Fishing competition in Leitrim awarded sponsorship funding

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), has announced funding for the King’s Classic coarse fishing competition, under its annual Sponsorship Programme unveiled this week.

The programme supports novice or ‘beginner’ anglers and the development of sustainable angling tourism in Ireland, which could grow in popularity, particularly in rural areas.

According to a recent survey by Ipsos MRBI, over 327,000 adults in Ireland consider themselves an angler. Now, more than ever, people are discovering the positive effects angling has on mental health and wellbeing, the state agency has said.

Making the announcement, Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at IFI, said: “More than 320,000 adults in Ireland already enjoy angling and 18% of those who haven’t tried it before are likely to try it in the future. This demonstrates that there’s significant potential for sustainable angling, which could bring many health and economic benefits to the people of Leitrim.”

She added: “Through IFI's Sponsorship Programme, we want to encourage people to try angling sustainably and we also want to encourage more beginners, especially girls and women into the sport. These initiatives will create a greater awareness of Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources and the importance of conserving and protecting these precious resources.”