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Displaying items by tag: Nonnative Species

#Flora&Fauna - Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) have launched a second round of public consultation on its risk assessments on certain non-native species – including a number of marine and waterways species, following the first round in mid-May.

The following risk assessments of various plant species, many of which grow on or close to Ireland's inland waterways, are now available for comment via www.nonnativespecies.ie until Wednesday 6 August 2014:

 •Allium triquetrum (Three-cornered Leek)

 •Corbicula fluminea (Asian Clam)

 •Egeria densa (Large-flowered Waterweed)

 •Hydrocotyle ranunculoides (Floating Pennywort)

 •Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan Balsam)

 •Ludwigia spp. (Water Primroses)

 •Lysichiton americanus (American Skunk-cabbage)

 •Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot’s Feather) 

The following risk assessments will be available for comment shortly:

 •Carpobrotus edulis (Hottentot-fig)

 •Elodea canadensis (Canadian Pondweed)

 •Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea-buckthorn)

 •Juncus planifolius (Broad-leaved Rush)

 •Hyacinthoides hispanica (including H. non-scripta x H. hispanica) (Spanish Bluebell)

 •Persicaria perfoliata (Mile-a-minute Weed)

 •Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry)

Published in News Update

#Flora&Fauna - Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) have been tasked by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to undertake risk assessments on certain non-native species - including a number of marine and waterways species - listed in the Third Schedule to the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (SI 477/2011). 

The risk assessments provide evidence-based knowledge that will be used by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the implementation of Regulations 49, 50 and 74.

These regulations are concerned with the prohibition on the introduction, dispersal, trading and keeping of certain non-native species and associated licensing requirements that may apply.

To date, each risk assessment completed (refer to list below) has undergone an internal review and an external expert review and is now available for stakeholder and public consultation on the project website.  

As such, IFI and the NBDC invite any interested parties to make submissions on these completed risk assessments, which are available for comment for a two-week period after publication.

Further to this, three public meetings will take place to inform interested stakeholders and the general public about the Regulations and associated licencing requirements as follows:

  • 20/21 May 2014: IFI Head Office, 3044 Lake Drive, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm
  • 22 May 2014: Athlone Springs Hotel, Monksland, Athlone, Co Westmeath from 7.30pm to 9pm

Project staff will also be available to meet in person or receive calls from stakeholders between 11:00 and 17:00 on each of the above days by appointment only to receive consultation on matters pertaining to the risk assessments or licensing requirements. Please call 087 051 3116 during business hours to make such an appointment.

Additional information on the Non-native Species Risk Assessment Project can be found on the project website. Guidance information on the licensing requirements can be viewed HERE.

The following risk assessments are available for comment until 24 May 2014:

Aponogeton distachyos (Cape Pondweed)
Astacus astacus (Noble Crayfish)
Astacus leptodactylus (Turkish Crayfish)
Azolla filiculoides (Water Fern)
Bufo bufo (Common Toad) 
Capreolus capreolus (Roe Deer)
Crassula helmsii (Australian Swamp Stonecrop)
Crepidula fornicata (Slipper Limpet)
Cyprinus carpio (Carp)
Elodea nuttallii (Nuttall’s Pondweed)
Gunnera manicata (Brazilian Giant-rhubarb)
Gunnera tinctoria (Giant-rhubarb)
Hydropotes inermis (Chinese Water Deer)
Lagarosiphon major (Curly-leaved Waterweed)
Leuciscus cephalus  (Chub)
Lithobates catesbeianu (American Bullfrog)
Muntiacus reevesi (Muntjac Deer)
Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrots Feather)
Nymphoides peltata (Fringed Water-lily)
Orconectes limosus (Spiny-cheek Crayfish)
Pacifastacus leniusculus (Signal Crayfish) 
Pistia stratiotes (Water Lettuce)
Procambarus clarkii (Red Swamp Crayfish) 
Procambarus spp. (Marbled Crayfish) 
Rhododendron ponticum (including R. x superponticum)(Rhododendron)
Strix aluco (Tawny Owl)
Sus scrofa (Wild Boar)
Tamias sibiricus (Siberian Chipmunk)

The following risk assessments are not yet available for comment:

Allium triquetrum (Three-cornered Leek)
Carpobrotus edulis  (Hottentot-fig)
Corbicula fluminea (Asian River Clam)
Egeria densa (Large-flowered Waterweed)
Elodea canadensis (Canadian Pondweed)
Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea-buckthorn)
Hyacinthoides hispanica (including H. non-scripta x H. hispanica) (Spanish Bluebell)
Hydrocotyle ranunculoides (Floating Pennywort)
Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan Balsam)
Juncus planifolius (Broad-leaved Rush)
Ludwigia (L. grandiflora, L. peploides and L. hexapetala) (Water-primrose)
Lysichiton americanus (American Skunk-cabbage)
Persicaria perfoliata (Mile-a-minute Weed)
Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry)

Published in Inland Waterways

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award

This unique and informal competition was inaugurated in 1979, with Mitsubishi Motors becoming main sponsors in 1986. The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs. 

In making their assessment, the adjudicators take many factors into consideration. In addition to the obvious one of sailing success at local, national and international level, considerable attention is also paid to the satisfaction which members in every branch of sailing and boating feel with the way their club is run, and how effectively it meets their specific needs, while also encouraging sailing development and training.

The successful staging of events, whether local, national or international, is also a factor in making the assessment, and the adjudicators place particular emphasis on the level of effective voluntary input which the membership is ready and willing to give in support of their club's activities.

The importance of a dynamic and fruitful interaction with the local community is emphasised, and also with the relevant governmental and sporting bodies, both at local and national level. The adjudicators expect to find a genuine sense of continuity in club life and administration. Thus although the award is held in a specific year in celebration of achievements in the previous year, it is intended that it should reflect an ongoing story of success and well-planned programmes for future implementation. 

Over the years, the adjudication system has been continually refined in order to be able to make realistic comparisons between clubs of varying types and size. With the competition's expansion to include class associations and specialist national watersports bodies, the "Club of the Year" competition continues to keep pace with developing trends, while at the same time reflecting the fact that Ireland's leading sailing clubs are themselves national and global pace-setters

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award FAQs

The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs.

A ship's wheel engraved with the names of all the past winners.

The Sailing Club of the Year competition began in 1979.

PR consultant Sean O’Shea (a member of Clontarf Y & BC) had the idea of a trophy which would somehow honour the ordinary sailing club members, volunteers and sailing participants, who may not have personally won prizes, to feel a sense of identity and reward and special pride in their club. Initially some sort of direct inter-club contest was envisaged, but sailing journalist W M Nixon suggested that a way could be found for the comparative evaluation of the achievements and quality of clubs despite their significant differences in size and style.

The award recognises local, national & international sailing success by the winning club's members in both racing and cruising, the completion of a varied and useful sailing and social programme at the club, the fulfilling by the club of its significant and socially-aware role in the community, and the evidence of a genuine feeling among all members that the club meets their individual needs afloat and ashore.

The first club of the Year winner in 1979 was Wicklow Sailing Club.

Royal Cork Yacht Club has won the award most, seven times in all in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2015 & 2020.

The National YC has won six times, in 1981, 1985, 1993, 1996, 2012 & 2018.

Howth Yacht Club has won five times, in 1982, 1986, 1995, 2009 & 2019

Ireland is loosely divided into regions with the obviously high-achieving clubs from each area recommended through an informal nationwide panel of local sailors going into a long-list, which is then whittled down to a short-list of between three and eight clubs.

The final short-list is evaluated by an anonymous team based on experienced sailors, sailing journalists and sponsors’ representatives

From 1979 to 2020 the Sailing Club of the Year Award winners are:

  • 1979 Wicklow SC
  • 1980 Malahide YC
  • 1981 National YC
  • 1982 Howth YC
  • 1983 Royal St George YC
  • 1984 Dundalk SC
  • 1985 National YC (Sponsorship by Mitsubishi Motors began in 1985-86)
  • 1986 Howth YC
  • 1987 Royal Cork YC
  • 1988 Dublin University SC
  • 1989 Irish Cruising. Club
  • 1990 Glenans Irish SC
  • 1991 Galway Bay SC
  • 1992 Royal Cork YC
  • 1993 National YC & Cumann Badoiri Naomh Bhreannain (Dingle) (after 1993, year indicated is one in which trophy is held)
  • 1995 Howth Yacht Club
  • 1996 National Yacht Club
  • 1997 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 1998 Kinsale Yacht Club
  • 1999 Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club
  • 2000 Royal Cork Yacht Club (in 2000, competition extended to include class associations and specialist organisations)
  • 2001 Howth Sailing Club Seventeen Footer Association
  • 2002 Galway Bay Sailing Club
  • 2003 Coiste an Asgard
  • 2004 Royal St George Yacht Club
  • 2005 Lough Derg Yacht Club
  • 2006 Royal Cork Yacht Club (Water Club of the Harbour of Cork)
  • 2007 Dublin Bay Sailing Club
  • 2008 Lough Ree YC & Shannon One Design Assoc.
  • 2009 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2010 Royal St George YC
  • 2011 Irish Cruiser Racing Association
  • 2012 National Yacht Club
  • 2013 Royal St George YC
  • 2014 Kinsale YC
  • 2015 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 2016 Royal Irish Yacht Club
  • 2017 Wicklow Sailing Club
  • 2018 National Yacht Club
  • 2019 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2020 Royal Cork Yacht Club

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