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| About RAI |
Ireland is acknowledged as one of the great angling venues in the world. It still has large areas
of natural fishing in the seas, lakes and rivers. However these are under threat. Over 250,000
people annually - locals and visitors - are estimated to enjoy recreational angling. There are
over 720 angling clubs in Ireland.
The angling sector is fragmented and not as strong a grouping as it potentially could be with such
a large volume of participants. The changing dynamics of Irish society, government and the role
of state bodies has resulted in new policies and procedures being developed which impact on
angling organisations. Largely driven by volunteers, these organisations are finding it difficult
to focus on ever increasing policies, new initiatives and changing local regulations, which also
have an impact on their clubs and members. The need for a well organised structure to deal with
these challenges has been recognised and with this in mind Recreational Angling Ireland was
established to address how the different organisations could find a common framework for the future.
RAI was established by the major national angling organisations in Ireland, who came together to
examine if it was possible for them to work in the future on common objectives and issues.
We can trace the origins of RAI back to 2000, to a meeting with John Treacy and John O'Connor at
which the feasibility of an umbrella body representing all angling interests was discussed.
This meeting generated further discussion involving angling representative bodies with the Irish
Sports Council (ISC).
In May 2001, the Irish Sports Council hosted the first meeting of invited angling bodies and other
interested parties. The resultant group, the National Angling Forum, held its first meeting in
October in the Hudson Bay Hotel in Athlone. Financial support was received from the Central and
Regional Fisheries Boards and the Irish Sports Council to fund facilitation and preliminary work.
This support continued in 2002. There were further meetings of all interested angling bodies held
throughout the year 2002 and facilitated by Morgan Buckley of ASMT at the behest of the Irish
Sports Council and the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards. These were were very well attended.
In January 2002 questionnaires were sent out to representative bodies and hundreds of angling
clubs. The results of this survey were fed into a planning conference in February addressed by
John Treacy of ISC, John O'Connor of the Central Fisheries Board (CFB) and the Minister for the
Marine, Mr Frank Fahey T.D. who pledged their full support to the efforts of the forum.
The consensus of all those present was that the way forward for angling was through a new national
angling organisation composed of the national recreational angling members of the Forum to
co-ordinate the development of recreational angling in Ireland.
In October 2002 the name Recreational Angling Ireland (RAI) was adopted. Through 2003 RAI made
steady progress encouraged by further pledges of financial support from the Central and Regional
Fisheries Boards and the ISC.
The chairman of RAI is Peter Wilson. The members are:
- European Federation of Sea Anglers (EFSA)
- Irish Disabled Fly Fishing Association (IDFFA)
- Irish Ladies Flyfishing Association (ILFA)
- Irish National Casting Association (INCA)
- Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association (ITFFA)
- National Anglers Representative Association (NARA)
| Organisation |
Director |
| Chairman |
Peter Wilson |
| Irish Disabled Fly Fishing Association |
Jack Spratt |
| Irish Ladies Flyfishing Association |
Madeleine Kelly |
| European Federation of Sea Anglers |
George McCullough |
| Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association - General |
Ian Rowand |
| Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association - Youth |
David Browne |
| National Anglers Representative Association |
Patrick Byrne |
| Irish National Casting Association |
Betty Hayes |
- To provide a mechanism for dialogue on matters of mutual interest to the national recreational angling bodies.
- To develop (by the national bodies) an agreed national strategy for the management and development of recreational angling in Ireland.
- To oversee the successful implementation of such as national strategy.
- To progress agreed issues of a national strategic nature relating to recreational angling strategy.
- Ireland will remain as one of the best places in the world to fish. Waters will be clean and stocks will be plentiful. There will be respect for scarce environmental resources, which will be protected and developed in a sustainable way for future generations.
- There will be a wide range of opportunities for both angling and visitors to fish in harmony and enjoyment.
- The lead organisations promoting and developing recreational angling will be well organised and viable, providing excellent services to their members at all levels through sound management, operations budgets and appropriate policies.
RAI aims to:
- To develop an angling training programme for all
- To assist development and support for the national recreational fishing organisations
- To secure new resources and support for these organisations
- To raise the profile of the recreational fishing sector
- To provide technical advice on relevant issues
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