Colin Barnes

Colin Barnes is a Cork-based businessman and the founder of Cork Whale Watch, a whale-watching boat tour company he operated since 2001. With a background in commercial fishing, Barnes transitioned to whale-watching as fish stocks began to diminish. His business thrived in the early years, but he recently announced its closure due to the decline of whale populations in Cork waters, attributed to overfishing of sprat, a critical food source for these marine mammals. Barnes has been vocal about the ecological impacts of overfishing, calling it an 'ecological disaster' and highlighting the need for sustainable fishing practices.