Prince Albert II of Monaco is to make a state visit to Ireland next week which is to include a tour of the Marine Institute in Co. Galway, according to Department of Foreign Affairs, writes Jehan Ashmore.  The three-day visit…

New Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has signed off on a key foreshore licence to Shell Ireland, paving the way for the completion of the controversial Corrib gas project. The Irish Times reports that the licence, subject to conditions,…

Coastwatch has claimed that a ministerial order for the protection of sand dunes in Co Wexford is being breached, The Irish Times reports. The order was made in January by former environment minister John Gormley to protect the Tinnaberna dunes…

Ireland's first ever biodiversity audit has revealed that our mountains, woodlands and waterways are home to more than 31,000 different species of plants and animals. For all the latest news on Irish marine animals click here. Ireland's waters boast more…

Sean Kelly, Fine Gael MEP for Ireland South, will address the IWEA in Dublin this week. As the national association for the wind industry in Ireland, the IWEA aims to educate and build awareness in order to promote the use…

It may not quite live up to the adventurous exploits of Scott and Shackelton, but an intrepid group from the Hamble-based Royal Southern Yacht Club, led by Mike 'Pike' Jones, Peter Delbridge and Tim Robinson, sought out new Solent territories…

Writing in the Irish Examiner yesterday, Donal Hickey points Ireland's tourism authorities towards our abundant marine wildlife as a draw for potential visitors. Hickey makes note of the "multi-million euro industry" built up around Fungie the dolphin in Dingle and…

The controversial €6 million deveopment of Doolin Point has been backed unanimously by Clare councillors. Clare county manager Tom Coughlan had recommended giving approval for the revised plan, which was submitted after surfers expressed concerns over the impact of the…

Scotland's west coast will be home to the world's largest tidal power facility, it has been announced. The £40 million (€45.9 million) 10MW tidal array, to be developed by ScottishPower Renewables in the Sound of Islay, will generate power for…

There is growing concern over the rising number of dolphin deaths along Ireland's south coast, the Irish Examiner reports. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) announced that a record 19 common dolphins washed up dead in Cork, Waterford and…

In his first week in office Marine Minister Simon Coveney has moved to highlight the significance of the marine sector to Ireland. The statement came in his first official engagement at the new Department of Agriculture, Marine and Food. Minister…

The Marine Institute has issued a statement congratulating Mr Simon Coveney TD on his new appointment as the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food today (11th March 2011), during his visit on board the RV Celtic Explorer in Cork, after…

An Irish MEP has urged the new Government to exploit the "endless possibilities" of marine tourism in Ireland. Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg earlier this week, Sean Kelly MEP said: "“My own constituency of Ireland South alone boasts…

Current Corporation has announced successful results of tests involving the simulation and detection of whale spouts with its new Night Navigator 3 thermal imaging camera system. http://www.currentcorp.com/current-corporation-detects-whale-spouts-at-night-at-distances-of-up-to-2km/ An air compressor was used to simulate the spout of a whale in…

The UK's Crown Estate has announced a consultation on making areas of Northern Ireland's sea bed available for renewable energy projects, Business & Leadership reports. The consultation process will inflence leasing rounds for offshore wind and tidal energy projects in…

Two former Aran Islands fast-passenger ferries have been sold to a buyer in Mauritius, the island nation which lies southeast off the African continent in the Indian Ocean, and some 900km east of Madagascar, writes Jehan Ashmore. The ferries Clann…