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Displaying items by tag: grey seal

#CoastalNotes - During Afloat's visit to Wicklow Port this day last week, seemingly Sammy the Seal made a fleeting appearance when alongside a departing cargoship, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The departure that afternoon of Burhou-I involved the curious 'Sammy' or a fellow companion? make for inspection as the cargohip eased off slowly from the Packet Quay. On the next attempt to take a further zoomed-in photo, the seal slipped underneath the calm waters within Wicklow harbour. 

Sammy the Seal has became something of a local celebrity in the town and beyond having gone 'viral' in recent years when footage showed the hungry grey seal 'visiting' the local fishmonger. 

The presence of Sammy however, has become something of a nuisance, if you ask the staff of fishmongers, The Fishman on South Quay where local trawlers land catch. The fishmongers have to keep an eye on the mammal when crossing what can be a busy road before throwing him tasty fish scraps meals – one of three every day at high tide.

Returning to the port's commercial shipping activities, Burhou-I is engaged in the timber trade. The 674grt coaster is operated by Great Glen Shipping Co, Scotland from where round timber (logs) had been loaded for discharge in Wicklow Port.

Also in port this day last week was the cargoship's sister, Isis which this afternoon is bound for Wicklow Port having sailing from western Scotland. On board is more round timber having been loaded in Sandbanks, Holy Loch, located on part of the Cowal Peninsula along the Firth of Clyde.

Published in Marine Wildlife

#MarineWildlife - The Irish Film Institute (IFI) in Dublin is hosting special screenings of a new documentary that celebrates 100 years of the first wildlife species to be protected under law.

Lanugo: The Great Grey Seal/100 Years, 100 Voices marks the centenary of the UK's Grey Seals (Protection) Act 1914, with people from all walks of life, from fishermen to scientists, folklorists and more talking the legacy and future of the grey seal on the shores of Britain and Ireland.

"Among the first species threatened by biodiversity loss and most sensitive to climate change, they are as pertinent to our future today, as when their vulnerability was first recognised," say the team behind the film.

Produced by Brendan Rice, founder of the Irish Seal Sanctuary, and directed by filmmaker David Kavanagh, Lanugo will be screened at the IFI in Temple Bar this Saturday 13 December and next Wednesday 17 December at 10.30am (more details HERE).

All are welcome to the screenings but advance registration is required - contact [email protected].

Published in Marine Wildlife

#MARINE WILDLIFE - The Gorey Guardian reports that the bodies of two grey seals were found washed up last week on Booley Bay beach, near Fethard-on-Sea in Co Wexford.

The two seal pups were found in an emaciated and malnourished state by a beach walker on 27 November.

According to Irish Whale and Dolphin Group chair Kevin MacCormick, dead seal strandings are not unusual at this time of year, particularly after stormy weather, and grey seals have an especially high mortality rate.

Tramua wounds and blood found on the seals were put down to predation by seabirds.

Published in Marine Wildlife

#MARINE WILDLIFE - A harbour seal pup found in a serious condition in Balbriggan last week is new recovering in the care of the Irish Seal Sanctuary.

Colin, as he has been named by ISS volunteers, was discovered on Kings Beach suffering from blood loss and breathing problems, the Fingal Independent reports.

An ISS spokesperson remarked that it was "very unusual" to find harbour seal pups this late in the year, and in an area dominated by colonies of grey seals.

Thanks to medicine donated by the Dogs Aid veterinary clinic in north Dublin, Colin is now "making great progress" though full recovery will take some time.

The seal pup will remain in the care of the ISS until he is fit enough to be returned to Balbriggan for release.

Published in Marine Wildlife
9th February 2011

Kerry Fishermen Want Seal Cull

Kerry fishermen are calling for a cull of the local grey seal population over claims that they eat up to 10kg of fish a day, The Irish Times reports.
Fishermen along the Kerry coast are arguing the the seals are "over-protected", are too great in number and are posing a threat to salmon conservation, as well as depleting stocks of hake and pollock.
Concerns are on the rise that seals will be culled illegally if there is no official intervention on the matter. However, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has ruled out any action.
Locals in the Blasket Islands have claimed that more than 1,200 seals inhabit the area. Research by the Seal Track programme showed only 400 seals in the Blaskets in 2003, down over 40% from 1998 numbers.
The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Kerry fishermen are calling for a cull of the local grey seal population over claims that they eat up to 10kg of fish a day, The Irish Times reports on marine animals.

Fishermen along the Kerry coast are arguing the the seals are "over-protected", are too great in number and are posing a threat to salmon conservation, as well as depleting stocks of hake and pollock.

Concerns are on the rise that seals will be culled illegally if there is no official intervention on the matter. However, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has ruled out any action.

Locals in the Blasket Islands have claimed that more than 1,200 seals inhabit the area. Research by the Seal Track programme showed only 400 seals in the Blaskets in 2003, down over 40% from 1998 numbers.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Published in Marine Wildlife
The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) is gearing up for three seal releases this coming weekend.
On Saturday 5 February ISS volunteers in tandem with the Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary will release Rupert and Rosie back into the wild at Beal Ban Beach in Ballyferriter, Co Kerry.
The two grey seal pups were rescued from the Dun Chaoin area last November within days of each other, the male pup with several injuries. Both now rehabilitated, it's expected they will rejoin the grey seal colony just off the Dingle Peninsula.
Then on Sunday 6 February the ISS will release another grey seal pup, Mary, from Kilpatrick Beach in Castletown, Co Wexford.
For more details on these releases visit www.irishsealsanctuary.ie

The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) is gearing up for three seal releases this coming weekend.

On Saturday 5 February ISS volunteers in tandem with the Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary will release Rupert and Rosie back into the wild at Beal Ban Beach in Ballyferriter, Co Kerry.

The two grey seal pups were rescued from the Dun Chaoin area last November within days of each other, the male pup with several injuries. Both now rehabilitated, it's expected they will rejoin the grey seal colony just off the Dingle Peninsula.

Then on Sunday 6 February the ISS will release another grey seal pup, Mary, from Kilpatrick Beach in Castletown, Co Wexford.

For more details on these releases visit www.irishsealsanctuary.ie

Published in Marine Wildlife

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!