9 Undersize Bass
While the court's decision to avoid a formal conviction for the man caught with nine undersized sea bass in West Cork was based on his stated lack of awareness and clean record, many conservationists and responsible anglers would argue that ignorance of the law should not be a mitigating factor in such a serious environmental offence. The protection of vulnerable species like the European Sea Bass hinges on strict adherence to regulations, and allowing offenders to avoid conviction weakens the deterrent effect essential for conservation.
The core argument against the court's leniency rests on personal responsibility and the severity of the ecological damage. The man was fishing a highly regulated species and failed to take the basic step of checking the rules, despite a clear sign reportedly being metres away. Fishing regulations are widely publicised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and are readily available online. In today's digital age, claiming ignorance of a fundamental law concerning a vulnerable resource is often seen as negligent at best, and opportunistic at worst.
The fact that all nine bass were severely undersized (ranging from 21cm to 26cm)—far below the mandatory 42cm minimum—means that every single fish removed from the water was a pre-reproductive juvenile. This significantly impacts the future breeding stock. The scale of the offence (nine fish versus the two-fish daily limit) suggests a clear intent to take a large, illegal haul. Allowing him to walk away without a conviction—even while forfeiting his gear—sends a problematic message that the ecological damage caused by poaching (even if unintentional) can be excused, undermining the tireless efforts of IFI officers and the conservation-minded angling community. For a species that has struggled so severely that emergency conservation measures were required, the priority must be the protection of the resource over the personal circumstances of the offender.
The core argument against the court's leniency rests on personal responsibility and the severity of the ecological damage. The man was fishing a highly regulated species and failed to take the basic step of checking the rules, despite a clear sign reportedly being metres away. Fishing regulations are widely publicised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and are readily available online. In today's digital age, claiming ignorance of a fundamental law concerning a vulnerable resource is often seen as negligent at best, and opportunistic at worst.
The fact that all nine bass were severely undersized (ranging from 21cm to 26cm)—far below the mandatory 42cm minimum—means that every single fish removed from the water was a pre-reproductive juvenile. This significantly impacts the future breeding stock. The scale of the offence (nine fish versus the two-fish daily limit) suggests a clear intent to take a large, illegal haul. Allowing him to walk away without a conviction—even while forfeiting his gear—sends a problematic message that the ecological damage caused by poaching (even if unintentional) can be excused, undermining the tireless efforts of IFI officers and the conservation-minded angling community. For a species that has struggled so severely that emergency conservation measures were required, the priority must be the protection of the resource over the personal circumstances of the offender.
