Latest news with #CorkWhaleWatch
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Greedy' fishermen blamed for driving whales from Irish coast
A whale-watching boss has blamed overfishing for driving cetaceans away from the Irish coast as he announced his firm was going out of business. Colin Barnes announced the closure of Cork Whale Watch after 25 years in business, saying 'greedy fishermen' had ruined what used to be a premier wildlife destination. He said overfishing on the south coast by large trawlers meant sprat fish, the main food source for whales, had been fished almost to extinction, driving the humpbacks and other species elsewhere in search of food. 'Sadly, our world-class whale watching is now a thing of the past. A small number of greedy fishermen with huge trawlers have overfished the sprats to the point of near extinction,' Mr Barnes wrote on social media. 'There is nothing left for the whales to prey upon so they have moved on in search of prey elsewhere.' Mr Barnes, who has 53 years of experience in Irish waters and started his whale-watching business after leaving commercial fishing, said the change has been dramatic. He explained commercial trawlers fish for sprat in September and October when they are spawning. The fish pack themselves together and allows the fishermen to catch vast quantities of them at the same time. Mr Barnes said the depletion of stocks was an 'ecological disaster'. 'At the start of our first season in 2001 it became very clear to me that we had world-class whale watching in the waters off the West Cork coastline, featuring 3 species of baleen whales, fin, humpback and minke whales amongst huge numbers of common dolphins,' Mr Barnes added in his post. 'All we have now in our search area is just a few minke whales and small groups of dolphins, and over the last couple of years our trips have become totally disappointing.' Mr Barnes said whale activity peaked in November 2004 when a massive sprat shoal brought together what he estimated as 75 fin whales, 15 humpbacks and 150 to 200 minke whales 'amongst common dolphins in thousands'. 'There was never again such a gathering of so many cetaceans since then,' he said. Mr Barnes told The Irish Times: 'I've given it up in disgust. There is loads of plankton but the bird life is gone and the fish are gone. It's an empty, lifeless sea.' Sprat, small sardine-like fish, are crucial to the marine food web, but increased demand for fishmeal from fish farms has intensified commercial fishing of the species. The closure of Mr Barnes's business has prompted Irish government officials to promise action. Christopher O'Sullivan, the minister responsible for nature and biodiversity, said measures must be introduced 'to protect this forage species, not just for whales, but for all the other fish stocks and wildlife that depend on it – to prevent the collapse of an entire food web.' Mr O'Sullivan said Ireland hopes to emulate UK restrictions on sprat fishing, which have shown positive effects. Mark Gannon, who operates Atlantic Whale and Wildlife Tours from Courtmacsherry, agreed with Mr Barnes and said there was a severe decline in wildlife off the coast of Ireland due to overfishing. 'It's a devastating form of fishing,' Mr Gannon said. 'It's like a farmer taking all the grass out of his fields and expecting his cows to thrive.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
‘Greedy' fishermen blamed for driving whales from Irish coast
A whale-watching boss has blamed overfishing for driving cetaceans away from the Irish coast as he announced his firm was going out of business. Colin Barnes announced the closure of Cork Whale Watch after 25 years in business, saying 'greedy fishermen' had ruined what used to be a premier wildlife destination. He said overfishing on the south coast by large trawlers meant sprat fish, the main food source for whales, had been fished almost to extinction, driving the humpbacks and other species elsewhere in search of food. 'Sadly, our world-class whale watching is now a thing of the past. A small number of greedy fishermen with huge trawlers have overfished the sprats to the point of near extinction,' Mr Barnes wrote on social media. 'There is nothing left for the whales to prey upon so they have moved on in search of prey elsewhere.' Mr Barnes, who has 53 years of experience in Irish waters and started his whale-watching business after leaving commercial fishing, said the change has been dramatic. He explained commercial trawlers fish for sprat in September and October when they are spawning. The fish pack themselves together and allows the fishermen to catch vast quantities of them at the same time. Mr Barnes said the depletion of stocks was an 'ecological disaster'. 'At the start of our first season in 2001 it became very clear to me that we had world-class whale watching in the waters off the West Cork coastline, featuring 3 species of baleen whales, fin, humpback and minke whales amongst huge numbers of common dolphins,' Mr Barnes added in his post. 'All we have now in our search area is just a few minke whales and small groups of dolphins, and over the last couple of years our trips have become totally disappointing.' Mr Barnes said whale activity peaked in November 2004 when a massive sprat shoal brought together what he estimated as 75 fin whales, 15 humpbacks and 150 to 200 minke whales 'amongst common dolphins in thousands'. 'There was never again such a gathering of so many cetaceans since then,' he said. Mr Barnes told The Irish Times: 'I've given it up in disgust. There is loads of plankton but the bird life is gone and the fish are gone. It's an empty, lifeless sea.' Sprat, small sardine-like fish, are crucial to the marine food web, but increased demand for fishmeal from fish farms has intensified commercial fishing of the species. The closure of Mr Barnes's business has prompted Irish government officials to promise action. Christopher O'Sullivan, the minister responsible for nature and biodiversity, said measures must be introduced 'to protect this forage species, not just for whales, but for all the other fish stocks and wildlife that depend on it – to prevent the collapse of an entire food web.' Mr O'Sullivan said Ireland hopes to emulate UK restrictions on sprat fishing, which have shown positive effects. Mark Gannon, who operates Atlantic Whale and Wildlife Tours from Courtmacsherry, agreed with Mr Barnes and said there was a severe decline in wildlife off the coast of Ireland due to overfishing. 'It's a devastating form of fishing,' Mr Gannon said. 'It's like a farmer taking all the grass out of his fields and expecting his cows to thrive.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Irish whale-watching company ends tours on south Atlantic coast and blames overfishing
A whale-watching company has abandoned tours off Ireland's southern Atlantic coast and declared the waters an empty, lifeless sea. Colin Barnes, who ran Cork Whale Watch, announced he was closing the company because overfishing of sprat has disrupted the marine food chain and diverted humpback, minke and fin whales as well as dolphins. 'Sadly, our world-class whale watching is now a thing of the past,' Barnes said in a post this week. 'A small number of greedy fishermen with huge trawlers have overfished the sprats to the point of near extinction. There is nothing left for the whales to prey upon so they have moved on in search of prey elsewhere.' The company, based in the coastal village of Unionhall, also known as Union Hall, had thrived for most of its 25 years, but only a few minke whales and small groups of dolphins now appeared in its search area, he said. 'Over the last couple of years our trips have become totally disappointing. In this light I am truly sad to say we are closing down for good.' The announcement prompted a public outcry and a promise from the government to do more to protect fish stocks and marine biodiversity. 'We have to introduce measures to protect this forage species – not just for whales, but for all the other fish stocks and wildlife that depend on it – to prevent the collapse of an entire food web,' Christopher O'Sullivan, the minister responsible for nature and biodiversity, told the Irish Examiner. He said he hoped Ireland would emulate UK curbs on sprat fishing, which were having a positive effect. Demand for fishmeal from fish farms has dramatically increased the fishing of sprats, a small, sardine-like fish that plays a crucial role in the maritime food chain. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Mark Gannon, who runs Atlantic Whale and Wildlife Tours from Courtmacsherry, 22 miles east of Unionhall, said the number of whales and dolphins had plummeted since large trawlers began scooping up sprat. 'It's a devastating form of fishing. It's like a farmer taking all the grass out of his fields and expecting his cows to thrive.' However, Gannon said he had invested in a new boat and still offered enthralling excursions, albeit with less wildlife. 'Just today we saw three minke whales,' he said on Friday after a tour. 'Compared to the numbers we had before it's chalk and cheese, but we still have a beautiful coastline. With the right policies, the south of Cork and the west coast of Ireland could be the European capital of marine tourism.' His wife and company co-owner, Trish Gannon, said bookings remained strong. 'I tell people we can guarantee absolutely nothing in terms of sightings and they're still happy to go out.' Patrick Murphy, the chief executive of the Irish South and West Fish Producer's Organisation, said warming waters appeared to be pushing sprat further west and north – where sprat catches have risen sharply – and this accounted for the dwindling whale sightings off Cork. 'We are asking for a proper scientific assessment for this species, so a proper management policy can be developed to ensure the continued sustainability of this important fishery,' he said.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
‘It's an empty, lifeless sea': Overfishing blamed as whale-watching business closes in Cork
Whales have left Cork waters as sprat, their food source, is in short supply, a Cork-based businessman has said after abandoning tours of the waters. Colin Barnes, who ran a whale-watching boat tour company, has been put out of business after the departure of the cetaceans. Mr Barnes, who ran the company since 2001, said: 'There are only a few whales left - the water is overfished.' Previously, he worked in commercial fishing but gave that up when fishing stocks started to crash. 'It wasn't something I wanted to be a part of,' he said. READ MORE When he first started Cork Whale Watch, his was the only boat engaged in such tourism. 'People looked at me like I was mad,' he said. The business had been a 'raging success' but he says it can no longer offer 'world-class whale-watching'. He explained that the issue is that sprat, an important food source for larger fish, sea birds, seals, dolphins and whales, is being overfished by 'a few greedy morons on huge trawlers'. 'The issue has been going on for over 30 years.' Fishing for sprat was uncommon until the 1980s, he said, but it is now used to make pellets to feed farmed salmon or to add protein to animal feed. 'It's a very important fish, it feeds on plankton and fed the whole ocean,' he said. There is no protection for sprat as, he says, it is 'unimportant and sold for very low prices'. Mr Barnes used the example that sprat is sold for 15 cent per kilogram while rubbish makes 18 cent per kilogram. 'It's worth less than rubbish... It's low value so they have to catch loads for money.' He explained that trawlers only fish for sprat when they are spawning, usually in September and October. During this time, the sprat pack themselves together which allows trawlers to catch many of them at once. Often, two trawlers work together, which is known as pair trawling. 'An ecological disaster' is how Mr Barnes refers to the issue. He first figured out that sprat was being overfished and affecting the number of whales and other sealife in the water in 2008. He wrote a paper, which he published in his Skipper's Log on the Cork Whale Watch website. He says his findings 'fell on deaf ears', adding: 'It's a very sad state of affairs.' Soon, there will be lovely harbours but no fishing boats — Colin Barnes In 2022 and 2023, depletion of stocks was noticeable, while last year he says the waters were 'abysmal'. This year is 'no better'. He said: 'Dolphins and hump whales are gone. I've given it up in disgust. There is loads of plankton but the bird life is gone and the fish are gone. It's an empty, lifeless sea. 'It was probably one of the richest seas in the British Isles – that's why I came to Ireland 53 years ago.' Now, he claims, the whole fishing industry is 'crashing'. 'Soon, there will be lovely harbours but no fishing boats. There will be no fishing stock left.' In 2019, the government attempted to end pair trawling for sprat by large vessels, but the ban was struck down by a High Court appeal and was held up in the appeal court. This allowed large trawlers to resume trawling for sprat, with no requirement for authorisation, inside the six nautical mile zone. In 2024, then-Minister for the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, launched a public consultation to invite views on introducing the ban again. It attracted more than 5,500 submissions. A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said: 'The Programme for Government commits to maintaining support for our important inshore fishing sector and promoting the sustainability of fish stocks. [ Ireland must not follow England's example on maintaining waterways Opens in new window ] [ New think tank set up to focus on Irish energy policy Opens in new window ] 'In December 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines, was announced. A significant part of the objective of this measure was to manage the fishing effort on sprat stocks which are primarily targeted within inshore waters. This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings resulting in the measure being overturned in 2023. 'In February 2024, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine held a new public consultation on a review of trawling activity inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines. This consultation took place without prejudice. 'Over 5,500 submissions were received. These submissions, along with updated scientific and economic advice from the Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara are being used to inform a review of trawling activity inside the six nautical mile zone and baselines. All relevant issues will be carefully considered before a decision is made.'
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Seas off Cork a 'marine desert' due to overfishing of sprat, says owner of whale-watching business
Government apathy and inaction towards fish conservation has led to parts of the ocean becoming lifeless marine deserts, a respected whale watching expert has said. Skipper Colin Barnes, who has spent more than half a century monitoring Irish waters and who gave up commercial fishing in 2001 to set up one of Ireland's first whale-watching businesses, said the whales have left his search area of ocean off Cork because the sprat they feed on has been fished to near extinction in that area. 'It's devastating to see what were once rich fishing grounds become so barren because of the unregulated fishing of keystone species like sprat by just a handful of trawlers,' he said. Sprat are a vital species. They make the seas rich, because everything eats them, other fish, seabirds, dolphins, whales, but they aren't worth as much money as salmon so no one has done anything about the overfishing. 'But because they have been overfished to the point of extinction in some areas, the place has become lifeless. Sprat are a tiny fish but an important food source for larger fish, sea birds, seals, dolphins and whales. 'I've seen it over the 53 years I've been watching these waters. The place used to be heaving with wildlife, but now it's a marine desert.' He made his comments after confirming the closure of his Union Hall-based Cork Whale Watch business after 25 years in operation. It comes just weeks after a public meeting in West Cork led to calls on the Government to ban all fishing of sprat in inshore coastal waters, ahead of the next fishing season, which opens in October. Sprat are a tiny fish but an important food source for larger fish, sea birds, seals, dolphins and whales. They normally come into sheltered bays to spawn at the beginning of October but campaigners say the sprat are being overfished in their tonnes by Irish trawlers and if it continues, the species will be wiped out, leaving lifeless waters behind. When they are caught, most sprat are sold to fish farms as fishmeal. It takes roughly 3-5kg of fishmeal to produce 1kg of farmed salmon. In 2019, government efforts to introduce a ban on fishing of sprat in inshore waters were successfully challenged in the courts. In 2024, the then minister for the marine launched a public consultation to invite views on introducing the ban again. Common dolphin: Organisers of a meeting in Bantry earlier this month say a petition of some 1,400 signatures backing a ban on sprat fishing has been gathered. It attracted more than 5,500 submissions before the closing date of April 2024, but campaigners say more than a full year on, nothing has happened. The organisers of a meeting in Bantry earlier this month say a petition of some 1,400 signatures backing the ban has been gathered. They also hope to join forces with communities in other affected bays along the coast to put pressure on the Government. The minister of state with responsibility for nature and biodiversity, Cork South West Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O'Sullivan, said if someone with Colin Barnes' experience is crying out for something to be done, the Government must sit up and pay attention. 'We have to introduce measures to protect this forage species — not just for whales, but for all the other fish stocks and wildlife that depend on it — to prevent the collapse of an entire food web," he said. The Department of Marine is working to ensure its latest proposals are robust, he said. And he said a similar ban introduced in the UK has had a positive effect there and he hopes Ireland will follow suit soon. Read More Pair trawling: Sieving the life out of small bays and estuaries
