The annual meeting of the IWDG’s Stranding Network was held in Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology on the 7th of March 2020. Despite having to cancel and reschedule this event due to a Red Weather Warning, there was a fantastic turnout with over 30 members of the stranding network present.
Members visually inspecting a recently stranded striped dolphin. Photo by Sibéal Regan.
The stranding network meeting offers a unique platform for members involved in the stranding’s program to get together and share their stories about the stranding’s they’ve encountered, put a face to like-minded people they may have seen or heard about in shared messages and emails and most importantly hear a review of stranding events from 2019 and the science that is possible due to their volunteer efforts. More information on strandings from Mick O’ Connell, IWDG strandings officer can be found here.
During the meeting, members heard from research scientist Moira Schlingermann. Moira is researching persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and contaminants of emerging concern, in cetacean blubber samples provided by the IWDG stranding scheme. Following Moira’s talk members were shown how to take and preserve a blubber sample correctly and safely.
Moira Schlingermann showing members an example of a blubber sample, she needs for her research on contaminants in cetaceans. Photo by Sibéal Regan.
Paolo Viscardi joined the meeting on behalf of the Natural History Museum, speaking about the Irish Cetacean Genetic Tissue Bank. This was a unique opportunity for members to see where the samples they take, on the beach go and, more importantly why these samples are so valuable. To help our members take these samples and preserve them correctly for the tissue bank, Simon Berrow demonstrated taking a skin sample on a recently stranded dolphin and current sampling kits were available at the meeting.
Simon Berrow demonstrating how to take a skin sample. Photo by Frances Bermingham.
The IWDG was delighted to welcome Kim Sawicki to present as a guest speaker at the stranding network meeting. Kim is a Fullbright Fellow from the University of Connecticut, she is currently working with the Marine Institute on a proposed “entanglement alliance”. Entanglement is an emerging issue in Ireland and one the IWDG is keen to address. Kim proposes ‘ropeless fishing’ as a possible solution to this growing threat. Collaborating with fishermen in Ireland and the UK to develop ‘ropeless fishing’ methods and gear, this work is both interesting and exciting and the IWDG are proud to support this work.
Kim Sawicki presenting on ropeless fishing and an entanglement alliance that will benefit both conservationists and fishermen. Photo by Sibéal Regan.
Thank you to all of our speakers who attended the strandings network meeting and to all of our members and dedicated beachcombers who take part in the scheme, without you the strandings scheme would not be possible! If you would like to join our stranding network and be apart of the team check out our events page for upcoming live stranding courses or report a stranded cetacean to our strandings scheme here.
Mags Daly, Moira Schlingermann, Kim Sawicki, Simon Berrow and Mick O’ Connell presenting at IWDG’s Stranding Network Meeting 2020, Paolo Viscardi missing from this photo. Photo by Frances Bermingham.