The industrial fishing of sprat is to be banned in Irish inshore waters from October of next year.
The move was agreed at a Cabinet meeting of Government on Tuesday and is aimed at addressing changing migratory patterns of whales and dolphins, and marine biodiversity loss.
The restrictions are being introduced in phases, beginning on October 1 this year when vessels over 18m fishing for sprat within the six nautical mile zone will require authorisation and be subject to a quota limit of 2,000 tonnes.
Under the new directive, from October 1st 2026 these vessels ‘will be fully excluded from trawling inside the six nautical mile zone and inside baselines’.
The move marks a significant shift in management of inshore fisheries – something that has been lobbied for by various campaign groups including Save Our Sprat in West Cork and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.
Heritage and Nature Minister, West Cork TD Christopher O’Sullivan, said the move is a clear signal that Ireland is serious about protecting our marine life.
‘This is a step forward for Ireland’s marine environment and for the future of our marine wildlife,’ he said.
‘For too long, industrial overfishing of sprat has threatened the very foundation of our marine food web, putting whales, dolphins and our much-loved sea birds like puffins and kittiwakes at risk.
‘This is something I have been working on in conjunction with [ministers]… and crucially the passionate voices of coastal communities over the past number of months.’
The measures amount to a de facto ban on industrial trawling and follow an extensive consultation process.
Scientific and economic advice was provided by the Marine Institute and Board Iascaigh Mhara.
Sprat, a small but vital forage fish, is recognised as the lifeblood of Ireland’s marine ecosystem, and an important food source for larger fish, seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales.
Padraig Whooley, of the Save Our Sprat group, said they were ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the decision ‘which should go a long way towards protecting what’s left of local sprat stocks’.
But he added: ‘We’d point out that we’ve been here before, as this announcement simply takes us back to 2019.’
He said the most worrying scenario was that large trawler owners may seek another judicial review in the High Court that could overturn the ruling.
Earlier this month a new Save Our Sprat group was formed to protect inshore waters from Kinsale to Mizen Head. Rosscarbery-based artist William Helps said he had witnessed ‘the collapse of marine life in Rosscarbery bay at the hands of unregulated fishing’ which had ‘broken my heart’.
The group joined forces with Save Our Sprat Bantry group which had been planning a protest march on August 13th in Clonakilty, progressing from the Whale Tail sculpture to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Marine office.
