Water temperatures off Ireland’s west coast were unprecedented this April and May. A deadly combination of the climate crises mixed with the natural climate variability El Nino brought sea temperatures to their highest on record since 1850. Understanding to what extent this will affect waters off the Irish coast and its ecosystems remains to be
In recent months the IWDG, like so many other NGO’s in Ireland, has found itself at the receiving end of a fair amount of abuse on social media focusing around the twin issues of offshore windfarm development and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Last week however things took a more sinister twist, as what was initially
Authorities in Iceland recently decided not to grant a license to hunt fin whales this summer. Svandis Svavarsdottir, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, made the decision following an inspection by welfare officers from the Food and Veterinary Authority which found that the methods used to kill the animals resulted in excessive cruelty and were
The IWDG Cetacean Stranding Scheme has received a total of 122 reports between January and March of this year. The year 2021 was a peak year for strandings, with 200 animals reported during the same time period. Factors which may have contributed to 2021 being a peak year overall were the lockdowns which occurred as
Humpback whales found in Irish waters are known to travel in a north-south direction along the eastern North Atlantic, but one individual has unexpectedly been discoverd over 3,300 km nearly due west. On Jan 17th 2010, a humpback whale was observed and reported to the Irish Whale and Dolphin
A UK JNCC certified Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) course is to be offered on the 02-03 of March in the Atlantic Technological University Dublin Road Campus, Co. Galway. This course will be JNCC certified and is specific for the UK regulatory area and guidelines. This will be followed by an additional module for the Irish
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) with assistance from Vanishing Point (VP) is pleased to announce that we will be holding a Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) course from April 4 to 9 inclusive on the Beara Peninsula. Classes will be held on the pier in Castletownbere and practical recording sessions will include a short
The IWDG Sligo local group and the Mullaghmore Sailing Club are teaming up to deliver a talk to the local sailing community in Sligo about whales and dolphins. Sailors have a unique opportunity to explore and observe amazing wildlife while enjoying the water. Visiting areas otherwise inaccessible can have its perks if you know
It’s been quite a while since IWDG attended an industry show, but with a little encouragement from Sandra O’ Donovan, we took the plunge at last weekend’s Irish Skipper Expo, where all roads lead to the University of Limerick sports complex. The only fly in the ointment was that the show was right in the
The IWDG support the recent call by the ISWFO and the IFPEA for a 10 year moratorium on military exercises within the Irish EEZ. The IWDG support fishers right to work without feeling threatened by military exercises, additionally such a moratorium would also greatly reduce the threat these exercises pose to whales and dolphins. While