WATERWAYS IRELAND AND THE CENTRAL FISHERIES BOARD LAUNCH SERIES OF CANAL ANGLING GUIDES

Waterways Ireland launched a series of four new Canal Angling Guides at the "Go Fishing" Show at the NEC in Birmingham on Friday 16th March. The guides focus on three locations on the Grand Canal: Prosperous, Monasterevin and Tullamore and on Lough Scur on the Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Waterways Ireland and the Central Fisheries Board work closely together to promote the excellent angling opportunities along the Canals in Ireland. This joint collaboration resulted in the production of handy reference guides that contain concise and up to date information to enable anglers to enjoy fishing to the full. The Guides include maps, illustrations, descriptions and comprehensive directions to angling locations and match stretches along with details on parking, pegs, towpaths and other information required by coarse anglers. This is the first time that this information has been compiled in a handy reference style booklet. The guide will be distributed free of charge to all angling centres in Ireland and the UK.

Speaking at the Launch, Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communications with Waterways Ireland said, "Waterways Ireland is responsible for managing, maintaining, developing and restoring the inland navigable waterways principally for recreational purposes. In 2004, the Waterways Ireland research showed that Angling accounted for 20% of all activity on the waterways and in recognition of the importance of Angling and with a view to developing the resource further, Waterways Ireland has since then been developing a range of Angling Guides, the third series of which is being launched here today".

Norman Dunlop, Angling Advisor, Central Fisheries Board also added, "We are delighted to be involved in this innovative project and we hope that this series will be the start of further initiatives to promote canal angling in Ireland. The Central Fisheries Board has gained a great deal of experience of all aspects of fisheries over the last 25 years. Therefore, we welcomed the opportunity to share our expertise with Waterways Ireland to produce these handy reference guides".

Copies of the four new Guides, along with existing Guides for Leixlip, Edenderry, Enfield, Lough Garadice, Dublin, Mullingar, Athy and the Guide for wheelchair accessible locations on the Grand Canal and Barrow, may be obtained free of charge from the Waterways Ireland Marketing and Communications Division at +353 71 9650787 (Carrick on Shannon) or +44 28 66346 232 (Enniskillen).

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For further information, please contact:

Aoife Morrissy, Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland,
00 353 71 9650787 or 00 353 87 9918412.

Date: 28.03.2007
PR07007

Pictured at the Launch of the new Canal Angling Guides for Tullamore, Prosperous, Monasterevin and Lough Scur, from left, Norman Dunlop, Angling Advisor, Central Fisheries Board; and Martin Dennany, Director of Marketing and Communications, Waterways Ireland. The Launch took place at the "Go Fishing" Show in Birmingham.