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Displaying items by tag: Marine Food

#Research - Marine Minister Simon Coveney has today (11 March) announced a new call for research proposals under his department’s three competitive research funding programmes: FIRM, Stimulus and CoFoRD.

Sustainable aquaculture production and safety of marine-origin foods are among the areas covered by this year's call, which include include animal and crop health and production, horticulture, food and health, novel ingredients, forest production and management, and the wider bio-economy as well as the safety, quality, integrity and sustainability of the supply chain.

“The objective of this call is to build and maintain research capacity and capability in the Irish public research system that contributes to underpinning the sustainability and competitiveness and further development of the Irish agri-food, forestry and fisheries sectors," said Minister Coveney.

The content of the call is informed by strategic research agendas drawn up by industry-led research advisory groups operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is also aligned to priority areas identified in the Government’s National Research Prioritisation Exercise.

Following awards of €65 million in agri-food and forest research over the last two years, the minister reiterated his commitment to targeted research and innovation within the sector.

"Publicly funded research will continue to play a key role in driving innovation within the bio-economy, thus contributing to the achievement of the growth targets outlined in Food Harvest 2020 and ultimately making a positive contribution to the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs."

The minister concluded by wishing applicants every success with their applications.

“I have no doubt that the research community will take full advantage of this opportunity by submitting excellent proposals and I look forward to following the process over the coming months.”

The deadline for proposal applications is Thursday 8 May at 1.00pm. All documentation in relation to the call is available on the research section of the department’s website at www.agriculture.gov.ie/research.

Published in Marine Science

Whether you're a boat enthusiast, historian, archaeologist, fisherman, or just taken by the natural beauty of Ireland's waterways, you will find something of interest in our Inland pages on Afloat.ie.

Inland Waterways

Ireland is lucky to have a wealth of river systems and canals crossing the country that, while once vital for transporting goods, are today equally as important for angling, recreational boating and of course tourism.

From the Barrow Navigation to the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation, these inland waterways are popular year in, year out for anyone with an interest in rambling; flora and fauna; fishing; sailing; motorboating; canoeing, kayaking and waterskiing; and cruising on narrowboats.

Although most will surely identify Ireland's inland waterways with boating holidays and a peaceful afternoon's angling, many varieties of watersport are increasingly favoured activities. Powerboat and Jetski courses abound, as do opportunities for waterskiing or wakeboarding. For those who don't require engine power, there's canoeing and kayaking, as Ireland's waterways have much to offer both recreational paddlers and those looking for more of a challenge. And when it comes to more sedate activities, there's nothing like going for a walk along a canal or river bank following some of the long-distance Waymarked Ways or Slí na Sláinte paths that criss-cross the country.

Ireland's network of rivers, lakes and canals is maintained by Waterways Ireland, which is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement in 1999. The body has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of inland navigable waterways on the island of Ireland, principally for recreational purposes. It also maintains Ireland's loughs, lakes and channels which are sought after for sailing; the network of canal locks and tow paths; as well as any buoys, bridges and harbours along the routes.

Along the Grand and Royal Canals and sections of the Barrow Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Waterways Ireland is also responsible for angling activities, and charges Inland Fisheries Ireland with carrying out fisheries development, weed management and ensuring water quality.

Brian Goggin's Inland Blog

Giving his personal perspective on Ireland's Inland Waterways from present-day activities to their rich heritage, Brian Goggin tells it like it is with his Inland Blog.

From recognising achievements in management of the waterways to his worries on the costs of getting afloat on Ireland's canals, Goggin always has something important to say.

He also maintains the website Irish Waterways History that serves as a repository for a wealth of historical accounts of the past commercial and social uses alike of Ireland's rivers and canals, which were once the lifeblood of many a rural community.