IWDG Stranding Network Meeting
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group are delighted to announce the next annual meeting of the IWDG Stranding Network will take place in February 2020. This event is free IWDG members and to enthusiastic beach combers looking to join the group and the stranding network.
The event will provide an opportunity for IWDG member to:
- meet fellow whale and dolphin recorders
- hear stranding results from 2019 and look at trends in stranding events around Ireland (Mick O’Connell)
- hear the latest results from the Necropsy Project from Mags Daly who is involved in co-ordinating post-mortems of stranded harbour porpoise and common dolphins
- watch video and learn about the cetacean carcass scavenging project (Simon Berrow)
- learn about a proposed “entanglement alliance” to deal initially with assessing entanglements in pot gear and then to work on mitigating any risks identified by fishers (Kim Sawicki)
- get new sampling kits and material
- learn about the Irish Cetacean Genetic Tissue Bank and update or refresh their current kits enabling members to take samples (Paolo Viscardi)
- take part in a basic post-mortem (depending on the availability of a fresh porpoise or dolphin).
When: 29th February 2020
Time: Meeting at 10:00 am, finishing at 16:00
Where: Room 208 in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Dublin Road, Co. Galway
Cost: This is a free event to IWDG members but you are asked to register on Eventbrite.
DRAFT PROGRAMME
10:00 Welcome and Review of Strandings 2019 – Mick O’Connell (IWDG Strandings Officer)
10:30 Discussion on Network, how can we improve it, training and resources
11:00 COFFEE AND CHAT
11:30 NecroCam – Monitoring scavengers on dolphin carcasses – Simon Berrow
12:00 How Conservationists and Technology are Helping Fishermen Save Whales by Kim Kirchberg-Sawicki (University of Connecticut, Fulbright Fellow)
13:00 LUNCH incl. demonstration of kit used by Kim
14:00 The Irish Cetacean Tissue Bank – Paolo Viscardi, NMI (Natural History)
14:30 Necropsy Project Update – Mags Daly (IWDG Necropsy Research Assistant)
15:00 Demonstration post-mortem and tissue sampling (contingent on recovery of suitable stranding next week)
16:00 Closing Discussion
