Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2025

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

Protecting sprat as a species is the main aim here: it would add sprat to the Wildlife Act’s protected list, stop targeted commercial fishing for sprat, and allow only accidental bycatch. It would also pause commercial sprat fishing until there is enough scientific evidence about sprat stocks, habitats and their role in the marine food chain, and require a Just Transition plan to support inshore fishers affected by the ban.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to amend section 23 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 to include the Sprat Fish, Sprattus sprattus, in the Fifth Schedule of the Act; to prohibit the targeted fishing of sprat except where caught as bycatch; to provide for a moratorium on commercial sprat fishing until sufficient scientific data is available regarding sprat habitats, population dynamics, and their ecological role, to include a Just Transition for inshore fishers; and to provide for related matters.

Last updated 18 July 2025