Report on SFPA To Be Published By Joint Oireachtas Commitee on Fisheries

25th May 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Close Scrutiny — A fisheries inspector checks net mesh size during compliance inspections as political and industry focus turns to the role and operation of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority" title="Close Scrutiny — A fisheries inspector checks net mesh size during compliance inspections as political and industry focus turns to the role and operation of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority" />

A report on the State’s Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is due to be published by the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs on Tuesday, May 26th.

The joint committee chair, Sinn Féin TD Conor McGuinness, and party colleague Pádraig MacLochlainn, who is the committee’s rapporteur, will be available for questions, along with committee colleagues, at an event at 11am in Leinster House, Dublin.

The work of the SFPA and the criticism of the legislation underpinning it has been a theme of a number of hearings by the Oireachtas committee.

Minister of State for Fisheries Timmy Dooley has committed to a review of the regulator at a previous Oireachtas meeting.

Among critics of the SFPA has been Irish Fish Processors and Exporters’ Association (IFPEA) chief executive Brendan Byrne who has said that Ireland is “over-regulating its fishing industry to death” while failing to inspect EU supertrawlers at sea.

The full report will be available later on Tuesday on the Oireachtas website.

Published in SFPA, Fishing

Published in SFPA

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SFPA

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About the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA)

The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority was established on the 1st of January 2007. The SFPA is independent in the exercise of its functions, which are below.

The principal functions of the Authority are:

To secure efficient and effective enforcement of sea-fisheries law and food safety law

To promote compliance with & deter contraventions of sea-fisheries law and food safety law

To detect contraventions of sea-fisheries law and food safety law

To provide information to the sea-fisheries and seafood sectors on sea-fisheries law and food safety law and relevant matters within the remit of the Authority, through the Consultative Committee established under section 48 of the above Act or by any other means it considers appropriate

To advise the Minister in relation to policy on effective implementation of sea-fisheries law and food safety law

To provide assistance and information to the Minister in relation to the remit of the Authority

To collect and report data in relation to sea fisheries and food safety as required by the Minister and under Community law

To represent or assist in the representation of the State at national, Community and international fora as requested by the Minister, and

To engage in any other activities relating to the functions of the Authority as may be approved of by the Minister.

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