Save Our Sprat West Cork - SOS

01/05/2026

There's a lot of misinformation, obfuscation and inaccuracy doing the rounds on various public platforms surrounding the life-cycle of Sprat in Irish Waters. We thought it was time to set the record straight with this graphical representation of the REAL Sprat life cycle, based on the best available scientific information, and reviewed and endorsed by independent experts in the field.

PLEASE SHARE!

Read more on the website:

https://westcorksprat.net/sprat-the-circle-of-life/



Irish Wildlife Trust Irish Whale and Dolphin Group An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland BirdWatch Ireland Save our Sprat Bantry Bay

Christopher O'Sullivan TD Timmy Dooley Martin Heydon

Holly Cairns TD

04/03/2026

With a judicial review underway through the High Court challenging the Government's ban on trawlers over 18m in Irish inshore waters, a lot of people are wondering where things stand.

In our latest update we outline the current position and what comes next. We're calling on ministers Martin Heydon and Timmy Dooley at the Department of Food and The Marine to back their public commitment to meet any legal challenge "head on" with decisive action. We're also calling on minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan TD to lend his department's full support.

We will be watching closely as things unfold and will, of course keep you posted.

Be sure to like and follow the page to stay up to date.

Save our Sprat Bantry Bay Irish Examiner Irish Independent The Irish Times Irish Whale and Dolphin Group Irish Wildlife Trust BirdWatch Ireland Taisce The National Trust for Ireland

On Thursday 23 October 2025, less than a fortnight after an interim quota for the 2025/2026 Sprat Fishery came into force, large Irish pair trawlers had already landed their allocated 2,000 tonnes of Sprat and Minister for State Timmy Dooley signed a policy directive closing the Sprat Fishery. That....

14/02/2026

Wishing all our followers a very happy Valentine's Day. Show a little love today for our coastal marine ecosystems and follow Save Our Sprat here, on Facebook on Instagram and over on X to stay up to date with our campaign to Save Sprat, save marine wildlife and save coastal communities.

10/02/2026

And so it begins....

The High Court has granted the owners of large Irish trawlers leave to proceed to a Judicial Review challenging the legal basis of the Government's introduction of a ban on vessels larger than 18m from trawling within 6nm of the Irish coast and baselines.

The ban, which is set to take full effect from the start of October 2026, has far reaching implications not just for Sprat, but for the recovery of coastal marine ecosystems and sustainable inshore fisheries right around the Irish coast.

This is the first step in a potentially lengthy Judicial Review process, where the Government will now have the opportunity to defend their position.

The Government, through ministers Timmy Dooley and Martin Heydon , has repeatedly confirmed their belief that the legislation is legally "robust" and as watertight as possible (that was the reason they gave for such a lengthy delay in its implementation). They have made multiple commitments in public forums to "vigorously defend" any attempt to overturn this legislation through the courts, using any and all means at their disposal. Now it's time for them to step up and back up those convictions.

We'll be watching closely!

https://theskipper.ie/high-court-grants-fishermen-leave-to-seek-proceedings-to-overturn-6-mile-ban/

Christopher O'Sullivan TD Micheál Martin Save our Sprat Bantry Bay Irish Wildlife Trust Irish Environmental Network Irish Whale and Dolphin Group BirdWatch Ireland

Fishing Vessel owners granted leave by the High Court to challenge the introduction of the 6 Mile Ban through Judicial Review.

26/01/2026

Great to see the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group flying the flag for Sprat and reiterating the vital role forage fish play in healthy marine ecosystems.

The sprat issue in Ireland is very important and increasingly divisive one. Sprat are an important forage fish - an essential link between primary productivity (zooplankton) and higher trophic levels, including commercial fish species. It is important to ensure the debate is kept honest and based on good information and not just opinion.

This weekend, IWDG contributed to a piece on Countrywide on RTÉ Radio 1. Countrywide is a much listened to and interesting weekly programme on Saturday morning that explores issues in rural Ireland, predominately with respect to agriculture. However they are increasingly covering marine issues to bring them to the attention of their listeners.

A ban on trawling by vessels >18m came into force on 1 October 2025, with a transitional quota of 2000 tonnes, which is set at zero from 1 October 2026. Around 20 vessels have appealed this decision which is to be heard in mid-February. The IWDG support this ban, but are concerned that sprat will still be fished with no controls by vessels less than 18m.

During 2024 these vessels accounted for around 40% of the total catch landed. If fishing on sprat is to continue, it is important that the stock is put through International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) stock assessment rigour and a quota is set. This assessment should account for the requirements of predators other than humans, including whales, dolphins and porpoises.

The IWDG have written to the Minister expressing these concerns and presented a six-point plan (https://iwdg.ie/iwdg-welcome-sprat-fisheries-management-measures-but-require-additional-work/) but our understanding is that no more measures are planned to manage extraction of this very important forage fish. IWDG contend that this is not the basis of sustainable management nor consistent with an ecosystem approach to fisheries management.

You can listen to the interview here:

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22578251/

Photo credit: Pádraig Whooley - a minke whale lunge-feeding #

16/12/2025

Please check out this post by our friends over at Save our Sprat Bantry Bay. The farmed salmon industry is a key driver to the overexploitation of Sprat in Irish waters, and expansion of this industry is really bad news for Sprat.

Almost all of the Sprat caught in our coastal waters is destined for factories that pulp it into fishmeal, most of which is exported to be turned into pellets, that are in turn fed to farmed salmon.

Read the post and, if you'd like to help follow the instructions to register your opposition with the relevant authorities -- BUT HURRY -- the consultation period closes TOMORROW, Wednesday 17 December!

Urgent Deadline: December 17th!! This issue is so deeply connected to sprat fishing. Murphys and MOWI want to double their farmed salmon operations at Gearhies, which would see an increase to 12 cages (from three to six cages on each side)in our very own Bantry Bay. One of the main sources of feed for farmed salmon is fishmeal made from sprat. It is our belief that sprat should be fished sustainably for human consumption or be left for foraging by the marine life that depend on it. We cannot support the granting of this new licence. If you feel the same please go to our website www.saveoursprat.ie to find a template email and letter to help you register your opposition. While you are there, please sign our petition to save our sprat. Thank you.

03/12/2025

These vessels in Bantry Bay are likely fishing for sprat. Nothing illegal, but as pointed out by our colleagues Save our Sprat Bantry Bay, there are questions to be answered.

Christopher O'Sullivan TD Timmy Dooley Martin Heydon

28/11/2025

"If there's any attempt to undermine this in the courts, we'll challenge it head on!"

Strong words from Minister of State for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley TD, speaking to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs on Tuesday 25th November.

The minister had some interesting comments on the damage large trawlers have done to inshore fish stocks. He reiterated the Government's confidence in the recently implemented legislation banning large trawlers from inshore waters, describing the legal framework as "watertight", and robust enough to withstand legal challenge through the courts. He also made a commitment that his department would vigorously defend the legislation should any such legal challenge arise.

That's good news, not just for Sprat, but for the overall recovery of the coastal marine ecosystem right around Ireland, and the wildlife and the livelihoods that depend on it, including those of the smaller inshore fishing industry, which relies on a vibrant marine environment to survive.

You can hear exactly what Minister Dooley had to say in this excerpt from the Joint Committee proceedings (published under the terms of the Oireachtas (Broadcast Proceedings) PSI Licence, and copyright ©️2025 The Houses of the Oireaochtas)

If you'd like to view the committee proceedings in their entirety, you'll find the the full video on the Oireachtas TV site here:

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/oireachtas-tv/video-on-demand/joint-committee-on-fisheries-and-maritime-affairs/2025-11-25/




Christopher O'Sullivan TD, The Southern Star Irish Whale and Dolphin Group An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland Irish Wildlife Trust Irish Environmental Network Irish Independent Irish Examiner

29/10/2025

Congratulations to Catherine Connolly for President on being elected as Irelands 10th President.
Catherine has spoken during her campaign about addressing biodiversity loss and climate issues, and we look forward to her raising these issues during her term.
She has supported the wider campaign and has raised the issue in the Dail.

It's high time we started electing people who understand, and are willing to act on, the twin crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change!

Holly Cairns TD Christopher O'Sullivan TD The Southern Star Isobel Towse West Cork

Independent Galway TD defeated FG rival Heather Humphreys in election that saw record number of spoiled votes

25/10/2025

****ANNOUNCMENT**** Sprat fishery closed for vessels >18m.

The 2000 tonne sprat quota (for vessels over 18m inside the 6nm limit) was reached this week. As a result the Minister responsible, Timmy Dooley, has closed the sprat fishery for over 18m vessels, as of 24/October/25.

This is great news for sprat and means these large vessels, who have the ability to take a huge catch, cannot fish for sprat again this season and will be banned completely from within the 6nm limit from next October.

As it happens it would appear that the large (>18m) vessels who would normally be spratting in West Cork waters took a lot of their catch in the last week in Donegal Bay. This may be reflective of the lack of Sprat in these waters.

We hope now that the breathing space given by this closure will allow sprat stocks to begin to recover. There is much more work to be done but for today we breathe a sigh of relief that the most damaging vessels can no longer fish for sprat.

Statutory Instrument 501 is available below to view.

https://opac.oireachtas.ie/Data/Library3/Documents%20Laid/2025/pdf/DAFMdoclaid241025_162715.pdf

Nature Network Ireland Cork Beo Christopher O'Sullivan TD West Cork People - The Best Free Read in West Cork The Southern Star Colin Stafford-Johnson Cork IWDG C103 Cork West Cork Times Save our Sprat Bantry Bay Clean Coasts Irish Environmental Network

Browse this page for the most recent Documents Laid

17/10/2025

A huge thanks to everyone who turned up last night to our screening of OCEAN in Clonakilty.

Great to have a packed auditorium for what is a very impactful, at times disturbing, but ultimately hopeful documentary. It was great to watch it on the big screen and if you haven't seen it, put it on your to do list!

The Q and A session afterwards had loads of contributions and delved into a variety of the aspects around our campaign and ocean protection in general.

Special thanks to Colin Stafford-Johnson who generously gave his time for the introduction, and took part in the Q and A session. We are hugely appreciative. Thanks also to the staff of the Park Cinema for facilitating and accommodating us.

Photo below of the wider Save Our Sprat West Cork - SOS family with some of our colleagues and friends from Save our Sprat Bantry Bay.

Nature Network Ireland Cork Beo Clonakilty Notice Board West Cork Times Clonakilty Distillery Irish Whale and Dolphin Group Clean Coasts Cork IWDG C103 Cork The Southern Star West Cork People - The Best Free Read in West Cork Clonakilty Park Hotel