Cracks in the Hull: Industry Voices Frustration Over SFPA in Oireachtas Hearing

 

 

IN AN EXTRAORDINARY and, at times, emotional sitting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and the Marine on July 1st, 2025, the voices of Ireland’s fishing industry laid bare their frustration, despair and determination. The hearing, convened to review the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, turned into a scathing critique of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA). What emerged was a shared cry from fishermen, processors, and industry representatives: a call for fairness, common sense, and survival.

A SYSTEM ADRIFT: The Legislative Hull Breach

From the outset, witnesses representing the  Seafood Ireland Alliance unanimously criticised the outdated and cumbersome nature of the 2006 Act. Brendan Byrne of the IFPEA called the legislation “flawed from the outset,” comparing it to Ireland’s self-regulating relics like the Building Control Act and the Central Bank Act pre-crisis.

“The entire industry depends on how this Act is implemented,” Byrne emphasised. “We need to reopen this Act that I deem to be flawed legislation from the outset.”

One of the core industry grievances was the criminalisation of minor offences. John Lynch of the Irish South and East Fish Producers Organisation called the current sanctioning system “ineffective and enormously costly,” even for those acquitted.

“Even if you’re found innocent in court, the penalty points can still stay on your license,” Lynch explained. “It’s completely wrong.”

Brendan Byrne added, “In Ireland, virtually every infraction is considered serious. In Spain, only one or two offences under the penalty point system are considered serious. How is that just?”

Accountability—or the lack thereof—was a recurring theme. Dominic Rihan, KFO criticised the consultative committee established under the Act, stating it lacks real influence.

“We’re told everything is ‘operational’ and cannot be discussed. We don’t even know what ‘operational’ means because it is never defined,” Rihan said. “The consultative committee is a conduit for information, but nothing more.”

He also highlighted a basic governance flaw: “There are supposed to be 14 members, but only 12 currently sit on the committee. Two have retired, and for over a year we’ve been trying to get replacements.”

 

Perhaps the most disturbing accounts related to SFPA monitoring. Processing facilities now resemble secure facilities more than food plants. Brendan Byrne shared that some factories have as many as 78 cameras on-site.

“We’re the only country in Europe with a live SFPA feed into processing plants,” Byrne declared. “We store 80,000 hours of footage every 31 days. That level of surveillance is not required anywhere else.”

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn was visibly disturbed: “It looked like Long Kesh prison. I don’t know what industry in Ireland would accept that kind of scrutiny.”

THE WEIGHING CONTROVERSY: Crushing the Blue Whiting Sector

Another flashpoint was the SFPA’s insistence on pier-side weighing for delicate pelagic species like blue whiting. Brendan Byrne highlighted the consequences:

“This fish is best handled and weighed in controlled, chilled factory conditions. Instead, we’re forced to weigh it on the pier. The fish gets damaged. It can’t be used for human consumption and ends up as fishmeal. We are being regulated out of the market.”

Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher echoed the concern. “When I was Minister, we negotiated with the Commission to allow weighing in factories. It worked. But we’ve gone backwards.”

Patrick Murphy, IS&WFPO noted, “We see lorries leave for France and Spain where the fish is only checked upon arrival. Meanwhile, our vessels are monitored by the kilogram.”

Murphy stated plainly: “We have a two-tier policing system. One for us. One for everyone else.”

Although some witnesses acknowledged improved engagement with SFPA senior staff, they said the impact on the ground was negligible.

“We’ve had workshops and dialogue, sure,” said Dominic Rihan. “But once we leave the room, nothing changes at port level.”

Brendan Byrne added, “The Wolfe and PwC reports identified inconsistent application of regulations. It hasn’t improved.”

 

PENALTY POINTS: A Game You Can Never Win

Under current legislation, penalty points do not expire if any new infraction occurs within a three-year window. Byrne described the effect:

“You could be infraction-free for 35 months. One small mistake, and the entire clock resets. It’s designed so you never escape.”

John Lynch elaborated: “It’s unlike any penalty system in Europe. Skippers can lose their licenses permanently. And there’s no path to reinstatement.”

Patrick Murphy pointedly added, “If you commit murder and serve your time, you’re free. If you hit too many penalty points, you’re done for life.”

 

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

As Brendan Byrne concluded, “The law must be fair, balanced and proportionate. This one is not.”

Senator Sarah O’Reilly questioned whether even minor infractions should lead to convictions. “It’s shocking,” she said, “that something so small can ruin a person’s record and livelihood.”

Witnesses stressed the urgency of legislative reform. “We need administrative sanctions,” Lynch repeated. “Criminalising people over paperwork or guesswork is madness.”

Deputy David Maxwell summarised the mood best: “Every obstacle is placed in front of our fishermen. Boats are tied up. Factories are idle. No wonder foreign boats steam right past us.”

THE FINAL WORD

The Committee will soon hear from SFPA and the Minister. But the message from industry stakeholders is unambiguous: reform is not optional. It is essential.

Whether the SFPA is trimmed, its powers restructured, or its culture overhauled, something must change. Because for Ireland’s fishing families, what was once a way of life is now a daily struggle against bureaucracy, imbalance, and invisibility.

The tide has turned. It’s time the law did too.