- To urge government to halt all sprat fishing in Bantry Bay and undertake an immediate audit of the actual biomass of sprat that exist to ascertain the full extent of the situation.
- To engage with the local fishing industry to encourage species protection though a variety of measures including stopping harvesting in spawning season particularly with sand - eel nets and the use of large scale / volume pair trawling.
- To record and report this indiscriminate fishing practise and it’s bycatch damage by trawlers sprat fishing in Bantry Bay, it’s harbours, Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s) and Special Protection Areas (SPA’s).
- To enlist local, regional and national political & public servantsand Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to action the enforcement of current legislation including the Marine Protection Bill which would designate Bantry Bay sprat spawning grounds as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) during their spawning season from September to January each year.
- To call for action of an immediate moratorium on all commercial fishing in Bantry Bay to prevent the irretrievable collapse of this vital species and our native marine ecosystem in general.
- To inform and educate the public of the gravity of the threat to our local marine environment through a series of open meetings, education workshops and social media platforms.
- To collaborate effectively with the multitude of similar action groups along the coast of Ireland to amplify the voices of concern, halt these damaging practises and demand proper protective marine stewardship for future generations.
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