The long-awaited auction of the Tonn Nua site, part of the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP), has been won by Helvick Head Offshore Wind DAC which is a joint venture between ESB and Ørsted. The developer wins a contract to provide electricity at €98.719 per megawatt hour (MWh) for a 20-year period. The
On 12 November, IWDG joined colleagues from Fair Seas, BirdWatch Ireland, Irish Wildlife Trust, Irish Environmental Network and the wider Environmental Pillar for a briefing with Minister Timmy Dooley and officials from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) on the future of Ireland’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) legislation. The meeting followed Cabinet’s
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) welcomes the announcement of restrictions on fishing on vessels larger than 18 meters within 6 nautical miles of the coast and baselines. This measure is very welcome as it safeguards forage fish and other species which are so important to support the marine ecosystem. The IWDG acknowledges
Áine Purcell-Milton will be joining us all the way from the beautiful Scottish shores to share with us their community-led journey with the goal to protect and restore sea life and sustainable livelihoods around Arran and the Clyde. It was this mission that led to the creation in 1995 of the co-founded the Community of
Celtic Sea Sensitivity Analysis Published The Marine Protected Area Advisory Committee has published their latest report Ecological Sensitivity Analysis of the Celtic Sea to inform future designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Commissioned by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage the report describes the scientific analysis “to provide rationales and recommendations for the
The IWDG has recently been involved in the ongoing public consultation by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communication on the draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan. CEO Dr Simon Berrow sat on a panel discussion with DECC officials and others in Waterford, while Marine Policy Officer Dr Stephen Comerford sat on similar panels
The IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force is pleased to announce today the creation of six new Important Marine Mammal Areas, called IMMAs, which include Irish waters and three additional Areas of Interest (AoI). The newly approved IMMAs represent the final result of a full-year process, including an intensive week-long scientific workshop assessing and
Ireland’s fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) was published this week, setting the biodiversity agenda for the 2023-2030 period. Launching the new plan Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan said “Nature is in trouble, but I believe that it can recover. In my time as Minister, I have met the
What’s happening with MPAs? Ireland currently awaits new legislation on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to come for consideration before Government. Developed under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the MPA Act will be the first time Ireland has designed legislation dedicated specifically protecting our vulnerable marine environment. The Act is to contribute to the protection of
A coalition of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs has strongly criticised the government for failing to publish key legislation that would protect Irish seas and help tackle the twin climate and biodiversity crises. Presenting a petition of 11,758 signatures from Ireland to Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, the Fair