Lorna Siggins
Lorna Siggins is a print and radio reporter, and a former Irish Times western correspondent. She is the author of Search and Rescue: True stories of Irish Air-Sea Rescues and the Loss of R116 (2022); Everest Callling (1994) on the first Irish Everest expedition; Mayday! Mayday! (2004); and Once Upon a Time in the West: the Corrib gas controversy (2010). She is also co-producer with Sarah Blake of the Doc on One "Miracle in Galway Bay" which recently won a Celtic Media Award
Canadian Operator of Corrib Gas Field Increases Its Stake in North Mayo Project
3rd April 2023 Power From the Sea
The Canadian-based operator of the Corrib gas field has increased its stake in the north Mayo project to 56.5 per cent. Vermilion Energy says it is now “the largest provider of domestic natural gas in Ireland” after confirming acquisition of…
Lack of Naval Capability to Monitor Russian Commercial Ships Criticised (Air Corps Ship Photos Here)
3rd April 2023 Navy
Politician and former Army Ranger Cathal Berry has criticised the State’s lack of resources to monitor Russian Federation-flagged commercial ships off the west coast. The Independent TD for Kildare South told Newstalk Breakfast that it was “simply not good enough…
Russian Ambassador to Ireland Questions Reporting on Russian Commercial Ships Off Irish Coast
3rd April 2023 Ports & Shipping
The Russian commercial ships monitored by the Defence Forces off the Irish west coast over the last week have left the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Defence Forces have confirmed. The 79.8 metre-long Umka is an offshore supply vessel,…
Marine and Agriculture One of Top Four Government Departments to Provide "Climate Finance"
30th March 2023 News Update
Seven per cent of Ireland’s financial support for climate action in developing countries came from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2021. A report into “climate finance”, as it is known, found the marine and agriculture department…
Naval Vessels Among Locations for Sexual Assaults, Interviewees Claim in Independent Review
29th March 2023 Navy
Interviewees for the Independent Review Group into sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination in the Defence Forces have reported that Naval Service vessels were among locations where sexual assaults took place. Advice was given to female members of the Defence Forces…
Mayo’s Clare island has been hit with a “boil water” notice after the detection of cryptosporidium in the public water supply. The “boil water” notice takes immediate effect, Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) and Mayo Council have said. This follows consultation…
The rejection is a major setback for Údaras na Gaeltachta, the Gaeltacht development authority, which based its jobs growth strategy on employment the new marine park would create. Páirc na Mara, which was to be located in Carna in the…
State Regulator Seeking Fishing Vessels for Remote Electronic Monitoring Pilot Project
26th March 2023 Fishing
The State’s fisheries regulator is seeking a number of Irish-registered fishing vessels to take part in a pilot project involving remote electronic monitoring (REM). The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) says it has written to fisheries producer organisations to encourage…
Many tributes have been paid to RTÉ Radio One Seascapes presenter and producer Fergal Keane, who has announced he is leaving the national broadcaster to pursue new interests. Keane announced his departure on Twitter on March 16th, and on-air during…
A total of 42 owners have accepted offers to scrap their fishing vessels under the Government’s Brexit-related decommissioning scheme. The big jump in figures – which had been running at 21 accepted offers from a total of 57 offers up…
New Angelshark Action Plan to Support Recovery for Future Generations
19th March 2023 Wavelength Podcast
“Jaws” it ain’t – the Angelshark has more in common with the skate and ray but is now an endangered species. The squat flat shark, appropriately named Squatina squatina, once lived in abundance on sandy and muddy seabed areas on…
Skellig Michael Part of New Global Project to Safeguard Against Impact of Climate Change
13th March 2023 Island News
Skellig Michael has been selected to join a new global initiative to safeguard sites of cultural significance from the impact of climate change. The UNESCO world heritage site known as Sceilg Mhichíl is to become part of the “Preserving Legacies”…
Ban on Trawling Inside Six Nautical Miles Declared Invalid by Court of Appeal
13th March 2023 Fishing
Two fishermen have won an appeal over a ban on trawling inside the Irish six-mile limit. A judgment issued by the Court of Appeal has ruled that the Government policy directive introducing a ban on trawling inside the six nautical-mile…
Fiddle-fish, Banjofish and Devilfish are all names given to a species of shark native to Ireland which is now as endangered as the Giant panda or Bengal tiger. The Angelshark once lived in abundance on sandy and muddy seabed areas…
A new UN agreement on global ocean conservation has been welcomed as a “landmark” deal by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State for Heritage and…
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report into the death of a Donegal student during a kayaking trip in Co Kerry has said the outing was not properly assessed for risk. Aisling O’Connor, 21, from Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, drowned after…
Ireland is to develop nature-based solutions in coastal areas to protect biodiversity, improve resilience to climate change and reduce the impact of pollution under a new programme of measures for the marine environment Ireland’s plan to maintain or achieve “good…
Ireland's Wetlands and Why We Should Care - Tobias Salathé of the UN Ramsar Convention
24th February 2023 Wavelength Podcast
Ireland has 45 fragile flooded habitats which are protected under a UN Convention named after a city on the Caspian Sea. The Ramsar Convention was signed in the city in 1971, and international participation has gradually grown to 172 countries.…
EU Publishes Four Marine Action Plans and Seeks "Pact" for Fisheries and Oceans
22nd February 2023 Fishing
EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius say the EU wants to establish a “pact for fisheries and oceans” to ensure sustainable fisheries, protect and restore marine ecosystems and strengthen long-term food security. The Commissioner was commenting as the European Commission…
Two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have dubbed the European Commission’s action plans for biodiversity and climate change in ocean and fisheries as “inaction plans”. NGOs Birdwatch Ireland and Our Fish were responding to the European Commission’s publication of four EU action…