2025 marked the midway point of the SFPA’s three-year Statement of Strategy setting out our goals and detailing a programme of development to the end of 2026. This Strategy builds on the evolution of the organisation. It seeks to ensure that we continue to effectively deliver on the SFPA’s mandate as set out in the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2006. Our Strategy also keeps step with amendments to the regulatory environment both nationally and internationally.
Significant work was completed in 2025 in preparation for the additional aspects of the revised European Union (EU) Fisheries Control Regulation scheduled to take effect in January 2026. The SFPA engaged with the EU Commission on the development of the Implementing and Delegated Acts and continues to provide advice and feedback on behalf of Ireland. The SFPA engaged with industry to provide timely information and guidance on the requirements of the developing legislation through meetings, briefings, training sessions and the issue of Fisheries Information Notices (FINs) and will continue to do so as further aspects of the legislation come into force.
2025 also saw the continued implementation of our EU Commission approved Sea-Fisheries Control Plan. The functioning of the Control Plan progressed satisfactorily over the course of the year and great credit is due to our SFPA colleagues and the sea-fisheries and seafood processing sector, for embracing the control regime.
Protecting sea-fisheries sustainability and safeguarding against illegal fishing activity is one of the critical activities of the SFPA. During 2025 there were 47,882 landings from fishing vessels into Irish Ports. Over that period our Sea-Fisheries Protection Officers (SFPOs) undertook 2,298 physical inspections resulting in 78 sea-fisheries law enforcement case files being opened and 9 points cases submitted to the Points Determination Panel.
The SFPA carried out a total of 6 vessel detentions together with its joint enforcement agency partners, European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and the Irish Naval Service.
Protecting seafood safety is crucial, not only to the reputation of Ireland’s seafood offering both at home and abroad, but ultimately for the health and well-being of consumers of Irish seafood products.
In 2025, the SFPA promoted and oversaw compliance with relevant food safety legislation in 2,288 food businesses. A total of 2,719 food safety controls were carried out. Of these official controls, 742 were inspections of establishments handling and processing fishery products, vessels and transport vehicles, 1,733 consisted of official control checks, such as checks prior to certifying a consignment of food being transported to a third country, temperature checks and labelling checks, and 244 verification activities included food incidents/complaints and inspections of fish quality.
Seafood safety law enforcement measures range from informal advisory measures to the service of Compliance Notices, as well as to the commencement of criminal prosecutions for serious non-compliances. In 2025, 8 Compliance Notices, 1 Improvement Notice, 1 Improvement Order Application, 1 Prohibition Order and 10 Fixed Payment Notices were issued under Food Safety and Animal By- Product legislation.
As a food exporting nation there is significant emphasis on Ireland’s position as a supplier of safe, traceable and sustainably produced high-quality food. Seafood is a valuable part of this offering. As Ireland’s competent authority for seafood trade compliance, the SFPA undertakes a range of activities critical to enabling Ireland’s seafood economy. Our Trade Compliance Unit, along with our SFPOs across the country, support our seafood producers to enable export internationally and the functioning of our seafood production supply chains.
In 2025 for example, the SFPA enabled the export of consignments of seafood totalling 88,809 tonnes to countries outside the EU including the UK through the provision of Export Health Certification. During 2025, the Authority processed 1,385 export health certificates for Irish consignments destined for Great Britain. In 2025, exports to Great Britain totalled 4,738 tonnes.
Commenting on the publication of the SFPA’s 2025 Annual Report, Michael Finn, Acting Executive Chairperson of the SFPA stated:
“I am pleased to publish our 2025 Annual Report, which highlights the extensive work delivered in the provision of regulatory oversight of Ireland’s sea-fishing fleet and seafood processing sector, thereby underpinning the sustainability and safety of Ireland’s internationally renowned seafood offering.
In line with our strategy, the SFPA continues to advance organisational excellence and efficiency through change programmes driven by evolving regulations and ICT advancements. The implementation of the SFPA’s priority digitalisation project, a new digital inspections service, is currently at an advanced stage of development and it is planned for implementation in the near future. This digitalisation project will bring tangible benefits that position the SFPA to optimally deliver on its mandate.
In a challenging climate for Ireland’s sea-fisheries and seafood sectors, the SFPA will focus on engaging positively with industry stakeholders and partners through open dialogue, positive communications, building partnerships and greater advocacy in the promotion of compliance.”
The SFPA’s Annual Report 2025 can be accessed on the SFPA’s website or by clicking the following links:
Annual Report 2025 (Accessible, English language)
Tuarascáil Bhliantúil 2025
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Photo attached
Caption - Pictured at the launch of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority’s Annual Report 2025 at SFPA’s Head Office in Clonakilty are, from left to right, Michael Finn, Acting Executive Chairperson, SFPA and Louise Murphy, Authority Member, SFPA
Further Information About the SFPA
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is the independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of the sea-fisheries and the sea-food production sectors. It promotes compliance with the EU Common Fisheries Policy, sea-fisheries law and food safety law relating to fish and fish products, verifies compliance and, where necessary, enforces it. Its mandate covers all fishing vessels operating within Ireland’s 200-mile limit, over 2,000 Irish registered fishing vessels wherever they operate, and all seafood produced in Ireland’s seafood processing companies. The SFPA operates through a network of regional port offices situated at Ireland’s main fishery harbours. For further information visit: www.sfpa.ie