Inspectors checked on just 6% of Irish trawlers in 2022

The SFPA said 41% of Spanish-flagged vessels, which have for a long time had a significant presence in Irish waters, were inspected. A similar percentage of British and French-flagged vessels were inspected, while 33% of Belgium-flagged trawlers were also checked. File picture

Only 6% of Irish-flagged trawlers were subjected to checks by this country’s fishery inspection officers last year compared to far higher numbers for many other countries, according to official figures supplied by the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA).

Last year, the SFPA said it used a "risk-based methodology for inspection" of fishing boats to carry out checks on catches and Norwegian-registered vessels came top for inspections at 92%.