Minister for the Marine & Natural Resources, Mr Frank Fahey, has launched a €30.4m investment plan for the angling sector in Ireland.
The investment is intended to cover recreational angling, training, promotion and marketing.
"I see a major role for angling clubs in delivering on minor enhancement projects and I would encourage clubs to submit well thought out proposals for funding to allow them to do this important work themselves," said Mr Fahey.
Mr Fahey also said the Government intended to establish the Central Fisheries Board in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim. "I have asked management and staff and unions at the CFB to enter discussions on this and I have given a commitment that these discussions will be well-advanced on a Partnership basis and on the understanding that re-location to Carrick-on-Shannon will be on a voluntary basis," he said.
"I accept that it may be neccessary to maintain some presence in Dublin, particularly where we want to avoid losing specialist expertise."