Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has announced details of its €30,000 Sponsorship Programme for 2025, one of the association’s main funding mechanisms to promote sustainable angling in Ireland.
IFI invested in 83 angling events and initiatives across Ireland in 2024, including national or international competitions and festivals, coaching and juvenile outreach events, public awareness events, supporting international teams competing overseas, and other angling-related initiatives. Such initiatives included the Cork Small Boats Festival 2024, as well as the World Boat Championships Seniors, organised by the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers, Crosshaven.
The IFI grant aid aims to promote angling tourism in rural areas in 2025, with a particular focus on activities for novice and young anglers. Launching the 2025 call for submissions, Suzanne Campion Head of Finance and Corporate Services at IFI said that anyone seeking a New Year hobby “would be encouraged to try angling”.
“Recreational fishing is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds right across Ireland, and brings a significant economic contribution to rural Ireland. IFI is proud to sponsor sustainable angling events and teams in 2025.”
Angling clubs, groups and associations nationwide are now invited to apply for sponsorship funding before the deadline of January 24th. Requests for equipment, staff support, and biosecurity assistance can be made throughout the year.
Over 327,000 adults in Ireland ‘go fishing’ (Ipsos/MRBI research 2020/21*), while 18% of adults in Ireland that had never been fishing before said that they are “likely” to try angling in the future, according to research in July 2021 by Amárach.
