Irish Whale-Watching Company Shuts Down After 25 Years; Trawlers Stripped The Ocean And The Whales Moved Elsewhere

[hatrack]

A whale-watching company has abandoned tours off Ireland’s southern Atlantic coast and declared the waters an empty, lifeless sea. Colin Barnes, who ran Cork Whale Watch, announced he was closing the company because overfishing of sprat has disrupted the marine food chain and diverted humpback, minke and fin whales as well as dolphins. “Sadly, our world-class whale watching is now a thing of the past,” Barnes said in a post this week. “A small number of greedy fishermen with huge trawlers have overfished the sprats to the point of near extinction. There is nothing left for the whales to prey upon so they have moved on in search of prey elsewhere.”

The company, based in the coastal village of Unionhall, had thrived for most of its 25 years, but only a few minke whales and small groups of dolphins now appeared in its search area, he said. “Over the last couple of years our trips have become totally disappointing. In this light I am truly sad to say we are closing down for good.”

The announcement prompted a public outcry and a promise from the government to do more to protect fish stocks and marine biodiversity. “We have to introduce measures to protect this forage species – not just for whales, but for all the other fish stocks and wildlife that depend on it – to prevent the collapse of an entire food web,” Christopher O’Sullivan, the minister responsible for nature and biodiversity, told the Irish Examiner. He said he hoped Ireland would emulate UK curbs on sprat fishing, which were having a positive effect.

EDIT

Patrick Murphy, the chief executive of the Irish South and West Fish Producer’s Organisation, said warming waters appeared to be pushing sprat further west and north – where sprat catches have risen sharply – and this accounted for the dwindling whale sightings off Cork. “We are asking for a proper scientific assessment for this species, so a proper management policy can be developed to ensure the continued sustainability of this important fishery,” he said.

EDIT

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/30/irish-whale-watching-company-ends-tours-on-south-atlantic-coast-and-blames-overfishing

[LT Barclay]

1. They need to declare that area a marine reserve. Research has shown that marine reserves INCREASE the yield in

surrounding waters within a few years.