I had the pleasure of launching Creeslough and District Angling Association’s new facility at Lough na Tooey, Co Donegal.
As Minister with responsibility for inland fisheries, I was impressed with the facilities, which include a new slipway and mooring pontoon, a boatshed and a car park.
The site has a new roadway leading to it and it has 15 stiles and ladders and 33 fishing stands erected over 300 metres of the river bank.
The local angling group manages a number of salmon and trout fisheries in the area. The €246,000 project saw improvements at three sites – Lough na Tooey, Glen Lough and Owencarrow River.
The National Strategy for Angling Development is delivering many similar projects around the country.
It is the first comprehensive national framework for bringing forward Ireland’s angling resource and it has a particular emphasis on access to angling, conservation, habitats and tourism.