A DONEGAL river system is to receive more than €33,000 to restore salmon and trout habitats under a national conservation scheme.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has awarded €33,186 to the Gweebarra Habitat Restoration Project through its Habitats and Conservation Scheme, building on works already completed along the river in 2024.
The funding will provide for fencing and tree planting along the riverside, along with soft engineering measures to reduce riverbank erosion. Instream works will also be carried out, including the placement of boulders and large wood to create greater variation in river habitat for fish.
IFI Chief Executive Dr Eamonn Kelly said the investment reflected the broader value healthy fish populations bring to communities across Ireland.
“Healthy fish populations in Ireland’s rivers and lakes make an important contribution to the economic and social fabric of Ireland’s villages, towns, and cities.
“I am pleased that IFI is partnering with communities and stakeholders on this scheme to help restore resilient habitats for new generations of freshwater fish,” he said.
The Habitats and Conservation Scheme supports sustainable initiatives to ensure native salmon and sea trout survive and thrive in the wild. Since 2016, IFI has provided €9.6 million to groups and fisheries development experts nationwide through the scheme, which is funded by the sale of salmon, sea trout and commercial fishing licences.
The scheme comprises IFI’s Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund and the Midland Fisheries Fund.
The Gweebarra river, which flows through the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht into Gweebarra Bay, is a designated salmon river and an important resource for anglers and the wider rural economy of west Donegal.