Hundreds of schoolchildren protested at Stormont last week to call for new laws to protect Northern Ireland's coastal waters, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

The group handed a petition with 4,000 signatures to Environment Minister Alex Attwood urging the introduction of a Marine Bill which would provide special marine conservation zones and restrict harmful maritime activities.

At present, Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with no legal safeguards for the protection of its coastline.

The Northern Ireland Marine Task Force, which is heading the campaign, says "over-reaching legislation" is needed to preserve the North's marine wildlife and plantlife habitats.

The Belfast Telegraph has more in the story HERE.

Trade at Dublin Port is set to more than double over the next 30 years, according to its chief executive Eamonn O'Reilly.

In an interview with The Irish Times last week, O'Reilly elaborated on the new 'master plan' for the port, which is based on an estimated trade growth to 60 million tonnes (or 2.5% annually) by 2040.

“Last year’s growth [of 6.1%] suggests to me that we need to get our planning caps on and get a solid and robust master plan in place,” said O’Reilly.

The master plan, according to the Dubin Port chief, will require expansion of the existing port by reclaiming up to 40 hectares, as well as a greater integration with bordering areas.

Previous attempts to expand have faced much opposition from conservation groups and local residents for a number of years.

O’Reilly stressed that the local community will be engaged on the issues involved before Dublin Port produces a final proposal at the end of the year. 

But he also insisted that "there’s no project [that hee knows of] for port expansion that doesn’t involve reclamation", despite proposals to establish a new port at Bremore.

Read more of the Irish Times interview with Eamonn O'Reilly 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.