Conservation measures introduced for recreational fishing of pollack

• Measures are being introduced in response to scientific advice from the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
• Pollack is an important species for recreational sea angling and supports valuable tourism activities in many coastal communities

Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Timmy Dooley has signed a national bye-law to support the long-term sustainability of pollack stocks in waters around Ireland.

The Pollack Fishing Conservation Bye-Law (No. 1028 of 2026) gives national effect to EU measures relating to recreational pollack fishing, as set out in EU Regulation 2026/249 on Fishing Opportunities.

These measures are being introduced in response to scientific advice from the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which indicates that pollack stocks in the Celtic Seas areas, including waters around Ireland, are at low levels and that catches should be restricted in order to support stock recovery.

This bye-law introduces a daily bag-limit of three pollack per angler. Once this limit is reached, anglers may continue to fish on a catch and release basis. Daily bag limits and catch and release are a commonly used fisheries conservation measures, both nationally and internationally, to reduce fishing pressure while continuing to allow recreational angling activity.

Pollack is an important species for recreational angling in Ireland and is a key target species for many sea anglers and charter boat operators. This sector has demonstrated a strong commitment to conservation and, for many years, have voluntarily practised catch and release angling and supported data collection under the Irish Marine Recreational Fishing Survey (IMREC), managed by Inland Fisheries Ireland, which is helping to improve our scientific understanding of recreational fishing activity.

Signing the bye-law Minister Dooley said:

The bye-law will come into effect from 1 June 2026.

ENDS

• Fishing opportunities for most of Europe's fish stocks are set under the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which seeks to balance the sustainability of fish stocks with social and economic considerations.
• For commercial fisheries, this generally takes the form of total allowable catch (TAC) quotas. For recreational fisheries, conservation measures may include bag limits, seasonal closures or minimum size limits.
• Pollack Fishing Conservation Bye-Law No. 1028 of 2026 gives effect to Article 12 of the in EU Council Regulation 2026/249 on Fishing Opportunities 2026. Article 12 introduces, for the first time, conservation measures for the recreational fishing of pollack in ICES Areas 6 and 7, which includes the waters around Ireland.
• This measure arises from the scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which indicates that levels of pollack stock in the Celtic Seas area, including waters around Ireland, are low and that catches should be restricted to support stock recovery.
• ICES is an intergovernmental marine science organisation that provides scientific advice to the European Commission and to national governments.
• The daily bag-limit of three is the maximum number of fish that an angler can retain in a single day. Once that limit is reached, the angler can continue fishing, but any additional fish caught beyond the daily limit must be returned to the water.
• Bag limits and catch and release are commonly used, both nationally and internationally, as a conservation measure to restrict catches and support the sustainable management of fish stocks while also allowing angling activity to continue.
• The bag limit will come into effect from 1 June 2026.