During November IWDG hardly received a single whale sighting record……in fact an attempt at mapping all whale sightings for the first half of the month results in zero sightings and a completely blank map. What is odd is that November is historically a really good time, if not the best time, for large whale sightings
IWDG Welcomes the creation of two new marine protection sites for biodiversity. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD announced the creation of two new Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) at the COP15 UN Biodiversity Conference in Montréal, Canada. Ireland’s former attitude towards marine protection was ineffective, and progress was stifled
Last weekend the IWDG team made their way to Glasgow for a packed weekend of talks, interactive sessions, and exhibitions. Becky, Science Officer and Sibéal, Education and Outreach Officer attended the Marine Forum 2022 hosted by the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding (SMASS) and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC). The Marine Forum is an annual event
IWDG establish Fin Whale Photo-Identification Catalogue Remember fin whales? Yes, these are the large whales that really kick started the IWDG’s Whale Track, or the “Large whale Project” as it was known some 20 years ago. It’s so easy to forget with so much of the emphasis in recent times on humpbacks, that fin whales
The IWDG welcomes the new report by the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action on Biodiversity. The Committee was chaired by Brian Leddin TD and included 15 members from across all parties. This report points the way towards how we restore biodiversity in nature and how to best reap the co-benefits associated with diverse
The deep-sea floor is rich with minerals required for a more environmentally sustainable future. But at what cost? The potential catastrophic impact of mining operations on the deep-sea environment is undeniable. These are habitats currently largely unexplored by man and far removed from all human settlements, and therefore difficult for many people to appreciate what
Citizen Assembly on Biodiversity Grand Hotel, Malahide 5 November 2022 We are very lucky in Ireland, indeed privileged to have such a rich biodiversity of marine species such as whales and dolphins, seabirds, seals, sharks and even tuna. We have a huge EEZ, 7 times our land mass, hosting a variety of marine habitats, up
Tarmon, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo 26th October 2022 Tarmon (An Tearmann) lived up to its reputation as a live stranding hotspot again on the 26th of October 2022 when 24 common dolphins were found live stranded on the outgoing tide. It’s a beach that keeps on giving! A mother and calf were also found live
CONAMARA SEA WEEK SET TO DELIGHT VISITORS WITH EXCITING PROGRAMME The 38th annual Conamara Sea Week takes place in the Quaker village of Letterfrack in North-West Connemara from the 22nd to 31st October 2022. Conamara Sea Week is a celebration of the wonderful marine and cultural heritage of Connemara and this wonderful and unique festival
Sorcha Maguire – Shannon Dolphin Project Intern 2022 My Journey with the Irish whale and dolphin group began under what seemed at the time to be very unusual circumstances. In 2020 during the very first covid-19 lockdown. I was in my third year of studying freshwater and marine biology in Galway, and as part of