The Marine Institute's annual Poster Presentation Day was held on Friday, 28th July 2023, where student bursars showcased their summer internship research. For the first time, the 20 students not only presented posters but also gave flash presentations to supervisors, fellow bursars, and Marine Institute staff. The bursary programme, which has been active since the 1960s, offers students a unique opportunity to professionally contribute to the marine science industry before completing their tertiary education.

This year bursars worked in areas including fish husbandry, fish trap census research, ecological monitoring, data collation and organisation, marine research, INFOMAR data visualisation, DNA extraction and analysis, historical fisheries data reconstruction, climate research and outreach, finance, communications, and linking art and science.

Eight students’ efforts were spotlighted as exceptional. These students and their project areas were:

• Rosemary Lane – Crayfish Plague Monitoring
• Craig Ferguson – INFOMAR Seabed Mapping
• Saoirse Cusack – Finance
• Michael Officer – Marine Research Infrastructure
• Colleen Kyan – Social Media and Communications
• Brice Dourieu – Shellfish Research
• Laura Foster – Infragravity Wave Modelling and Communications in Climate Services
• Dan O Connell – Linking Art and Science

“It’s really wonderful to see the talent and innovation that our bursars display each year,” says Patricia Orme, Director of Corporate Services, on the topic of the Summer Bursary Poster Presentation Day. “An event like today gives us the opportunity to acknowledge all the hard work that the students have been doing for the past number of weeks. The posters were of exceptional quality, and their work added significant value to their teams and will result in lasting impacts within the Marine Institute. They should all be very proud of their efforts as the quality of work and output this year was excellent.”

Over 75 primary school teachers took part in the Marine Institute’s Explorers Continuing Professional Development (CPD) marine-themed training courses this month.

Across the five days of these courses, they learned the value of integrating marine themes in their teaching as part of the new Primary School Curriculum Framework.

Patricia Orme, corporate services director with the Marine Institute described the courses as “key to introducing marine knowledge to teachers to share with their classes, schools and communities, particularly at a time when we need to engage our communities with the value of the ocean, marine biodiversity and with understanding climate change”.

Orme added: “Based on the teachers’ feedback, it is rewarding to know that the teachers are excited about using the Explorers seashore resources, as well as our marine-themed content for class and school projects in the new school year.”

Cushla Dromgool-Regan, Explorers Education Programme strategic manager explained the benefits of these courses for teachers preparing engaging lessons for the new school year.

“The seashore courses provided teachers this year with an opportunity to explore sand dunes and rock pools, create art pieces from flotsam and jetsam, carry out beach-clean games and learn about seashore animals and different types of seaweeds,” she said. “This is a fun and interactive way to teach children about our ocean, marine biodiversity, as well as addressing serious issues such as marine pollution and climate change.

“As a number of teachers noted in their feedback, the Explorers educational resources and content supports the new Primary Curriculum Framework and is an excellent way to integrate cross curricular content throughout much of the year using thematic learning.”

The Explorers programme is also providing an online course — Exploring Ireland’s Seashore through science + — which is being delivered through pre-recordings and online support. This course provides an excellent introduction to teaching marine themes in the classroom and will be available up until 18 August.

The Explorers summer CPD courses have been developed and carried out by the Explorers team including Galway Atlantaquaria, Leave No Trace, Sea Synergy, Old Cork Waterworks Experience, Oceanics and Camden Education. The courses were supported by the Galway, Tralee and West Cork Education centres, as well as Waterford teachers centre. All the courses are approved for EPV certification by the Department of Education and Skills.

The Marine Institute is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Gillooly as Interim CEO. He takes on the position following the retirement of Dr Paul Connolly at the end of June.

Mr Gillooly has worked with the Marine Institute for over 30 years. He has 30 years' senior management experience in marine technical research, operational projects and infrastructure projects and has been the Director of Ocean Climate and Information Services of the Marine Institute since 2003. Mr Gillooly was appointed Interim CEO of the Marine Institute at the June meeting of the Board.

Dr John Killeen, Chair of the Marine Institute, said, “On behalf of the Marine Institute Board, we are very pleased that Michael Gillooly has accepted the position of Interim CEO. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of not only the Marine Institute, but also the marine science industry at large, and we have every confidence that Mr Gillooly will successfully lead the organisation through this transition period.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Gillooly said, “With our recently launched five-year strategy, Ocean Knowledge that Informs and Inspires, it is an exciting time for the Marine Institute as we look to the future at a time of significant change across the marine area. I look forward to continuing to work with the Board, the senior leadership team and all of my colleagues across the Marine Institute and the wider marine community and building on the great work delivered under Dr Connolly’s leadership”.

The campaign to recruit a Chief Executive Officer has commenced with support from Perrett Laver. You can view the job profile and find details on the application process here.

Yesterday, the Marine Institute, along with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission, co-hosted a high-level celebration in Iveagh House, Dublin, marking ten years of the Galway Statement - a decade of marine research cooperation across the Atlantic Ocean.

The milestone event, entitled "10 Years of the Galway Statement. Celebrating a decade of marine research cooperation along and across the Atlantic Ocean - Our Shared Resource" will continue today and Thursday at the Marine Institute and the University of Galway.

The Galway Statement is a landmark agreement signed by representatives of the European Union, the United States and Canada who agreed to join forces on Atlantic Ocean Research. The goal was to better understand the Atlantic Ocean and promote the sustainable management of its resources. The Agreement aimed to connect the ocean observation efforts of the three partners. The work also studied the interplay of the Atlantic Ocean with the Arctic Ocean, particularly in relation to climate change.

This celebration showcases and reflects on the achievements of the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA), which has grown to become truly all-Atlantic - from East to West, North to South, and from the Arctic to Antarctica. The event also focused on the coming years, through high-level dialogue and intergenerational discussion, on this model for science diplomacy.

Yesterday’s event programme included presentations on discoveries and achievements from the past decade, while looking to the future with discussion on the future of AAORIA.

The Marine Institute coordinated the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Coordination and Support Action up to 2020, partners in many of the Mission Ocean initiatives and looks forward to playing a pivotal role in the implementation of the All Atlantic Research and Innovation Alliance. The Marine Institute has recently launched its new five-year corporate strategy (2023-2027) which sets out eight strategic priorities centering on transforming the Institute’s knowledge, advice and services to benefit people, policy and planet. Ocean Knowledge that Informs and Inspires sets out a roadmap to enable Ireland to deliver on national and EU policy goals on sustainable seafood production, ocean science and management, environment and biodiversity, maritime transport, offshore renewable energy and climate action. 

Commenting on the event, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said “As an island nation, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Ireland’s culture, heritage and identity are intrinsically linked to the Ocean surrounding it. The Galway Statement has been instrumental in fostering a decade of marine research cooperation. It has led to the development of numerous collaborative projects and initiatives in which Ireland will continue to play a significant role over the next decade.

Michael Gillooly, Interim CEO of the Marine Institute said, “The Galway Statement and AAORIA have delivered an exemplary example of science diplomacy. The Marine Institute is proud to have contributed to this important work and we look forward to continued cooperation with the other members of the alliance”.

Further sessions are planned over the next two days showcasing the profound impact of the past decade's marine research collaboration. A significant program highlight will be the intergenerational discussion session to engage with Early Career Ocean Professionals, contributing to the AAORIA.

The Marine Institute has announced details of the process to recruit a chief executive officer (CEO) following the retirement of Dr Paul Connolly at the end of the month.

Dr Connolly has worked with the Marine Institute for over 30 years. He started his career as a Marine Institute bursar, before working in fisheries and becoming director of Fisheries Ecosystem Advisory Services.

Dr Connolly was appointed CEO of the Marine Institute in October 2019 and led as an advocate for sustainable development of Ireland’s marine and maritime sectors, focusing on developing ocean knowledge that informs and inspires our people and policy for the long term benefit of our planet, the State agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation said.

The campaign to recruit a new CEO is now under way with support from Perrett Laver. Full details of the job description and how to apply are available on the Marine Institute website HERE. The closing date for applications is 12pm Irish Time on Wednesday 26 July.

Thousands of international energy and marine engineers, roboticists and scientists among others are attending the global OCEANS 2023 conference hosted at University of Limerick this week in association with the Marine Institute, IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society and the Marine Technology Society.

This is the first time that Ireland is hosting OCEANS 2023, for delegates to gather from around the world for four days to advance research, practices and policies under the “Blue Ocean Planet Earth” theme.

The conference aims to address some of the major challenges facing our global ocean including arresting climate change, switching to renewable (significantly marine) energy and protecting and rejuvenating the world’s oceans.

OCEANS 2023 Limerick brings together key international industry and government stakeholders, buyers, investors, researchers, innovators, academia and policy makers focusing on emerging technologies, new research initiatives, the latest in commercial products and investment strategies over the next decade and beyond to address these internationally agreed challenges.

Technical tracks include renewable ocean energy production, rapid transition to very large scale offshore wind, technologies for ocean stewardship, food supply production and management, green shipping and remote ocean exploration.

From left: General chair for the exposition and co-director of the Centre of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at UL, Professor Daniel Toal; UL president Professor Kerstin Mey; Marine Institute CEO Paul Connolly; Professor Philip Nolan, director-general of the Science Foundation Ireland; and Professor Norelee Kennedy, vice president of research at UL

Speaking at the opening of the conference, UL president Professor Kerstin Mey said: “UL is a research-led institution that has launched both its Climate Action Roadmap and a Sustainability Framework — that is a first for any Irish university, so it is very fitting we are playing hosts to such a strategically important academic conference in partnership with the Marine Institute.

“The rapid pace of societal growth has caused us to exceed many of Earth’s planetary boundaries. We are now living in a deficit — consuming resources at a rate at which they cannot be replenished. The defining challenge of the 21st century will be to balance social progress and environmental boundaries. This conference brings together some of the most advanced researchers, academics and professionals from around the world to find ways to achieve that balance.”

Paul Connolly, chief executive of the Marine Institute said it is proud to be key partner of OCEANS 2023. “We need technology and innovation to build the new ocean data and knowledge that will inform and inspire the sustainable development of our vast ocean space,” he added.

“This will require new partnerships, new alliances and new thinking if we are to meet the new policy demands around our ocean space. This new marine science community has an enormous part to play in meeting the challenges and opportunities of our shared ocean space for the benefit of people, policy and planet.”

OCEANS 2023 Limerick has been endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and will deal with three clear themes:

• offshore wind and carbon-neutral energy by 2050;
• sustainable commercial use of the seas and oceans; and
• ocean health and resilience.

The last day of OCEANS 2023 Limerick, Thursday 8 June, coincides with World Oceans Day.

A group of young kayakers in Galway were treated to a scarce sight at the weekend when an angelshark surprised them for a brief swim-around.

Kayaking instructors Ronan Breathnach and Colm O’Loan from Galway Bay Sailing Club had the presence of mind to dip their camera into the water and capture footage of this rarely encountered fish in the waters off Rinville on Sunday (28 May).

“What a great day out for the group of 12 budding marine scientists of the future,” said the Marine Institute, who confirmed the sighting of one of the critically endangered marine wildlife species which is also one of the rarest sharks in Europe.

Angelsharks were once abundant over large areas of the Northeast Atlantic but pressure from commercial fishing—particularly bottom trawling—has been blamed for a significant decline in their numbers over the last century.

The Our Shared Ocean funding programme, specifically designed to build strategic research partnerships between Ireland and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), has launched a suite of competitive calls to support capacity building in eligible SIDS partner countries in the areas of oceans and climate action; inclusive and sustainable blue-economy and marine Policy; and ocean governance.

The multi-annual collaboration launched last year, funded by Irish Aid and administered by the Marine Institute, will provide €3.8 million over the next five years to facilitate partnerships on ocean-related issues.

Our Shared Ocean is part of Ireland’s response to the challenges facing many SIDS, recognising that our fellow islanders are on the front line of the impact of climate change and vulnerable in particular to sea-level rise and extreme weather events.

It also recognises the important role of SIDS in relation to global ocean governance and their capacity to develop innovative responses to these challenges.

The programme, the first of its kind by Ireland to engage strategically with developing island states, aims to leverage existing national marine research capabilities and expertise to empower the SIDS with the skills and opportunity to tackle local marine issues.

Following an extensive stakeholder consultation which included conversations with representatives and research scientists in over 20 countries from the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, the project team now invite joint research applications (Irish and SIDS partners) to develop MSc scholarships, research fellowships or project awards. Also on offer are travel and mobility grants to facilitate eligible SIDS student participation in international conferences and workshops.

Our Shared Ocean research topics reflect stakeholder feedback and are focussed on the most relevant challenges and opportunities facing our oceans today. These include, but are not limited to, blue carbon; coastal engineering; climate resilience; coastal and marine management; ocean economy; digital technology; and marine education and communication.

The grants are intended to provide research training opportunities for scientists in oceanography, marine engineering and related marine science, social science and humanities disciplines. The Our Shared Ocean Team can also discuss your research and how it addresses the challenges identified in the programme. Contact [email protected] or @OurSharedOcean on Twitter for more information.

Minister for International Development and Diaspora, Sean Fleming said: “Our Shared Ocean reflects Ireland’s commitment to deepening our partnership with Small Island Development States and ensuring we are championing responses to the issues they face. This important programme builds strategic research partnerships between Ireland and Small Island Developing States on issues related to oceans.”

Paul Connolly, chief executive of the Marine Institute added: "Without a shared understanding of the challenges facing the marine environment, there cannot be shared solutions.

“We are privileged to have spoken to inspiring scientists around the world, from multiple research disciplines, who are making a real difference to how we think about, use and manage our shared ocean space on a local and regional scale.

“We have listened to these critical ocean stakeholders, to become aware of the unique set of environmental and economic pressures these small islands face, but more importantly to hear their proposed solutions. We are confident our call topics match that ambition.”

The Marine Institute has launched its new five-year corporate strategy to 2027 which sets out eight strategic priorities centring on transforming the institute’s knowledge, advice and services to benefit people, policy and planet.

Ocean Knowledge that Informs and Inspires sets out a roadmap to enable Ireland to deliver on national and EU policy goals on sustainable seafood production, ocean science and management, environment and biodiversity, maritime transport, offshore renewable energy and climate action.

Speaking on Friday (26 May), Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue welcomed the Marine Institute’s new strategy saying, Ireland’s future is “dependent on a healthy and sustainable ocean”.

He added: “Much like the rest of the world, Ireland is at a crossroads where challenge meets opportunity in marine research and knowledge. However, under the stewardship of the Marine Institute, I am confident that we can navigate the next horizon of change together. My department is committed to ongoing investment in marine scientific research, international cooperation and building skills capacity in this evolving sector.

‘The work of the Marine Institute is at the centre of how we navigate through the major challenges facing society around food security, climate and energy’

“Technology is a fundamental lever of innovation, and I am pleased to see that digital ocean transformation is a key priority in this strategy. While expansion and growth are themes, the focus is most definitely sustainability. The Marine Institute and this government are working towards a climate-neutral, knowledge-based blue economy for Ireland.”

The period up to 2030 is a critical time for humanity to address global challenges including advancing food and energy security, decarbonisation and reducing and adapting to climate change. The Marine Institute says its strategy has been developed in this context and aligns with the priorities set out in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, recognising the essential role of ocean science in finding solutions to these complex global challenges.

Dr John Killeen, chairperson of the Marine Institute, said: “The work of the Marine Institute is at the centre of how we navigate through the major challenges facing society around food security, climate, and energy.

“Our new corporate strategy sets out an ambitious agenda for the development of the Institute and its service delivery to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and key clients in a way that informs Government policy and inspires stakeholders and society to understand, value, protect and develop our maritime area and resources.”

North Atlantic – The Dark Ocean is a new TV series from Irish underwater cameraman Ken O’Sullivan that begins this Sunday 14 May at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

Supported by the Marine Institute, this new natural history series follows O’Sullivan as he voyages off Ireland’s coast and out into the open North Atlantic in search of large whales, deep-water sharks and other iconic marine wildlife that inhabit our dark ocean — and reveals never-before-seen behaviours and challenges of some of our greatest wild animals.

Inspired by the spirit of adventure of early explorers such as St Brendan the Navigator, O’Sullivan journeys out into the open North Atlantic in search of the great sea monsters described in their early texts.

After more than 10 years, he finally swims with a fin whale and captures incredible footage that documents its individual patterns.

Using an unmanned submarine aboard the RV Celtic Explorer, O’Sullivan journeys to the deepest parts of Ireland’s Atlantic waters where he discovers thousands of cat sharks in a deep-water nursery. He also addresses the decimation of sharks in Ireland and across the globe.

North Atlantic - The Dark Ocean also deals with the concerning issue of the treatment of our oceans and its creatures. The series explores concerns such as toxicity in whales from human activity in the ocean and the decimation of fin whales due to whaling. The series emphasises how society must work harder to conserve these precious ecosystems.

In episode one, broadcast this Sunday 14 May, O’Sullivan explores the dark ocean waters to the north of Ireland. Here he encounters monstrous winter storms and discovers that these are a huge source of fertility in the ocean. He meets a group of minke whales lunge-feeding on shoals of sprat, and travels to Arctic Norway in search of massive herring shoals that once abounded in Ireland.

In episode two (Sunday 21 May), O’Sullivan travels the south coast of Ireland searching for fin whales. These hugely enigmatic creatures are the second largest animals to have ever lived, but almost nothing has been documented about their migration routes, especially for breeding, until now.

O’Sullivan voyages 1,500km out to the Mid-Atlantic ridge in search of more fin whales. Here he finds sea mounts, oases of life in the open ocean, and gains a deeper understanding of the ocean’s eco-system.

In the series finale (Sunday 28 May), O’Sullivan embraces the spirit of early explorers and gains an understanding of some of the ocean’s greatest and most diverse animals, from the surface waters to the deepest parts of the North Atlantic. He documents more than 30 basking sharks engaged in a courtship ritual – possibly the largest ever group of their kind captured on camera.

The series also features an original classical music soundtrack by young composer Bradley Ayres, performed by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

Speaking about the series, Ken O’Sullivan said: “Almost three years in production, North Atlantic – The Dark Ocean is a hugely ambitious natural history TV series featuring the iconic creatures and fascinating marine life of Ireland’s North Atlantic ocean.

“It would not have been possible without the support of many. We are particularly grateful to the Marine Institute for providing us with ship time and access to the RV Celtic Explorer and their remotely operated vehicle, the ROV Holland I, which enabled us to voyage further, explore deeper and share amazing discoveries in Ireland’s deep ocean.”

North Atlantic - The Dark Ocean starts this Sunday 14 May at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.