S.I. No. 538/2025 - Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction (Mussel Seed) (Opening of Fisheries) Regulations 2025

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 14th November, 2025.

I, TIMMY DOOLEY, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 3 and 15 of the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 (No. 8 of 2006) and the Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2025 ( S.I. No. 368 of 2025 ), hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction (Mussel Seed) (Opening of Fisheries) Regulations 2025.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on 12 November 2025 and shall cease to have effect on 29 March 2026.

2. In these Regulations “mussel seed” means mussels (Mytilus edulis) whether alive or dead and includes any part of a mussel and the shell, or any part of the shell, of a mussel and which are not intended for direct human consumption.

3. (1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person may fish for mussel seed in the exclusive fishery limits of the State where that person holds an authorisation to fish for mussel seed granted under section 13 of the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 or a licence granted by the relevant competent authority of Northern Ireland.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—

(a) an area where fishing for mussels or mussel seed is prohibited by a Fisheries Natura Declaration made under Regulation 9 of the European Union (Birds and Natural Habitats) (Sea-fisheries) Regulations 2013 ( S.I. No. 290 of 2013 ) other than -

(i) to the extent that fishing for mussel seed is permitted by a Castlemaine Harbour Fisheries Natura Permit, or

(ii) areas subject to an aquaculture licence issued under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 (No. 23 of 1997), in accordance with that licence,

(b) the Moville Area (within the meaning of the Foyle Fisheries Act 1952 (No. 5 of 1952)) and the Louth Area (within the meaning of section 31 of the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999 (No. 1 of 1999)) or any part thereof, if, and to the extent that mussel seed fishing is subject to Regulations under section 13 of the Foyle Fisheries Act 1952 .

4. The Mussel Seed (Closing of Fisheries) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 29 of 2012 ) are revoked.

GIVEN under my hand,

11 November 2025

TIMMY DOOLEY,

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations are to provide for the opening of the mussel seed fishery from 12 November 2025.