Marine Environment, Science, wildlife, weather & Ocean energy
Irish underwater cameraman Ken O’Sullivan captured Ireland’s marine wildlife like never before in North Atlantic: The Dark Ocean
Maritime TV documentary North Atlantic: The Dark Ocean has been awarded the Grand Prix Best Film of Festival Award at the Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam, besting the likes of BBC’s Our Frozen Planet. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the natural…
Fin-Tastic Sharks at Galway Science and Technology Festival
The Marine Institute, alongside the Explorers Education Programme for primary schools, will be showcasing marine science at the 2023 Galway Science and Technology Festival this weekend. Families are invited to the Bailey Allen Hall on the University of Galway campus…
Chair of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) retired Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett
Ireland has “significant” data to make informed decisions on marine area consents under new marine planning legislation, the chair of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA), retired Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett, has said. Responding to questions at an Oireachtas housing committee…
Dr Nick Payne and Dr Jenny Bortoluzzi from Trinity College Dublin’s School of Natural Sciences, with a sandtooth tiger shark, that descended from the megalodon, which died after stranding at Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford. Autopsies with three such confirmed strandings off Ireland and Britain show the species is warm-blooded
When the fearsome megalodon became extinct, it may have been because it didn’t have enough food. Unlike most sharks, the star of the 2018 film, “The Meg”, had a large appetite due to its warm-blooded nature - like its descendant,…
Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) chair Mark Mellett
Independent senator Victor Boyhan is questioning the chair of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) today on whether the new State agency has enough resources to carry out its work. The Dun Laoghaire senator says he is seeking clarity on…
A Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government & Heritage will meet today Tuesday, 7 November, to discuss at 3pm the Future of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) with the Chair of MARA, Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett DSM (Rtd) PhD. Watch the proceedings ‘Live’ on Oireachtas T.V.
The Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage will meet today, 7 November, to discuss the Future of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) with the new Chair of MARA, Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett DSM (Rtd) PhD. Ahead of the…
Humpback whale feeding, surrounded by kittiwakes
Clean Coasts have announced the winning photographers of the 14th edition of its Love Your Coast photography competition. With a prize fund of €6,000, the competition has attracted hundreds of photographers all around Ireland this year, receiving a record number…
A maintenance dredging campaign is to start this week at Waterford estuary which will involve work leading to spoil disposal to be carried out at an approved site south west of Hook Head, out in the open sea. Above off the famous lighthouse as seen in August in the foreground is Arklow Rainbow with loose bulk cargo from France and also heading inbound to the port is EemsLift carrying specialist project cargo from The Netherlands. While out to sea, Unistream, anchored and awaiting orders, as the vessel had unloaded wind turbine project cargo of turbine blades, each of over 66m.
The Port of Waterford is to have a maintenance dredging campaign start in the week beginning 13 November, with the work to be carried out at three locations along Waterford estuary, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Cypriot flagged dredger Freeway, will…
Dr Donal Griffin, marine policy officer with Fair Seas, speaking at the recent Green Foundation Ireland seminar in Dun Laoghaire
A coalition of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs and networks says time is running out to protect Ireland’s marine environment. With fewer than 20 Dáil sitting days left this year, Fair Seas says it is calling on the Government to enact…
File image of a dunlin in shallow water
The Marine Institute recently hosted a Birdwatch Ireland training workshop for the winter Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS). The event was attended by 65 people and was used as a mechanism to introduce attendees to I-WeBS with a view to…
An excerpt from the bluescale map of Hook Head and environs in Co Wexford
See the iconic Wexford coastline, from Hook Head to Carnsore Point, in remarkable detail thanks to a new series of maps added to INFOMAR’s Bluescale Map Series. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the collection will comprise 18 high-resolution bathymetric maps…
Barrel jellyfish were the most common, according to the Marine Conservation Society's annual wildlife sightings report, with 467 sightings in total
There was a 32 per cent increase in sightings of jellyfish around Irish and British waters over the past year, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says. Barrel jellyfish were the most common, according to its annual wildlife sightings report, with…
Alan Kelly, the ESB Networks senior manager leading the ESB Networks crews in France, pictured at Dublin Port before setting sail for Cherbourg
Storm Ciarán’s impact on France has been so severe that ESB Networks crews from Ireland have set sail for the French north-west coast to offer assistance. High winds associated with the storm resulted in over a million homes losing electricity…
One of the first two Atlantic bluefin tuna caught of the 2023 Tuna CHART season, captured, tagged and released off the Irish coast in late July
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has recorded two rare recaptures of tagged Atlantic bluefin tuna as the angling season for these fish nears its closure on Sunday 12 November. The first recaptured bluefin was tagged and released originally by skipper Adrian…
Unease in the fishing industry about lack of government co-ordination
There is a growing feeling in the fishing industry that there is a lack of coordination between various Government Departments in developing marine, specially designated protected areas. This has been particularly highlighted by the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, which has claimed that the…
The North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC) Fisheries Management Chart for 2023
The North Western Waters Advisory Council has expressed concern over plans for offshore windfarms on the south Irish coast. A submission by the group to the Department of Environment’s “DMAP” proposal for designating areas of the south-west for offshore renewable…