- Specimens recorded
- 39 (2000–2025)
- Years on record
- 1999–2025
- Top venue by specimens
- Cobh & Cork Harbour
- Current specimen threshold
- 45.36kg (100lb 0oz)
- Irish record
- 93.44kg (206lb 0oz)
Blue Shark in Ireland
Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) is an oceanic pelagic shark that moves into Irish offshore waters in late summer, drawn by warm surface currents and rich feeding grounds — the target of a small but dedicated Irish shark-angling fleet running dedicated trips well offshore. A blue shark boat trip is a genuinely different style of fishing from anything else in Irish angling.
Ireland has been part of one of the longest-running shark tagging programmes in the world, Inland Fisheries Ireland's Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme, which has tagged blue sharks off the Irish coast since 1970 — one tagged fish was later recaptured off West Africa, and another was recaptured 17 years after tagging.
The strong conservation ethos around blue shark in Ireland — catch, tag, photograph, and release — reflects both the species' vulnerability to overfishing globally and the fact that Irish waters represent an important part of its migratory range.
When Blue Shark Fish in Ireland
ISFC specimens cluster tightly in August and September — the narrow late-summer window when blue sharks are reliably present in Irish offshore waters, tailing off quickly either side of that period.
Based on ISFC specimen records — reflects where anglers fish and submit claims, not necessarily where the species is most abundant.
Where Blue Shark Fish Best
Venue rankings below come from ratified specimen submissions, not scientific stock surveys — popular, well-fished venues will always show more specimens than remote or lightly-fished ones holding the same fish.
Cobh & Cork Harbour leads as a departure point in the specimen record, with Courtmacsherry, Castletown-Bearhaven, Kinsale, and Youghal also represented — reflecting the south and southwest coast's role as the main base for Irish shark-angling boat trips out to offshore grounds.
Where recorded: 0 shore, 19 boat (20 not recorded).
See every fishing.ie venue for blue shark — ISFC-ranked or not — in the full directory below.
Size and Specimens
Blue shark specimens represent a serious weight given the species' size — the current threshold and Irish record both reflect genuinely large individual sharks caught well offshore.
Based on ISFC specimen and threshold records — reflects where anglers fish and submit claims, not necessarily where the species is most abundant.
How to Catch Blue Shark
Rubby dubby (a mix of minced fish and oil) is released in a slick from a drifting boat to draw sharks toward baited hooks fished at various depths behind the boat — the standard Irish shark-fishing method.
Circle hooks are strongly recommended and increasingly standard practice, reducing deep-hooking and improving survival rates for released sharks.
Given the species' size and the conservation ethos around it, most Irish blue shark trips are built around tag-and-release rather than retention, run through specialist charter skippers experienced with the species.
Blue shark fishing is inherently a boat-based, offshore pursuit — it isn't accessible from shore in Ireland.
Rules and Conservation
Blue shark isn't subject to a specific Irish retention ban, but the strong national convention — supported by Inland Fisheries Ireland's long-running Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme — is to tag and release every shark caught rather than retain it, given the species' vulnerability to overfishing across its migratory range.
No state licence is required for sea angling from shore or boat in the Republic of Ireland. Blue shark trips are run almost exclusively through specialist charter operators experienced in tag-and-release practice.
No licence is required for sea angling in Northern Ireland — DAERA rod licences apply to freshwater and game/coarse fishing, not sea fishing.
Blue Shark Venues in Ireland
6 more waters with ISFC specimens (not yet on fishing.ie)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a blue shark I catch in Ireland?
There's no specific Irish retention ban, but the strong national practice — backed by IFI's tagging programme — is catch, tag, and release for every blue shark.
Best time of year for blue shark?
A narrow window in August and September, based on the ISFC specimen record — this is when the species is reliably present in Irish offshore waters.
Do I need a boat to fish for blue shark?
Yes — blue shark fishing in Ireland is exclusively a boat-based, offshore pursuit, typically run through specialist charter operators.
What's the tagging programme for blue shark?
Inland Fisheries Ireland's Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme has tagged blue sharks off Ireland since 1970 — one of the longest-running shark tagging efforts in the world.