Concerns have been raised over a dredging project at Dingle harbour to allow luxury cruise ships and other large vessels to dock.
There are fears the operation will lead to a build-up of silt on beaches and that lobster banks east of the mouth of the harbour could be destroyed.
In recent weeks, buoys have been erected at the site around 300m off Doonsheane Head and 1.2km from Kinard where some of the sediment is to be carried by barge.
Local people say this is too close to the small beaches and fishing grounds in the area.
The Department of the Marine has said it will meet community representatives on the issue.
The €5.5 million project will significantly widen and deepen the main navigation channel in Dingle,bringing it from 40m to 60m and increase the depth by around 0.5m along the entire channel, giving it a depth of over 3m.
The last major upgrade of Dingle Harbour took place in the 1980s.
Most of the heavy material being removed is being transported inland by road to north Kerry.
However over 61,000 cubic metres of sand and gravel "sediment" will be disposed ofnear Doonsheane/Dún Séanna and Kinard beaches inan operation scheduledto begin shortly.
The EPA granted the licence for the works on 30 November.
Councillor Michael O'Shea enormous damage was done to the beaches around Kinard the last time large amounts of sediment were dumped in the 1980s.
"It will change the landscape near Doonsheanne," he warned after meeting with community representatives .
Fishermen fear for the future of lobster fishing and locals say the EPA licence states the material has to be around 2km off shore.
The Department of the Marine has said there was full consultation on the project and the material to be dumped will be "non-contaminated."
