Displaying items by tag: Protect Curlews

3rd January 2020

Launch of New Lake Boat in Battle to Save Northern Ireland's Birds

The reconfigurable livestock lake-boat named Joe Magee was delivered to Northern Ireland's RSPB. AFLOAT adds the 15-metre custom-made cot for use on Lower Lough Erne, weighs 14 tonnes and was built by Mainstay Marine Solutions based in Pembroke Dock, south Wales.

The launch of a new boat is a boost in the efforts to protect the habitats of endangered birds in County Fermanagh, reports BBC News NI.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) will use it to transport livestock to graze on islands on Lower Lough Erne, creating a suitable environment for breeding wader birds.

The vessel has been named in tribute to former RSPB warden Joe Magee.

Having joined the society in 1971, he was one of the first people to notice the alarming decline in curlews.

'You could hear them all over the place'

Mr Magee said when he started work as an RSPB warden in Fermanagh, the sounds of many endangered bird species were common.

"If you went outside the door at that time you could hear curlews, and lapwings, all over the place, and even corncrakes were very common then."

Corncrakes have now disappeared completely from Fermanagh.

Since 1987 curlew numbers have fallen by 89% across Northern Ireland.

Last year there were 39 pairs of curlews on the RSPB managed islands in Fermanagh, 10% of the population on the island of Ireland.

One reason for the decline is a change in farming practices.

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Published in Inland Waterways

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About the Watersports Inclusion Games

The Watersports Inclusion Games are an award-winning event organised by Irish Sailing with partners from across the watersports sector, that enable people of all abilities from the physical, sensory, intellectual and learning spectrums to take to the water to participate in a wide range of water activities.

More than 250 people with physical, sensory, intellectual and learning disabilities typically take part in the weekend's events.

Participants will have the opportunity to try more sports than ever before, with an expanded range including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boarding, rowing, surfing, water skiing and powerboating all on offer.

The Games typically take place each August.

The organisers of the Games want to let people of all abilities know that there are multiple watersports available to them, and to encourage more people from all backgrounds to get involved and out on the water regardless of ability. They aim to highlight that any barriers faced by people with disabilities can be eliminated.

There are social, health and wellness benefits associated with sailing and all watersports. These include improved muscle strength and endurance, improved cardiovascular fitness and increased agility, enhanced spatial awareness, greater mental wellness through the balancing of serotonin levels and the lowering of stress levels, improved concentration and the forging of positive relationships.