The Loughs Agency says it welcomes the new legislation to protect basking sharks in Irish waters.
As reported by Afloat.ie on Monday (3 October), measures to accord the status of ‘protected wild animal’ on basking sharks under the Wildlife Act were signed into law by Minister for Marine Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan.
The Irish Basking Shark Group (IBSG) was among the organisations responsible for pushing the new regulations through. The group’s ‘Save our Shark’ campaign garnered the support of over 12,000 members of the public signing an online petition.
The basking shark has been classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of globally threatened species, with its status changing from vulnerable to endangered globally in 2019.
It is now protected from hunting, injury and wilful destruction of its breeding and resting places in Irish waters under the Wildlife Act. However, the Social Democrats are calling for a protection plan “with the necessary resources” for the second-largest fish in the oceans.
Basking sharks have been frequently sighted in both Loughs Agency catchments— in Lough Foyle off the coast of Donegal as well as in Carlingford Lough.
The Loughs Agency is the cross-border body for the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas and says it has been heavily involved in conservation efforts for the basking shark and other marine wildlife species as part of the SeaMonitor Project, with further updates available in the near future.
Sharon McMahon, chief executive of the Loughs Agency said: “We welcome the news that these stunning creatures are now designated as protected under Ireland’s Wildlife Act.
“The threat of extinction is on the increase for the basking shark, and as our waters constitute one of the most internationally important coastal regions for the species, this announcement will serve to ensure our loughs remain a safe space.
“On behalf of Loughs Agency, I would like to thank Ministers Noonan and McConalogue for signing off these regulations.”
The move has also been welcomed as “a huge step forward” by campaign network Fair Seas, though its policy officer Dr Donal Griffin added: “We can do even more to make sure basking sharks thrive in Irish waters.”
