Microplastic ingested by plankton may greatly impair our oceans’ natural carbon-capturing abilities, according to a new study from NUI Galway. Marine scientists at the university’s Ryan Institute found that microscopic particles of plastic waste in the world’s oceans are interfering…

Proposals for a new blueway along the River Barrow have been blocked by planners who objected to the scheme for a hard surface along the 115km of towpath. But as The Irish Times reports, many locals and users of the…

Oscar Wilde’s surgeon dad waxed lyrical about it, Vikings lost their weapons in it, and poitín makers and anglers have shared their knowledge of its rocks and islands. The Corrib – this island’s second largest lake after Lough Neagh –…

The Marine Institute in Oranmore, Co Galway will host an Irish Crayfish Seminar on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 May in response to recent outbreaks of crayfish plague in Ireland’s waterways. A series of talks by invited speakers from across…

A 14-room hotel on one of Ireland’s most remote and picturesque islands is now on the market for less than the asking price of many Dublin homes, as The Irish Times reports. Óstan Thóraigh has been the centre of life…

Lifeboats in Baltimore and Portaferry were launched yesterday evening (Friday 26 April) as Storm Hannah swept over the island of Ireland. Baltimore RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 8.30pm after learning of a local fishing trawler that…

The weather warning issued by Met Éireann for Co Clare has been upgraded to the most severe Status Red as Storm Hannah is expect to brings gusts of up to 150km/h this evening (Friday 26 April). Meanwhile, the marine warning…

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow small craft warning for Force 6 southerly winds later today and tonight (Thursday 25 April) on coasts from Belfast Lough to Howth Head to Carnsore Point ahead of Storm Hannah’s arrival tomorrow. A…

#coastalnotes - The Port of Milford Haven, south Wales has completed further improvements to its lock gates at Milford Marina. The works by the port authority have created a more flexible and faster access arrangement for the marina and its…

#islandnews - An island off Co. Kerry is aiming to produce clean energy which could be used to power public lighting and propel its ferry service, among other uses. As the Irish Examiner writes, Valentia Island is planning to transform…

A series of watercolour illustrations and interviews have captured the importance of the ocean to coastal communities in Ireland and Wales as part of the EU-funded BlueFish Project. Sharon Sugrue, scientific and technical officer at the Marine Institute, and Galway’s…

Projects for pearl mussels and conservation of breeding curlew are among the 23 schemes being carried out nationwide under the European Innovation Partnership (EIP), as highlighted in a new exhibition in Dublin. Agriculture House on Kildare Street is currently showcasing…

Inland Fisheries Ireland and the School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU will enable both institutions to collaborate across fisheries research projects. Sean Canney, Minister of State with responsibility for…

#coastalnotes - Communities along the coast reports Independent.ie have been warned that local intelligence is critical if Ireland is to win the battle against drug-smuggling gangs. Gardaí, Customs and Excise, and the Naval Service urged people suspicious of any activities…

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry has been announced as a keynote speaker at Ireland’s flagship blue economy conference Our Ocean Wealth at City Hall Cork on June 9th & 10th. The determined environmentalist and former presidential candidate is…

Horse riders and owners have been warned over taking their animals to beaches or mudflats after two separate rescue incidents in the UK in recent days Last Saturday (13 April) two horses and their riders were rescued from thick mud…