Yearly Archives: 2006

After a six month absense, Fin whales have started returning to Waterford’s inshore waters. Once again showing that West Cork has no real monopoly on these giants.

Europe’s fisheries chief flew in the face of scientific advice on Thursday and called for hefty quota cuts for exotic deep-sea species, some of which can live up to 150 years, instead of an outright ban on fishing.

Leatherback turtle strands

On Friday night 22nd Sept. 2006 the Rosslare Harbour lifeboat, whilst out on exercise, reported a large turtle floating upside down at Splaugh rock, about 2 miles from Rosslare port. The lifeboat was unable to identify the turtle as it was engaged in an exercise with the IMES helicopter, but the carcass proceeded to strand

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Advocate-General Leger of the European Court of Justice delivered his preliminary opinion in the case taken by the European Commission against Ireland in April 2005 that there was no protection under Irish law for certain listed species that are not ‘native’ to Ireland, as required by the 1992 EU Habitats Directive. Among the species highlighted

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This weekends IWDG whale watching course on Cape Clear Island was the 3rd and final weekend course of 2006. Course participants were treated to a number of sightings, some distant but one truly memorable close-up encounter. Met Eireann gave us very little cause for optimism, but as is always the case when heading out to

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First success for whale project

For the past nine years Nan and her seasonal team of whale researchers have been out on the water studying the behaviour and movement of the humpback whales that migrate past the Cook Islands each year.

Report 7: 15/09/2006 This afternoon the Irish Lights vessel MV Graineuaile successfully towed the stranded sperm whale off the sand bank. They aim to tow the carcass offshore and sink it. Attempts were made by Sligo County Council Heritage and Environmental Awareness Officer to secure the lower jaw or skull for the new Sligo Museum

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Iceland is resuming whale meat exports after a gap of more than 15 years with sales to the Faroe Islands despite objections from environmentalists that the shipments undermine a global trade ban.

A young female bottlenose dolphin was live stranded on 8 September after local people watched her breaching and chasing fish for six hours the previous evening. The dolphin was observed following fish into bay and breaching from 15.00-21.00 by Nick Scott and Micheline Sheey-Skeffington on the 7 September. They were distressed to find the dolphin

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