Kilkenny Minister of State confers 'protected' status on basking sharks

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan has announced today that the basking shark (cetorhinus maximus) has been given the status of a ‘protected wild animal’ under the Wildlife Act.

Minister Noonan has made regulations under Section 23(2)(a) of the Wildlife Act 1976, entitled the 'Wildlife Act 1976 (Protection of Wild Animals) Regulations 2022'.

The effect of these regulations is to confer ‘protected wild animal’ status on the Basking Shark under Section 23 of the Wildlife Act, 1976.

Where an animal is protected under Section 23 of the Act, it is an offence to:
Hunt a protected wild animal (unless under permission or licence granted by the department)
Injure a protected wild animal (unless done while hunting in accordance with a licence or exemption cited above), or
Wilfully interfere with or destroy the breeding or resting places of a protected wild animal

WATCH: Tourist shocked by Kilkenny man's friendliness in viral TikTok video

As the basking shark is a species of fish, under Section 23(3) of the Wildlife Act 1976, the Minister may only make such regulations to protect it with the agreement and co-signature of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Minister McConalogue has concurred with the making of the Regulations and has co-signed the regulations.

The regulations have legal effect from Monday October 3, 2022.

The basking shark is a globally threatened species which faces a high risk of extinction. 

Irish waters constitute one of the most internationally important coastal regions for the species.

As a further initiative, a 'Code of Conduct' for the wildlife watching industry is currently being prepared by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to guide responsible and safe interaction with the basking shark in Irish waters.

This code will ensure that there is strong awareness of and accordance with best practice for operators and the public in observing or encountering marine wildlife such as Basking sharks and marine mammals.

Notorious road that runs through Kilkenny is Ireland's most fatal

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan said that 'we are living in an age of mass extinction'.

"There is an urgent responsibility on all of us to do everything we can to reverse that trend," he said.

"By strengthening protections for the basking shark, Ireland will play its part in offering improved protection to an endangered species that depends on our territorial waters to survive and flourish.

"This measure is a first step in additional protections for vulnerable species in Ireland.

Car seized after being intercepted in Kilkenny

"My department is working to further strengthen our wildlife laws to ensure that natural habitats are protected and restored, and to provide a better balance of safeguards for both marine and terrestrial wildlife."