Government Restrictions on Industrial Trawling don´t go far enough
Save our Sprat Bantry Bay calling for complete ban
On 22 July, the Irish Government announced restrictions on trawling activity in inshore waters stating that this is to support the inshore fishing sector and promote sustainability of fish stocks.
It is the view of Save Our Sprat Bantry Bay, while welcoming the fact that sprat is on the Government agenda, that the Ministers` restrictions don`t address the real issue. The ban on specific boat sizes will not address the potential and imminent depletion of the sprat species. This will only be resolved by an immediate moratorium on all sprat fishing pending a full and in-depth research on the Irish sprat populations and their sustainability as a keystone species
The key restrictions announced by Government were as follows:
- From September 1, 2025, vessels over 18 metres fishing for sprat within the six nautical mile zone will require authorisation and will be subject to a quota limit of 2,000 tonnes.
- From September 1, 2026, all vessels over 18 metres in length — including those targeting sprat—will be fully excluded from trawling inside the six nautical mile zone and inside baselines.
According to 2024 figures from the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), trawlers over 18m (the subject of the proposed restriction), landed 54% of the sprat, representing around 9000 tonnes. However, 44%, or 7,500 tonnes, a substantial and increasing share, was landed by vessels between 10 and 18m. Without any quotas for mid-size vessels, these 10-18m boats are expected to continue to expand their sprat fishing activities. Also, advances in technology are enabling newer more powerful trawling boats under 18m to catch similar volumes to those several metres larger.
According to Dolf D´Hondt, spokesperson for Save Our Sprat´ Bantry Bay, “This is a redistribution of fishing resources from larger boats to mid-sized ones rather than an effort to protect the sprat populations from overfishing. The Government is avoiding the real issue, which is the increasing depletion of sprat in our bays and estuaries, and which is hugely concerning to local communities along our coastline.
To the best of our knowledge there has been no scientific studies conducted on the Irish sprat populations from which the government could estimate sustainable fishing levels or establish fishing quotas. Without the science, we will only know when it is too late to save our sprat.”
The Government have failed to address the following:
- Quotas for boats under 18m going forward
- Rigorous process to monitor fish catches
- Protection of sprat spawning grounds
- Protection of Marine Protected Areas/Special Areas of Conservation/Special Protection Areas
- Details and timing of the plan to study the Irish sprat population
- Commitment to introduce a long-term plan for management of sprat fishery
With the 2025 Sprat spawning season approaching in September, we are pleading with the Government to do what´s right and implement an immediate moratorium on Sprat fishing. This will allow time for the stock assessment and the implementation of a sustainable plan which supports inshore fishing for local fishermen in the longer term, protects the marine wildlife reliant on sprat and reinvigorates the marine ecotourism business for our island nation.
For information or interviews, contact Dolf D´Hondt on 086 337 8727