merrion street

The Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, TD, has approved the proposals of Inland Fisheries Ireland for membership of the National Inland Fisheries Forum.

The Minister is required to approve the membership of the Forum in accordance with the Inland Fisheries Act 2010.

Inland Fisheries Ireland was established in accordance with the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 replacing the central and regional fisheries boards. The Act requires Inland Fisheries Ireland to establish a National Inland Fisheries Forum ("the Forum").

The role of the Forum is to provide advice on general policy issues relevant to the inland fisheries service both from a sectoral and geographic (River Basin District) perspective and specific issues referred to it by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Minister. The Forum provides for stakeholder participation in the sector and facilitates those who wish to make a contribution to the future conservation, management, protection, development of the resource.

The Public Appointments Service will shortly complete the selection exercise undertaken on behalf of Inland Fisheries Ireland and notify applicants of the outcome of the process.

Minister Rabbitte, in a message of encouragement to stakeholders, stated, "I believe that the establishment of the Forum will provide a meaningful channel of communication between the stakeholders and management of the inland fisheries resource. It will provide the various stakeholders with an opportunity to influence policies on how the resource is managed and developed in the current challenging economic climate and into the future".