The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, T.D., has re-appointed Dr. John Killeen as Chairperson of the Marine Institute for a five-year term with effect from January 8th 2019. Dr Killeen was originally appointed for a five…

Permanent signage now in place at Spanish Point and Whitestrand Miltown Malbay beaches in west Clare hopes to rid the beaches of the scourge of plastic litter. The signs (not made of plastic) ask beachgoers to take away three pieces…

#MarineWildlife - New research as ruled out viral outbreak as a cause of mass strandings of deep-ocean beaked whales and others in Scottish and Irish waters last year. As Scotland’s The Herald reports, tissue samples collected from tests on 26…

#MarineWildlife - Naval Service personnel on patrol with the LÉ Samuel Beckett encountered the carcass of a large whale some 50 nautical miles south-east of Ballycotton Lighthouse in the days after Christmas. The “mystery whale” is neither a sighting (which…

A reptile feared to be a venomous turtle-headed sea snake was found on a beach on the East Cork coast on Thursday 3 January, as the Irish Examiner reports. However, minds were put at ease when the dead snake spotted…

#lectures- An illustrated lecture Sailing in the Fast Lane- What’s Next? by Tom Dolan is to be held next week, Thursday 10 January (20:00) at Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club Ringsend, Dublin.  Admission fee of €5 (in aid of Sailing into Wellness).  Tom…

To track Atlantic salmon movements from river to sea and back, millions of salmon have been tagged over the past 50 years as part of scientific international tagging programmes. Recently, ICES published a co-operative research report documenting 50 years of…

Former commercial eel fisherman in Galway will receive compensation up to a maximum of €3 million from this month, as Galway Bay FM reports. Applications were opened till the end of November for the Support Scheme for Former Feel Fisherpersons…

#Coastal - An oil pollution incident yesterday at the south Wales port of Milford Haven, has led to a statement issued today on the latest developments. Mike Ryan, Harbourmaster at the port in Pembrokeshire, said: “A multi-agency response is continuing at…

#Coastal - Mike Ryan, Harbourmaster at the Port of Milford Haven, in south Wales announced this morning of an oil pollution incident. “We are responding to a report by Valero of a release of petroleum product into the Milford Haven…

To celebrate the recent Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) expedition to Iceland in May-July 2018 onboard Celtic Mist, the IWDG will be undertaking a tour of Ireland to share stories, images and videos of this exciting and challenging marine…

#DublinBay - A dredger docked in Dun Laoghaire Harbour just days before Christmas Day, remains in port due to space restrictions in neighbouring Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore. The hopper dredger Freeway which Afloat tracked upon arrival to Dublin Port…

Climate change is accelerating the threat of coastal erosion for more than 40,000 people living in coastal communities, according to the Irish Independent. The warning comes from a new report commissioned by local authorities, and produced by the MaREI Centre…

Seal Rescue Ireland has been awarded €15,000 in funding for its animal welfare efforts going into 2019. The Courtown, Co Wexford-based organisation is one of 108 that received funding awards from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that…

#MarineScience - Marine Minister Minister Creed has welcomed the announcement of €2 million from the Marine Institute and the European Regional Development Fund for a major project on Atlantic climate change. Led by Dr Gerard McCarthy of the ICARUS Climate…

Warrenpoint Port will no longer pursue proposals to change how it deals with dredged material. Authorities at the Port had been considering the feasibility of a new placement site in the mouth of Carlingford Lough between Cranfield Point and Greencastle.…