Sprat's enough!

The overfishing of sprat in Ireland has prompted West Cork locals to join a campaign to stop commercial fishing of the species.

The Save Our Sprat Bantry Bay campaign highlights growing local and national concerns over the overfishing of sprat.

According to campaign organisers, 17,000 tonnes were fished last year, eight times the international recommendations.

At an event in Cork this week, campaigners were joined by Jennifer Whitmore, TD and Social Democrats spokesperson for the environment, biodiversity, and fisheries, who recently proposed a bill to make sprat a protected species under the Wildlife Act.

Under the proposed bill, sprat would become a protected species for a period of time.

The proposal follows a recent announcement by the Irish Government outlining its intention to prohibit trawling activity by fishing vessels over 18 metres in inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines from 1 October 2026.

However, the restrictions have no impact on vessels under 18 metres which can continue to fish sprat unrestricted.

According to Save Our Sprat Bantry Bay, these vessels accounted for up to 46% of the sprat caught in Ireland last year.

The majority of the sprat is used for fishmeal rather than human consumption, the organisation added.

“The sprat are much more valuable in the sea than they are as fishmeal,” said Deputy Whitmore.

She went on to explain why she is disappointed that the Government didn’t take a long-term view and said the measures proposed are not sufficient to support sprat and to protect the inshore fishers who might see a benefit for a couple of years but will see the collapse of the stock longer term if overfished.

“We need our inshore areas thriving with sea life,” said Deputy Whitmore.

The Save Our Sprat Bantry Bay campaign is calling for a moratorium on sprat fishing until there is a stock assessment and a sustainable management plan is put in place for the sprat fishery.

Campaign spokesperson, Dolf D`Hondt said: “The new restrictions are simply a redistribution of fishing rights for sprat, away from larger vessels to vessels under 18 meters which now can catch as much as they like.

“Sprat are a foundational species feeding many of the larger fish, sea birds, whales, dolphins, and seals, and the idea that we don’t have a fishing quota and a management plan for such an important species, like in other countries, is foolhardy.

“We are running out of time to put a plan in place,” he added.