MacDara Conroy
MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business
RTÉ News reports on fresh calls to update work permits for non-European workers in the Irish fishing industry. According to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), moving migrant fishers from the Atypical Work Permit Scheme to the Critical Skills Permit…
Marseille Officials Cancel Grandstand Plans for Paris 2024 Sailing Venue
10th March 2022 Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing
Officials in the southern French port city of Marseille have cited security concerns in their decision to cancel plans for a 5,000-seat grandstand at the Paris 2024 sailing venue, as insidethegames.biz reports. Proposals for a large spectator stand on the…
COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Removed For Shipping and Ferries
7th March 2022 Coronavirus and Boating
The latest Marine Notice from the Irish Maritime Administration notes that as of 00:01am on Sunday 6 March, the COVID-19 travel requirements set out in SI No 45 of 2021 and SI No 135 of 2021 have been revoked by…
A superyacht owned by a Russian billionaire businessman has been seized by Italian police in the same week as he was targeted by EU sanctions in the wake of the war in Ukraine. As the Guardian reports, mining magnate Alexei…
Spain’s Marca is reporting that a Ukrainian sailor was arrested over the weekend for attempting to sink the superyacht owned by his Russian employer. The €7 million Lady Anastasia — which was partially sunk at Port Adriano in Mallorca —…
Recent Whale Strandings No Longer Considered ‘Unusual’, IWDG Says
27th February 2022 Marine Wildlife
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) says it’s clarified its opinion on recent whale strandings in Donegal, explaining that the evidence does not suggest an “unusual mortality event” or UME. It has been feared the strandings of two female…
Proposal to Transform Moneypoint Power Plant into Offshore Wind Production Base Goes Before Planners
26th February 2022 Power From the Sea
RTÉ News reports that the ESB has put before planners its proposal for an offshore wind turbine production base at its Moneypoint plant. The pre-consultation on the planned facility, envisaged as part of the ESB’s multi-billion-euro Green Atlantic @ Moneypoint…
Pregnancies in bottlenose dolphins can now be determined from images captured by drone, according to new research. As the Irish Examiner reports, marine scientists from University of Aberdeen and Duke University have flown drones over the Moray Firth Special Area…
Wildlife Charity Calls for Increased Protection Over Waters West of Ireland and Other Key ‘Whale Superhighways’
20th February 2022 Marine Wildlife
The waters west of Ireland host one of the world’s “whale superhighways” which are under various threats from human activity according to leading conservation charity. And the WWF is now calling on the world’s governments to extend legal protections for…
Status Orange Warning in Western and Northern Counties as Storm Franklin Sweeps In
20th February 2022 Weather
Status Orange weather warnings are now in place for coastal counties from Munster to Ulster with the arrival of Storm Franklin today, Sunday 20 February. The third winter storm to reach Ireland within the last five days will bring westerly…
Fears That Donegal Whale Strandings May Be Linked to Russian Military Drills
19th February 2022 Marine Wildlife
It’s feared that at least one whale stranded in Donegal in recent days may have died as a result of Russian military exercises in the North Atlantic. According to The Irish Sun, a marine wildlife expert investigating the stranding of…
Dublin Port Company will temporarily close access to both the Great South Wall and the Bull Wall bridge tomorrow (Friday 18 February) due to the arrival of Storm Eunice. The Great South Wall wall be closed from midnight tonight until 7am…
Royal Cork’s First Female Vice Admiral Says She’s ‘Standing on the Shoulders’ of Women Not Given Same Opportunities
17th February 2022 Royal Cork YC
The Royal Cork’s first female Vice Admiral has spoken of her pride at making history in the world’s oldest yacht club. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Annamarie Fegan was elected at the club’s 301st AGM in early January. She is…
Lough Neagh Drained Below Minimum Levels Due to Faulty Water Sensors
15th February 2022 Northern Ireland Waters
Fishing crews and sand barges on Lough Neagh were stranded for a number of days recently after faulty sensors caused water levels to drop below the statutory minimum, as BelfastLive reports. Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure blamed a software update…
81-Year-Old Arranmore Swimmer Returns Home to Hero’s Welcome After Taking 300 Dips Around the Island of Ireland
13th February 2022 Sea Swim
A Donegal octogenarian has completed his marathon effort to swim at as many spots around the Irish coast as possible — raising more than €100,000 for charity in the process. As the Sunday World reports, Paddy Conaghan skipped Christmas and…
Controversial Supertrawler Tracked Off Mayo Coast After Shedding More Than 100,000 Dead Fish in French Waters
13th February 2022 Fishing
A supertrawler implicated in the discarding of more 100,000 dead fish off the coast of France has been tracked to waters off Co Mayo, as Independent.ie reports. Maritime campaigners filmed the release of blue whiting from the FV Margiris in…
Ireland’s Naval Service fleet should be expanded to an "optimum capacity" of nine vessels as part of a radical overhaul for “enhanced capability”, the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces recommends. The publication of the report was welcomed…
Falling demand for whale meat has prompted Iceland to announce and end to commercial whaling from 2024, as RTÉ News reports. The move will leave Norway and Japan as the only countries that hunt whales for commercial purposes. In an…
IWDG Supports Fishing Industry’s Call for 10-Year Moratorium on Military Exercises in Irish EEZ
1st February 2022 Fishing
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) says it supports the call for a moratorium on military exercises within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Both the Irish South and West Fish Producers’ Organisation (IS&WFPO) and the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters…
Castletownbere Fishermen Go Viral After Russia’s Move of Military Drills as ‘Gesture of Goodwill’
30th January 2022 Fishing
Cork fishermen have gone viral after appearing on a worldwide news broadcast to discuss Russia’s planned offshore military drills. CNN correspondent Donie O’Sullivan — who hails from Kerry — tweeted a clip of the interview he conducted with the fishers…