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Afloat.ie has learned that the National Yacht Club’s pandemic-delayed 150th anniversary gala dinner has sold out in under 24 hours.

The event on Saturday 22 October marks the club’s sesquicentennial some two-and-a-half years late, after COVID restrictions forced the cancellation of the originally scheduled dinner in March 2020.

While the €90-a-plate night is a black-tie affair, the club says “pops of colour” will be “very much encouraged”.

It adds that the evening will commence with pre-dinner drinks, moving onto a superlative five-course meal with wine accompaniment, covering the vernacular of classical and nouvelle cuisine by club chef Cormac Healy, which will be interspersed with and followed by entertainment until late.


“We hope that all who wish to attend can make it to celebrate the past, present and future of the National Yacht Club,” the club says.

“The committees of the National Yacht Club look forward to seeing you there and belatedly ushering in the next 150 years of our exceptional club in appropriate style.”

Published in National YC
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The National Yacht Club is hosting its annual Davy Junior Regatta in Dun Laoghaire next Wednesday 13 July.

Registration will take place the prior evening Tuesday 12 July from 5pm to 6.30pm and again on Wednesday morning from 8.15am to 9am, ahead of the competitors’ briefing at 9.15am.

Three races are scheduled for the day, Launching for both junior sailing fleets is scheduled to commence at 10am with the first warning signal for the Harbour Fleet at 10.45am and the Main Fleet at 11.15am.

The entry fee for the regatta is €15 for single-handed boats and €25 for two-handed boats.

Meanwhile, the current entry list, Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions can be found on the NYC website.

Click HERE to enter the regatta — entries close at 9pm on Tuesday 12 July.

Published in National YC
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The National Yacht Club is holding its biennial Regatta presented by main sponsor Davy this Saturday 18 June, and the Notice of Race and online entry are now available.

The Dun Laoghaire waterfront club promises a great programme of entertainment ashore and guaranteed great racing on the water on a date that’s not to be missed.

Published in National YC
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The National Yacht Club seeks a Head Coach, part time or full time, to lead high-quality learning throughout the club’s general membership, racing yachts, performance sailing, all coaches and instructors, junior section and cadet members.

Based on the Dun Laoghaire waterfront, the club has a membership of around 400 members, including more than 200 junior sailors, taking part in the sport throughout the year. 

The successful candidate for NYC Head Coach should have the following broad aims:

  • To uphold and enhance the mission of the NYC.
  • To raise the sailing standards of members, instructors and junior sailors of the club.
  • To enhance the club’s participation at all levels among junior and adult sailors.
  • To drive presentation and performance of the club’s sailors at regional and national sailing events.
  • To build an excellent coaching and performance culture and environment.
  • To grow the pipeline of youth membership and establish a pathway from junior sailors to adult membership.

The Head Coach should undertake the following activities:

  • To lead all sail training and performance coaching programmes for junior and adult sailors: match, team and club racing, WoW, U25s and junior training.
  • Develop and implement programmes for all members, including individuals, teams and different cohort.
  • Oversee the development of the club’s Performance sailors and put in place a schedule of performance sailing coaching sessions at the club and external events.
  • Select, develop and retain all instructors and coaches and provide support with training execution and review.
  • Review and ensure compliance with schedules, pathways, standards, protocols, course, infrastructure and processes for all coaching.
  • Increase coaching revenue at the club.
  • Coordinate and communicate with coaches and sailing stakeholders.
  • To work with the boathouse to ensure the club infrastructure, boats, rescue etc required to compete and provide training are maintained to a high standard.
  • To work with the sailing manager and administrative team to ensure that all administrative tasks required to manage the course programme are executed in a timely manner.

The Head Coach should have the following skills and competencies:

  • Trained in coaching, first aid and safeguarding through Irish Sailing.
  • Highly experienced with 10-plus years and expert in sailing and racing as subject matters.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including coaching and mentoring.
  • Effective communication and leadership skills required to manage all stakeholders.
  • Proven track-record of working as part of a team in a similar position is desirable.
  • Full, clean drivers licence (with trailer).

This role is accountable to the club’s Junior Organiser and General Committee.

Applications for this role should be sent to [email protected] by Monday 20 June.

Published in National YC
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Mark Hassett came out on top to win the inaugural National Yacht Club Match Racing Invitational on Sunday 5 December.

With his team of Adam Hyland and Robbie English, Hassett beat an impressive field of national champions and Olympic sailors to come out victorious.

After a postponement on Day 1 due to unfavourable conditions, the fleet of seven teams finally got out in the NYC’s fleet of purpose-built Elliott 6M match-racing boats. After multiple attempts and gusts upwards of 35 knots, it was decided to cancel racing for the day and have an early start the next day instead.

As Sunday rolled around, teams pitched up at 8am to a fantastic sunrise and ideal match racing conditions. Race officer Will Byrne cracked off 21 races to complete the round robin in impressive time. The top four teams — Mark Hassett, Brendan Lyden, Tom Fitzpatrick and Seafra Guilfoyle — proceeded to finals.

As top ranked team after the round robin, Hassett opted to face Guilfoyle in the first semi, leaving Lyden to go up against Fitzpatrick in the other side of the first to two wins in the semi-finals. Hassett had two clean wins against Guilfoyle to proceed to the finals.

Racing in the NYC’s Elliott 6M fleet in the club’s inaugural match racing invitational | Credit: Guy BogganRacing in the NYC’s Elliott 6M fleet in the club’s inaugural match racing invitational | Credit: Guy Boggan

Lyden vs Fitzpatrick was not so simple. Fitzpatrick took the first win with Lyden taking the second. Going in to the final race, it was neck-and-neck at the top mark, but a MOB on Fitzpatrick’s boat all but scuppered their chances of making the finals, allowing Lyden to sail to victory.

Then the finals were upon us: Hassett vs Lyden, who were also the top two teams after the round robin.

Hassett got the first Starboard entry start as top seeded sailor and the two locked horns for two very intense final races. Hassett won race one and looked to be trailing in the second but a smart tactical move, gybe setting at the top mark while Lyden sailed in to the lee of the west pier allowed them to regain the lead and sail to a 2-0 victory, winning the event overall.

Diana Kissane and her team of Ellen Cahill and Cliodhna Connolly also came away as top female team of the event.

Organisers offered “massive thanks” to Jones Engineering and Hyland Shipping for backing the evemnt. “Without the generous support of the sponsors, this event could not have been the success it was,” they added.

Published in Match Racing
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Online applications are now open for winter dinghy platform parking with the National Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

However, with space very limited on the platform, the club advises that priority will be given to junior dinghies signed up for club training, and adult dinghies involved in club training and/or the DMYC Frostbite series. All other applications will be reviewed based on the space remaining.

Boats which have been accepted must complete the platform parking payment form made available to them prior to bringing their boats back on the platform.

Members are reminded that platform parking will not reopen before Saturday 23 October as the boathouse still has to lift many keelboats on trailers and position them on the platform after the main lift-out next Saturday 16 October.

Elsewhere on Dun Laoghaire’s waterfront, the Royal St George Yacht Club’s annual lift-out is also scheduled for next Saturday 16 October. More details are available on the RStGYC website HERE.

Published in National YC
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The National Yacht Club’s Topper winter training programme got under way with its first session today (Sunday 10 October) at the Dun Laoghaire waterfront club.

Training continues every Sunday until the end of November, with sessions for beginner (9.30am-12.30pm), intermediate (1pm-4pm) and advanced youth sailors (1pm-4pm).

The cost for the full programme is €175. Eight club Toppers are available to charter at an extra €90, for a maximum of eight sailors per group.

All sailors and parents are also obliged to sign the code of conduct to encourage good behaviour.

Registration is available online at the NYC website HERE.

Published in Topper
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The National Yacht Club has signed up to the 20×20 initiative to encourage more women and girls to get involved in sport.

Increasing the visibility of women in sport is the focus of 20x20, and so far over 600 clubs across Ireland have signed up to the initiative.

The NYC says it is “thrilled to celebrate the longstanding achievements of its women members and to encourage more women to get involved in sailing at all levels”.

This begins at the earliest stages, where the junior section “keeps a keen eye on ensuring that girls get involved”, while the Women on the Water network “has been encouraging beginners and rusty sailors back into dinghy and keelboat sailing for over six years, generating a vibrant and supportive community across the club”.

The NYC adds: “Across all levels and ages, women members are valued boat owners, helms and crew members, and are involved in leadership roles in sailing, including race management in the club and in DBSC.”

Highlights include NYC’s involvement in running the Irish Sailing Pathfinder Women at the Helm regatta in 2019 and being selected to run it a second time in 2020, while the NYC’s women are also represented in ISORA racing and the recent Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race.

“Strength, fitness, inclusion, respect, leadership: these are key values of 20×20. What better role models than NYC members, Olympic silver medal winner and Tokyo 2020 competitor Annalise Murphy and Commodore of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club, Ann Kirwan.”

Published in National YC
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Women on the Water J80 crews are back in action in Dun Laoghaire from tomorrow, Tuesday 25 May, the National Yacht Club has announced.

Sailing will be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons, in two series of one week each to prepare for DBSC racing which is planned to run until 25 September.

Interest is high so the NYC encourages anyone who wants to sail to act quickly. Sailing is organised by Women on the Water but is open to all members and new crew are always welcome.

Coaches are on board but some sailing experience is required in order to race. If you’re interested in joining up, text Caitriona O’Brien on 087 232 7748.

In other NYC news, the U25 section will also be a part of this summer’s DBSC programme, not to mention weeknight match racing in Elliot 6s.

The U25s will also be entering J80 teams in the Sovereign’s Cup in Kinsale, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, ICRA Nationals and Women at the Helm regatta — with coaching and team building opportunities for all skill levels — while the HYC will play host to an inter-club U25 J80 regatta, details to come.

Published in J80
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The Notice of Race and online entry form are now available for the Irish Cruiser Racing Association’s National Championships 2021 later this year.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire is the host for this year’s event — scheduled for the weekend of Friday 3 to Sunday 5 September.

The three-day Championships being held in Dun Laoghaire will comprise fleets accommodating offshore, traditional and white sail racing.

Each fleet will get its own race areas with race management. Three fleets will be accommodated at the event covering:

  • Fleet 0 Class 0
  • Fleet 1 Class 1 and 2
  • Fleet 2 Class 3 and Corinthians Cup White Sails classes

Fleet 0 will be provided with a combination of Coastal courses and Windward Leeward races, while Fleets 1 & 2 will have a mix of inshore races covering both Round the Cans and Windward Leeward courses.

The Irish Cruiser Racing Association’s National Championships 2021 is on Dublin Bay this SeptemberThe Irish Cruiser Racing Association’s National Championships 2021 is on Dublin Bay this September

Courses will be managed by International PROs Jack Roy and Con Murphy from the NYC.

Back on shore, possibly for the first big Irish regatta of the year, the renowned National Yacht Club will welcome and provide full hospitality for all, subject to prevailing COVID 19 regulations.

Regatta Director, Paul Barrington commented, "The National Yacht Club is delighted to be hosting the ICRA National Championships and to welcome sailors from around the island of Ireland following a very difficult 18 months. Together with ICRA and a large team of National Yacht Club volunteers, we look forward to creating an environment for enjoyable and competitive racing for these prestigious Championships."

The National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire is the host for this year’s eventThe National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire is the host for this year’s event

ICRA Commodore, Richard Colwell added, "We are delighted to launch the ICRA National Championships 2021 in conjunction with the NYC and our sponsors. It is fantastic to be launching an event that looks very likely to go ahead, and now looks certain to be one of the biggest and most competitive events of the year. We will have great racing and fun for all cruiser racers at the Championships, from J24s to Sunfast 3300's, and both furling and non-furling white sails classes. We recommend completing your entry as soon possible to ensure your place."

Entries can be made on-line here before 20 August 2021

The Entry Fees are as follows: 

Before 11th June

Boats rating 0.895 and under €165
Boats rating between 0.896 and 0.985 €195
Boats rating 0.986 and above €225

After 11th June

All Boats €245

Poster for the ICRA Nationals at the National Yacht Club, Friday 3 to Sunday 5 September

Published in ICRA
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Page 3 of 11

Aquaculture Information

Aquaculture is the farming of animals in the water and has been practised for centuries, with the monks farming fish in the middle ages. More recently the technology has progressed and the aquaculture sector is now producing in the region of 50 thousand tonnes annually and provides a valuable food product as well as much needed employment in many rural areas of Ireland.

A typical fish farm involves keeping fish in pens in the water column, caring for them and supplying them with food so they grow to market size. Or for shellfish, containing them in a specialised unit and allowing them to feed on natural plants and materials in the water column until they reach harvestable size. While farming fish has a lower carbon and water footprint to those of land animals, and a very efficient food fed to weight gain ratio compared to beef, pork or chicken, farming does require protein food sources and produces organic waste which is released into the surrounding waters. Finding sustainable food sources, and reducing the environmental impacts are key challenges facing the sector as it continues to grow.

Salmon is the most popular fish bought by Irish families. In Ireland, most of our salmon is farmed, and along with mussels and oysters, are the main farmed species in the country.

Aquaculture in Ireland

  • Fish and shellfish are farmed in 14 Irish coastal counties.
  • Irish SMEs and families grow salmon, oysters, mussels and other seafood
  • The sector is worth €150m at the farm gate – 80% in export earnings.
  • The industry sustains 1,833 direct jobs in remote rural areas – 80% in the west of Ireland
  • Every full-time job in aquaculture creates 2.27 other jobs locally (Teagasc 2015)
  • Ireland’s marine farms occupy 0.0004% of Ireland’s 17,500Km2 inshore area.
  • 83% of people in coastal areas support the development of fish farming
  • Aquaculture is a strong, sustainable and popular strategic asset for development and job creation (Foodwise 2025, National Strategic Plan, Seafood
  • Operational Programme 2020, FAO, European Commission, European Investment Bank, Harvesting Our Ocean Wealth, Silicon Republic, CEDRA)
    Ireland has led the world in organically certified farmed fish for over 30 years
  • Fish farm workers include people who have spent over two decades in the business to school-leavers intent on becoming third-generation farmers on their family sites.

Irish Aquaculture FAQs

Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants, and involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions- in contrast to commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. Mariculture refers to aquaculture practiced in marine environments and in underwater habitats. Particular kinds of aquaculture include fish farming, shrimp farming, oyster farming, mariculture, algaculture (such as seaweed farming), and the cultivation of ornamental fish. Particular methods include aquaponics and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, both of which integrate fish farming and plant farming.

About 580 aquatic species are currently farmed all over the world, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which says it is "practised by both some of the poorest farmers in developing countries and by multinational companies".

Increasing global demand for protein through seafood is driving increasing demand for aquaculture, particularly given the pressures on certain commercially caught wild stocks of fish. The FAO says that "eating fish is part of the cultural tradition of many people and in terms of health benefits, it has an excellent nutritional profile, and "is a good source of protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and essential micronutrients".

Aquaculture now accounts for 50 per cent of the world's fish consumed for food, and is the fastest-growing good sector.

China provides over 60 per cent of the world's farmed fish. In Europe, Norway and Scotland are leading producers of finfish, principally farmed salmon.

For farmed salmon, the feed conversion ratio, which is the measurement of how much feed it takes to produce the protein, is 1.1, as in one pound of feed producing one pound of protein, compared to rates of between 2.2 and 10 for beef, pork and chicken. However, scientists have also pointed out that certain farmed fish and shrimp requiring higher levels of protein and calories in feed compared to chickens, pigs, and cattle.

Tilapia farming which originated in the Middle East and Africa has now become the most profitable business in most countries. Tilapia has become the second most popular seafood after crab, due to which its farming is flourishing. It has entered the list of best selling species like shrimp and salmon.

There are 278 aquaculture production units in Ireland, according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) *, producing 38,000 tonnes of finfish and shellfish in 2019 and with a total value of €172 million

There are currently almost 2,000 people directly employed in Irish aquaculture in the Republic, according to BIM.

BIM figures for 2019 recorded farmed salmon at almost 12,000 tonnes, valued at €110 million; rock oysters reached 10,300 tonnes at a value of €44 million; rope mussels at 10,600 tonnes were valued at €7 million; seabed cultured mussels at 4,600 tonnes were valued at €7 million; "other" finfish reached 600 tonnes, valued at €2 million and "other" shellfish reached 300 tonnes, valued at €2 million

Irish aquaculture products are exported to Europe, US and Asia, with salmon exported to France, Germany, Belgium and the US. Oysters are exported to France, with developing sales to markets in Hong Kong and China. France is Ireland's largest export for mussels, while there have been increased sales in the domestic and British markets.

The value of the Irish farmed finfish sector fell by five per cent in volume and seven per cent in value in 2019, mainly due to a fall on salmon production, but this was partially offset by a seven per cent increased in farmed shellfish to a value of 60 million euro. Delays in issuing State licenses have hampered further growth of the sector, according to industry representatives.

Fish and shellfish farmers must be licensed, and must comply with regulations and inspections conducted by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and the Marine Institute. Food labelling is a function of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. There is a long backlog of license approvals in the finfish sector, while the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine says it is working to reduce the backlog in the shellfish sector.

The department says it is working through the backlog, but notes that an application for a marine finfish aquaculture licence must be accompanied by either an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR). As of October 2020, over two-thirds of applications on hand had an EIS outstanding, it said.

The EU requires member states to have marine spatial plans by 2021, and Ireland has assigned responsibility to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government for the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF). Legislation has been drawn up to underpin this, and to provide a "one stop shop" for marine planning, ranging from fish farms to offshore energy – as in Marine Planning and Development Management Bill. However, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine confirmed last year that it intends to retain responsibility for aquaculture and sea-fisheries related development – meaning fish and shellfish farmers won't be able to avail of the "one stop shop" for marine planning.

Fish and shellfish health is a challenge, with naturally occurring blooms, jellyfish and the risk of disease. There are also issues with a perception that the sector causes environmental problems.

The industry has been on a steep learning curve, particularly in finfish farming, since it was hailed as a new future for Irish coastal communities from the 1970s – with the State's Electricity Supply Board being an early pioneer, and tobacco company Carrolls also becoming involved for a time. Nutrient build up, which occurs when there is a high density of fish in one area, waste production and its impact on depleting oxygen in water, creating algal blooms and "dead zones", and farmers' use of antibiotics to prevent disease have all been concerns, and anglers have also been worried about the impact of escaped farmed salmon on wild fish populations. Sea lice from salmon farmers were also blamed for declines in sea trout and wild salmon in Irish estuaries and rivers.

BIM says over 95% of all salmon farmed in Ireland are certified organic. Organically grown salmon are only fed a diet of sustainable organic feed. They are also raised in more spacious pens than traditional farmed salmon. The need to site locations for fish farms further out to sea, using more robust cages for weather, has been recognised by regulatory agencies. There is a move towards land-based aquaculture in Norway to reduce impact on local ecosystems. The industry says that antibiotic use is declining, and it says that "safe and effective vaccinations have since been developed for farmed fish and are now widely used". Many countries are now adopting a more sustainable approach to removing sea lice from salmon, using feeder fish such as wrasse and lumpsucker fish. Ireland's first lumpsucker hatchery was opened in 2015.

BIM says over 95% of all salmon farmed in Ireland are certified organic. Organically grown salmon are only fed a diet of sustainable organic feed. They are also raised in more spacious pens than traditional farmed salmon. The need to site locations for fish farms further out to sea, using more robust cages for weather, has been recognised by regulatory agencies. There is a move towards land-based aquaculture in Norway to reduce impact on local ecosystems. The industry says that antibiotic use is declining, and it says that "safe and effective vaccinations have since been developed for farmed fish and are now widely used". Many countries are now adopting a more sustainable approach to removing sea lice from salmon, using feeder fish such as wrasse and lumpsucker fish. Ireland's first lumpsucker hatchery was opened in 2015.

Yes, as it is considered to have better potential for controlling environmental impacts, but it is expensive. As of October 2020, the department was handling over 20 land-based aquaculture applications.

The Irish Farmers' Association has represented fish and shellfish farmers for many years, with its chief executive Richie Flynn, who died in 2018, tirelessly championing the sector. His successor, Teresa Morrissey, is an equally forceful advocate, having worked previously in the Marine Institute in providing regulatory advice on fish health matters, scientific research on emerging aquatic diseases and management of the National Reference Laboratory for crustacean diseases.

BIM provides training in the national vocational certificate in aquaculture at its National Fisheries College, Castletownbere, Co Cork. It also trains divers to work in the industry. The Institute of Technology Carlow has also developed a higher diploma in aqua business at its campus in Wexford, in collaboration with BIM and IFA Aquaculture, the representative association for fish and shellfish farming.

© Afloat 2020

At A Glance - Irish Aquaculture

  • Fish and shellfish are farmed in 14 Irish coastal counties
  • Salmon is the most popular fish bought by Irish families. 
  • In Ireland, most of our salmon is farmed, and along with mussels and oysters, are the main farmed species in the country.
  • The industry sustains 1,833 direct jobs in remote rural areas – 80% in the west of Ireland
  • Every full-time job in aquaculture creates 2.27 other jobs locally (Teagasc 2015)
  • Ireland’s marine farms occupy 0.0004% of Ireland’s 17,500Km2 inshore area.
  • 83% of people in coastal areas support the development of fish farming

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