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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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The National Yacht Club is seeking expressions of interest from all members aged 16 to 25, regardless of class or experience, in the prospect of forming an U25 J80 squad.

The rough plan is for a five-person team (with one or two subs) who will campaign a J80 this summer, pandemic restrictions allowing, with weekly training and racing at the J80 Nationals, ICRAs and Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

For more details on the team, the selection process and the submission form, see the NYC website HERE.

Published in J80
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The National Yacht Club has teamed up with Wild West Sailing to run online ICC refresher and RYA day skipper navigation courses for its members.

It follows the success of the small boat coastal navigation course currently running for NYC members that’s been organised by Women on the Water.

The RYA day skipper navigation course (€400 pp for NYC members) runs on Zoom over five weeks on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6pm-9.30pm starting this coming Thursday 11 February.

Meanwhile, the ICC refresher course (€150 pp for NYC members) will run over four Wednesday evenings from 6pm-9.30pm from 17 February.

It will cover buoyage and pilotage; IRPCS (Col. Regs); chartwork, position fixing and tidal streams. There will also be a mock exam ahead of assessments that can be organised in Dun Laoghaire and Sligo.

Published in National YC
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The National Yacht Club has offered its congratulations to Dublin Bay Sailing Club on its recognition as Mitsubishi Motors Sailing Club of the Year for 2021.

As our own WM Nixon wrote last week, it marks only the second time that the unique Dublin organisation — primarily comprising members of the Dun Laoghaire waterfront clubs, the NYC included — has received the accolade.

“DBSC did a fantastic job in difficult circumstances in 2020 to get our members out sailing for most of the summer,” said National Yacht Club Commodore Martin McCarthy.

“The NYC is delighted that our member Ann Kirwan has taken on the role of Commodore of DBSC this year, with club stalwart Chris Moore being Hon Sec, and other NYC members also heavily involved on other fronts.

“Congratulations also to 2020 Commodore Jonathan Nicholson on his fine stewardship of the club.”

Published in DBSC
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The National Yacht Club has cancelled its previously scheduled January training sessions in the RS Aero due to the extended Level 5 coronavirus restrictions.

It's hoped the sessions will be rescheduled for future weeks as restrictions allow. The NYC website will have an update on details accordingly.

While this training cannot go ahead as planned, it nevertheless marks a recognition of the growth of the RS Aero class which now has 25 boats across Ireland, as recently reported on Afloat.ie.

Published in RS Aero
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Summer dinghy parking at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire ended this past Sunday 11 October, and all dinghies were expected to be removed by that date to facilitate the club’s annual lift-out.

A limited number of storage slots are available for those signed up for winter training and/or the DMYC Frostbite racing series, and anyone who has not yet done so is invited to apply HERE.

Temporary space has also been secured in the Old Ferry Terminal until Friday 30 October for boats that do not yet have a winter parking slot. Please note that you will need to bring over your own boat and collect it on the assigned dates.

Optimists are currently exempt from these requirements, but storage space is available — with preference given to those actively sailing, who will get the bottom racks.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring National Yacht Club is now taking applications for dinghy platform parking over the winter.

Dinghies taking part in either the junior training sessions or the Frostbite series must complete this form prior to bringing their boats back on the platform.

Boaters must note that platform parking does not reopen before Saturday 31 October as the boathouse still has to lift many keelboats on trailers and position them on the platform following the main lift-out scheduled for Saturday 24 October.

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The National Yacht Club welcomes new general manager John O’Grady, who started this morning (Tuesday 29 September) and brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality sector, particularly with the neighbouring Royal Marine Hotel.

O’Grady joins at a crucial time, as Level 3 lockdown restrictions in Dublin put paid to so much hard work by the NYC staff in ensuring safe dining for members in the clubhouse.

The club says it is learning from its first week of Level 3 catering, with upgrades to the outdoor shelter and heating, and reconfiguring the balcony and outside the JB Room to make things more comfortable.

There is a rolling catering programme from noon to 7pm each day, and these hours may be extended if weather allows. Chef Cormac and his team are also offering a full takeaway service.

In the meantime, O’Grady and the clubhouse team have started planning for events for once Dublin emerges from Level 3 and following next month’s scheduled lift-out, with quiz nights, awards nights, speakers’ suppers, ladies’ lunches and more.

They may take on a different format, the NYC says, but with the adjustments everyone has made this year they can still bring members together.

Published in National YC
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Dun Laoghaire sailors are advised that lift-out day on the National Yacht Club platform is scheduled for Saturday 24 October, weather permitting.

Platform space for winter storage is limited and, for essential planning purposes, applications for keelboats should be returned prior to Monday 21 September.

Applications must include a cheque made payable to the National Yacht Club and come with confirmation of intention via email to [email protected]

Published in National YC
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The National Yacht Club hosts the Flying Fifteen East Coast Championship in Dublin Bay next weekend, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September.

The Notice of Race is available to read or download, and the online entry form can be found HERE.

Please note that due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is no race office for the event.

All competitors, skippers and crews, are invited to join the WhatsApp group dedicated to facilitate communications for this event.

The competitors’ briefing will be via Zoom (link emailed to competitors) on Saturday 19 September at 9am and all helms and crews are encouraged to download and unstall the Zoom app ahead of time.

Published in Flying Fifteen
Tagged under

The National Yacht Club’s planned two-day race weekend for its own 150th anniversary has been scaled down to a single-day event now known as the Sesquicentennial Race Day.

The decision was reached earlier this week following the latest Government announcements concerning the coronavirus pandemic.

Now scheduled solely on Saturday 5 September, the event will be on-the-water only with no social events or catering on land other than regular offerings available to club members by prior booking.

The NYC website has further details of the reconfigured event and how to enter.

Elsewhere, Wicklow Sailing Club has offered its apologies to the catamarans that were expected to visit the club next weekend as due to the current restrictions, the club is not in a position to host visiting boats.

The East Coast club, which last month was forced to cancel this year’s edition of the Round Ireland Yacht Race, says it hopes to welcome the catamarans again in 2021.

Published in National YC
Page 4 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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