The first ever Air Corps marine animal survey of whale and dolphin activity in Irish waters is set to begin today, the Irish Times reports.

A survey team accompanied by members of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) were scheduled to take off from Casement Aerodrome this morning headed for the southeast coast, where humpback whales have recently been sighted near Curracloe and Hook Head.

According to the IWDG, 19 whale and dolphin species have been recorded in Irish waters since 1948, the most common sightings being harbour porpoises.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has reported the sighting of a humpback whale new to Irish waters.

Andrew Malcolm of the IWDG along with Martin Colfer spotted the whale just west of Dunmore East - a year after the first sightings of 'Hooky' who gave whale-watchers a treat in the early part of 2010.

Malcolm confirmed that this humpback was indeed a new addition to the Irish catalogue. He described it as behaving "in a very co-operative manner" and noted that it "regularly 'fluked' in front of the boat".

Click HERE for more on the story, including some spectaular images.

Since the first report of the Humpback whale off Howth, north Co Dublin, on Thursday, the first sighting in the area in almost 20 years, several other eyewitness reports are surfacing too. The sitings are among a handful of validated recordings of the species in Irish waters over the past century.
A 10-year-old boy who was taking part in a Howth YC sailing course was afloat when the mammal surfaced on Thursday afternoon. The whale swam between the rescue boat and the young sailor as he waited to be picked up by an instructor.
Earleir this week Skerries Sailing Club spotted the humpback on Wednesday evening when preparing for its evening race.. "The whale was just astern of the committee boat which was anchored, said one official.
"The whale remained in close proximity to the boat for about 20-30 minutes and came to within touching distance of the boat," he added.
The mammal has been photographed within metres of the Cardinal marker off Howth Head, between Ireland's Eye and Howth harbour.
The photographer, Seán Pierce of Shearwater Sea Kayaking told reporters: "It stayed around Cardinal Mark off Howth for over two hours . . . lolling about pushing [its] head into trailing weed and perhaps scratching itself." he told the Irish Times.
The mammal has a preference for shallow coastal waters.

A Hump Back Whale was spotted off Howth head, Co. Dublin this afternoon by local canoeists. It is the first reported sighting in the Eastern Irish Sea in over 20 years according to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who have issued an appeal to mariners to maintain a 100 metre distance if the mammal is sited again.

IWDG received an image from Sean Pearse of Shearwater Sea kayaking, confirming the species. The animal, adult in size, was photographed within metres of the Cardinal marker off Howth Head, between Howth harbour and Ireland's Eye this afternoon.

The IWDG have alerted NPWS and local cetacean recorders and Brendan Price of the Irish Seal Sanctuary. Although the image taken by Sean confirms its species, it is too distant to match this individual with any of the existing 11 humpback whales currently on the Irish Humpback Whale Catalogue (link below).

The IWDG say:

"If fortunate enough to re-locate this whale, we'd ask all mariners to note Marine Notice 15 which protects these endangered marine mammals from harrassment from boats. They also have full protection under Irish and EU legislation. Boats should maintain a 100m distance and keep speeds to less than 7 knots, do not cross the animals path, and please maintain a parallel course with the whale if travelling with it.

IWDG would really appreciate any images especially of the whale's ventral surface of the tail flukes or dorsal fin. These images may help us match this whale with others on the Irish catalogue or with the North Atlantic Humpback Whale catalogue which currently has over 5,500 recognisable individuals which can be matched by their unique scarring on their flanks or pattern on their flukes."

More on the IWDG website HERE.