659 |
€2,256 |
€71 |
€96 |
|
Brown Trout |
22 |
60,192 |
€90,770,000 |
€1,508 |
25 |
10,250 |
€3,690,000 |
€360 |
11 |
14,520 |
€14,200,000 |
€943 |
84,962 |
€1,281 |
€1,742 |
€109 |
€148 |
|
Stocked Fisheries |
2 |
5,472 |
€9,521,300 |
€1,740 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
5,472 |
€1,740 |
€2,366 |
€9.5 |
€13 |
|
Other Angling Type |
6 |
16,416 |
€28,564,000 |
€1,740 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
16,416 |
€1,740 |
€2,366 |
€28.5 |
€39 |
|
Totals |
100% |
273,600 |
€476,000,000 |
€1,740 |
100% |
41,000 |
€14,700,000 |
€360 |
100% |
132,000 |
€124,345,000 |
€943 |
446,600 |
€1,378 |
€1,875 |
€615m |
€836m |
Reported Northern Irish angler figures by angling category have been adjusted using a ratio of 0.48 to allow for the targeting of multiple species.
Reported overseas angler figures by angling category have been adjusted using a ratio of 0.67 to allow for the targeting of multiple species.
When asked to choose one type of angling in the 2015 omnibus survey some 2% of Irish anglers categorised themselves as preferring‘ Stocked Fisheries’; expenditure estimates based on average expenditure figures reported across all angling types.
When asked to choose one type of angling in the 2015 omnibus survey some 6% of Irish anglers categorised themselves as ‘Other Angling Type’; expenditure estimates based on average expenditure figures reported across all angling types.
