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
We are delighted to share that, on Friday the 20th of October, the Irish Whale and Dolphin group won the National Heritage Week Award for the Wild Child category. We are deeply grateful for this award and recognition of our work. It was truly an honour and a humbling experience. Our winning event “Be a
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
It’s been over 30 years since the IWDG first headed out into the Shannon Estuary from Carrigaholt in west Clare, in search of bottlenose dolphins. We didn’t find any ! but the following day on 3 May, we did and the IWDG Shannon Dolphin Project had started. To celebrate the 30 years, share
In the coming months, the Irish Government will advance new Marine Protected Area (MPA) legislation. As part of the Fair Seas campaign, we are urging Irish leaders to ensure that the new law will effectively protect and restore Ireland’s seas. Ireland’s biodiversity is reaching a tipping point. For decades, Ireland has lacked effective Marine Protected
Unfortunately, we are continuing to see an increase in stranding rates of some cetacean species along the Irish coast compared to previous years. We currently have a total of 295 stranding records logged in our database from 1 December to 18 September 2023, which includes one basking shark and four loggerhead turtles. This figure was
Ahoy, Mateys! On a sunny Saturday afternoon in early September, a small group of eager and budding marine biologists gathered on the pier in Bantry Bay. We boarded the Celtic Mist with excitement and wonderment, uncertain of how our week together would unfold. As we unloaded our gear into our snug cabins with functional bunks,
An Bord Pleanála has refused permission for the proposed Shannon Technology and Energy Park on the River Shannon near Ballylongford, Co. Kerry. The application by Shannon LNG Ltd was for a Liquified Natural Gas terminal to receive and process gas transported by ship from abroad. In its decision ABP made reference to the Shannon bottlenose
Many of our readers recently were following with interest the story of the trio of Northern bottlenose whales Hyperoodon ampullatus that were recorded in inner Bantry Bay, Co. Cork between August 19th to September 3rd 2023. This contribution is by way of bookending the story, while acknowledging there may still be a degree of uncertainty
Beginning of our latest survey onboard Celtic Mist was slightly different from others legs. Unfortunately we got stuck in Dingle for two days because of high wind, which is why the crew was fully reunited only on Monday (instead of Saturday like the usual). But staying on Celtic Mist in Dingle’s Marina wasn’t so bad