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19th June 2021

Government Extends Funding to Protect Ireland’s Vital Marine Ecosystem With New Aerial Survey

An Irish-led international consortium will this month begin extensive aerial surveys of almost half a million square kilometres of Ireland’s maritime area.

The ObSERVE Aerial 2 survey aims to help build a greater understanding of Ireland’s marine wildlife and the habitats they need to survive and to thrive.

Extensive aerial surveys under the ObSERVE Programme are due to start this month, sampling a large portion of Ireland’s maritime area of almost 490,000 sq km in a project led by University College Cork.

Our natural marine environment and its renewable energy resources can also help the State meet its climate goals, and the Government says it is committed to understanding and protecting our marine life when developing plans for the offshore.

Speaking at the launch of the ObSERVE Aerial 2 project, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan said: “Developing our offshore wind resources gives Ireland a wonderful opportunity to break away from fossil fuels and meet our ambitious climate targets. In doing so we are determined to protect our marine environment and the wonderful biodiversity it contains.

“The scientific knowledge from the ObSERVE project will play a critical role in developing our resources in a sustainable way. The collaboration of my department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in supporting the project emphasises the importance the State places on protecting our marine environment and our shared ambitions in combating climate change and biodiversity loss.”

Minister of State for Heritage, Malcolm Noonan added: “The conservation of marine biodiversity is one of my key priorities as Minister for Heritage and this important research programme will support that endeavour.

“Ireland’s maritime area is one of the largest in Europe — we have a responsibility to look after it and the diverse array of wildlife that depends on it, especially as we develop our offshore renewable energy resource as part of Ireland’s ambitious climate action agenda.

“The Observe 2 project represents an important step forward as we continue to develop our scientific understanding of the marine ecosystem and work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure its long-term protection.”

Data collected as part of the first phase of the programme in recent years has already filled major information gaps and has assisted in more informed and sustainable management of offshore activities, and in the development of suitable conservation strategies that will sustain our marine environment into the future.

The UCC team responsible for he project is led by Dr Mark Jessopp and Prof Emer Rogan from the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, with partners from Action Air, France, Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands and Duke University in the US.

“The survey programme includes summer and winter flights over the next two years, but we are looking forward to the challenge,” Dr Jessopp said.

Professor Rogan added: “The results from the ObSERVE II programme will provide us with a unique timeseries to look at trends in seabird and cetacean abundance and distribution, informing management and conservation.”

The ObSERVE Programme is jointly funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI).

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Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

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