Coillte and Inland Fisheries Ireland deepen collaboration through Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which seeks to enhance environmental protection, nature restoration and climate action
- New agreement will promote partnership, collaboration and enhanced co-operation on nature restoration projects
- Greater data sharing, riparian zone management to climate proof our watercourses, improving fish habitat and removing barriers to fish migration, among key priorities outlined in agreement
Issued: Wednesday, 2nd April 2025: Coillte, Ireland’s semi-state forestry company and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the state environment agency for inland fisheries and sea angling resources have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which will deepen the relationship between the two organisations, and which aims to deliver greater environmental protection and nature restoration projects.
The agreement reflects the evolution of the existing relationship between both Coillte and IFI and works to deliver conservation projects aimed at protecting, enhancing, and restoring important ecosystems across Coillte’s forestry estate and Ireland’s inland waterways.
The MOU will establish the basis for collaborative working to maintain a network of technical and operational managers, exchange data and advice relating to the management of ecosystems and promote scientific and technical cooperation through commissioning mutually beneficial research projects.
IFI and Coillte will also endeavour to work together on nature restoration projects to facilitate and support improved sustainability, with particular emphasis on restoring riparian corridors within the Coillte estate to increase climate resilience, improve habitat for fish and remove barriers to the free passage of fish and other aquatic fauna.
The collaborative approach between Coillte and IFI paves the way for further projects similar to the restoration works which took place in Devil’s Glen, Co Wicklow in 2024, aiming to enhance the spawning conditions for sea trout and salmon in the Vartry River.
Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Darragh O’Brien TD said: “Ireland’s fish species, fish habitats, and native forests are key natural resources for the State and must be protected and conserved into the future. I welcome this new alliance between Inland Fisheries Ireland and Coillte. “The Memorandum of Understanding will pool the expertise of these two important agencies. Our fish stocks, habitats and woodlands will benefit significantly from this shared enterprise, as climate change continues to negatively impact our natural environment.”
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael-Healy Rae said: “I very much welcome this initiative and the commitment from both Coillte and IFI to working together to enhance the quality of our watercourses and to restore fish habitats. The proposed projects to restore riparian corridors throughout Coillte’s estate through native tree area planting aligns with Ireland’s strategic vision for forestry which foresees the sustainable protection of our water quality. My Department is also supporting native tree area planting for water protection under the Forestry Programme with a view to helping Ireland achieve its objectives in the River Basin Management Plan 2023- 2027. A collaborative approach across society is needed to meet our environmental and climate resilience needs and this MoU between Coillte and IFI is a great example of such co-operation in action.
Mark Carlin, MD of Coillte Forest said: “The protection of nature and the enhancement of natural ecosystems is at the heart of our forests for nature strategic ambitions at Coillte, and I welcome the strengthening of the relationship between Coillte and Inland Fisheries Ireland to deliver projects that do just that. The objective of this MOU aligns perfectly with our own strategic ambitions to balance and deliver the multiple benefits of forests for climate, nature, wood and people. This year Coillte will reach the strategic target of increasing the area of our estate managed primarily for nature from 20% to 30%, and in the long term we are targeting to transform areas of our forests so that 50% of our estate is managed primarily for nature, while continuing to supply sustainably grown Irish wood. Greater collaboration with Inland Fisheries Ireland will complement our forests for nature ambitions.”
Barry Fox, Head of Operations at Inland Fisheries Ireland said: “IFI’s partnership with Coillte will benefit the State’s fish stocks now, and into the future, on a variety of environmental projects. We are joining forces to provide our fish species and watercourses with additional native tree cover along riverbanks to create climate change resilience. “We’re aiming to restore fish habitats to natural conditions, improve water quality, and ensure adequate passage for fish as they migrate. We are committed to cooperating and coordinating on common work areas to enhance our collective environmental and climate action goals.”
A copy of the Coillte / IFI MoU is available here
