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
Important Marine Mammal Areas Workshop for the North East Atlantic This week in Hamburg the IWDG attended in person (Patrick Lyne) and online (Simon Berrow) the Important Marine Mammals Area (IMMA) workshop for the North East Atlantic in Hamburg, Germany. The workshop was organised by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and
IEN Meeting with the Joint Committee on Marine Protected Areas Bill 2023 Date: 02/02/23 Time: 09:30 – 12:30 The 3rd Joint Oireachtas Committee pre-legislative scrutiny meeting on the General Scheme for Ireland’s MPA Bill 2022 took place on Thursday the 2nd of February. The IWDG, along with coalition partners, has identified a number of issues
The waters between Loop Head, Co. Clare and Kenmare Bay, Co. Kerry, are highly biodiverse. Identified as an area of interest for Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation by Fair Seas in the recent report ‘Revitalising our Seas’, it is no surprise but still a great honour that the global organisation Mission Blue led by Dr
A large swathe of ocean off the south west coast of Ireland has been added to a list of ‘Hope Spots’ by a global marine conservation movement. Mission Blue is led by legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle and now has a network of 148 Hope Spots across the globe. It aims to inspire public awareness,
‘Fair Seas’ campaign demanding fifteen-fold increase in Ireland’s Marine Protected Areas The IWDG are delighted to be part of the Fair Seas MPA campaign launched today. We are joining leading national environmental groups to launch a new campaign to rapidly expand Marine Protected Areas in Irish Waters. The Fair Seas campaign is calling for at
Citizen Science has been recognised over the past few decades as an important medium between scientists and the public, and has been used as a cost-effective tool to collect data through broad-scale surveys. With its ability to increase the quantity and spatial extent of cetacean observations, it has been considered as vital for marine mammal
The IWDG welcomes the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage report on Expanding Ireland’s Marine Protected Area Network. Public consultation is now open and the IWDG are encouraging all those interested in advancing this critical policy decision to get informed and contribute to the process. Currently, there is no definition of Marine Protected Areas