The IWDG read with interest the recent Marine Institute Report “Crayfish catch and bycatch in the tangle net fishery off the southwest coast of Ireland in 2021 – 2024” (EMFAF 2021-2027 Marine Institute Report Series). We are very concerned with the high level of bycatch documented in this fishery. The study examined catch and bycatch
MARÉIRE, the project that brings together the IWDG, Birdwatch Ireland and the Irish Environmental Network (IEN) to better understand and protect marine biodiversity in relation to offshore renewable energy (ORE), has recently launched a new website (www.mareire.ie). The website outlines the work of the project in “finding a balance between mitigating the climate crisis and
Introduction & Summary of 2025 2025 could turn out to be something of a watershed year for humpback whales in Irish waters. In terms of numbers of sightings, the past two years were very different with 150 sightings in 2024/5 compared with 104 in 2025/6, an almost 30% decline. This can’t easily be explained by
We were discussing only yesterday what our next IWDG “Flukes” magazine might look like, and we’ve settled on the theme of “Change”, which based on this morning’s observations by Dave O’ Connor at Howth Head, could be timely. For Dave, not only records what he sees, but also documents his observations with strong photography. Among
An early morning message from Gemma O’Connor, IWDG Live Stranding Coordinator, just before 9am alerted us once again to an estimated 8 dolphins circling on a dropping tide in Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare. Having assisted with a previous mass live stranding at the same location before Christmas, we were familiar with the terrain and felt well
On Sunday, 27 common dolphins stranded in Ballyvaughan. The dolphins were in good body condition, indicating they were a healthy pod prior to the event. This was most likely a case of navigational error on a dropping tide, with this pelagic pod becoming disoriented in shallow, muddy terrain and unable to escape before the tide
Joint Press Release: Provided by the Center for Coastal Studies, the New England Aquarium, and the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group. Published verbatim as submitted. Unique Encounter with Right Whale off Boston Reveals Unusual European Connection BOSTON, MASS. (Dec. 3, 2025) – Researchers have discovered that a North Atlantic right whale recently sighted in Massachusetts
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
Last weekend, a small 2-3m whale or dolphin was reported to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group stranded on Sweet Nellies Beach, just north of Greencastle on the Inishowen Peninsular in Co. Dongel. After reviewing images sent with the report, IWDG Strandings Officer Stephanie Levesque thought it looked like a narwal, a species which
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