The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has issued a safety advisory identifying the reported positions of nine limestone boulders placed on the seabed in the southern North Sea by Greenpeace.
The advisory, issued on Wednesday, 4th November, follows Greenpeace's deployment of boulders in UK waters, reported by Afloat.ie earlier this week.
The environmental organisation's vessel Arctic Sunrise deployed the boulders on Saturday, 31st October, in an operation intended to disrupt bottom-towed fishing activity.
The SFPA said it was circulating the reported positions in the interests of safety.
Nine Underwater Boulder Positions Identified
The Irish fisheries regulator has published the following reported coordinates:
| No. | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 52°50.1889'N | 002°55.6531'E |
| 2 | 52°52.01'N | 002°53.27'E |
| 3 | 52°54.02'N | 002°50.57'E |
| 4 | 52°55.084'N | 002°49.04'E |
| 5 | 52°56.879'N | 002°46.339'E |
| 6 | 52°57.3'N | 002°52.4'E |
| 7 | 52°55.3'N | 002°51.6'E |
| 8 | 52°51.3'N | 002°49.2'E |
| 9 | 52°49.1'N | 002°47.4'E |
The positions are reported coordinates rather than independently verified locations.
Safety Implications for Fishing Vessels
The deployment of large boulders on the seabed presents a potential hazard to fishing vessels using bottom-towed gear, which may become snagged on underwater obstructions.
Although the operation took place in the southern North Sea, the SFPA's responsibilities extend to Irish-registered fishing vessels operating internationally.
The authority has confined its statement to the safety implications of the operation and has not expressed a view on Greenpeace's protest.
The SFPA is Ireland's independent statutory regulator for sea fisheries and seafood production, with responsibility for promoting compliance with EU fisheries legislation and relevant food safety laws.
