Marine Environment, Science, wildlife, weather & Ocean energy
File image of a common seal pup
Local residents have been disturbed by the discovery of decapitated seals on a Co Kerry beach, as the Irish Examiner reports. Speaking to Kerry Today on Radio Kerry, a local woman described coming upon the grisly scene on Banna beach…
New arrival - A Seal at the East Pier, Dun Laoghaire
This inquisitive Dublin Bay young seal made his way up the steps of Dun Laoghaire's East Pier much to the surprise of weekend harbour strollers.  Harbour and grey seals have a year-round presence at Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Bay in general. …
BirdWatch Ireland map highlighting bird hides at the inner Rogerstown Estuary in north Co Dublin
BirdWatch Ireland recently made an appeal to watersport enthusiasts in Fingal to avoid the inner estuary at Rogerstown, north of Portrane in Co Dublin, for fear of disturbing the area’s marine wildlife. The statement comes after “several incidents recently where…
A new Wind-Farm Service Vessel (WFSV) of a design from Incat Crowther's Windflex27 series is been built for an Irish marine business with completion in Asia due in Q2, 2021.
Naval architects Incat Crowther with offices in Australia, USA and the UK has announced the construction of a 27m Catamaran Wind Farm Service Vessel (WFSV) to an Irish marine company.  The newbuild is the third of Penguin Shipyard's Windflex 27…
Sailing at Achill
When I first saw Clochmor, Achill, County Mayo, in the late 1960's it was as if I had walked into a Paul Henry painting. The Famine era pier, built from the local red sandstone, was intact. Currachs and tarred wooden…
Marine Institute headquarters in Oranmore, Co Galway
Seven new Cullen PhD scholarships have been awarded to run over the next four years, the Marine Institute has announced. Established in 2014, the Cullen Scholarship Programme was named in memory of Anne Cullen (1958-2013), who made a significant contribution…
Pearse Flynn of Green Rebel Marine - listen to him on the podcast below
The photomontage published in Afloat a week ago of 60 'supersize' wind turbines planned for Dublin Bay should raise substantial debate about the impact of offshore wind farms on Irish waters and the activities in them – sailing, leisure marine,…
A ferox trout being placed in a recovery tank after tagging
A newly published research paper co-authored by experts in Ireland highlights the importance of ferox trout to the fisheries of Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. Ferox trout are highly prized by trophy anglers, and Loughs Corrib and Mask have recorded…
Shore litter
Sea2it is a Local Community Interest Company and brings together community groups and individuals as volunteers to tackle marine and freshwater litter, and the organisation has just announced that it has had some exciting news. Sea2it is investing £18k tackling…
Lleidi reservoir - the site is expected to attract 90k+ visitors a year
The recent announcement of the development of the Swiss Valley reservoirs in Carmarthenshire in Wales has been given a boost with the confirmation of an ‘Access to Water’ grant from Welsh Government, worth £121k, that will enable visitor access to…
Inisturk island had a very good tourist season this year, in spite of guesthouses being closed due to Covid-19
Over four years ago, the Mayo island of Inishturk was inundated with inquiries after the word went out that it was offering a safe haven for North Americans who had not voted for Donald Trump.  Now, even Mr Trump himself…
File image of a surfer at Brims Ness near Thurso in the Scottish Highlands
Scotland’s vast potential for sailing and adventure tourism post-Covid-19 is the focus of a new webinar series next week. Marine Industry News reports on the online inaugural Adventure Tourism Week, an initiative of VisitScotland, Wild Scotland and Sail Scotland. The…
Dead Swan on Lough Beg Found to Have Bird Flu
The BBC has reported that a wild swan found dead earlier this week at Lough Beg near Toomebridge, a small village on the North West corner of Lough Neagh has tested positive for Bird Flu. Lough Beg is a small…
New treatment plant at Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, one of the 19 large urban areas that failed to meet EU treatment standards in 2019
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) says it welcomes the Environmental Protection Agency’s new report on urban waste water treatment in 2019. Published this week, the EPA’s report criticises Irish Water over failure to meet pollution prevention standards at treatment facilities for 19…
Male Arctic charr from Lake Windermere
The warming of lake temperatures across Ireland and central Europe poses major risk to rare Arctic charr fish populations which date back to before last Ice Age. A new study led by Centre for Environmental and Freshwater Science at Dundalk…
A Viking Splash tour amphibious vehicle 'Duk' sails around Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock (as above in Afloat 's photo) with the backdrop of the 'Docklands' quarter.
Operator Viking Splash Tours faces liquidation later this month but its owners hope buyers will offer the business a lifeline. The amphibious-vehicle tour of Dublin, which culminates in a trip on the Grand Canal Basin in the 'docklands', has not…

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