Latest news with #MarineInstitute
Agriland
3 days ago
- General
- Agriland
Galway County Council launches new biodiversity plan
Galway County Council has launched a strategy for preserving and enhancing the county's natural and cultural heritage over the next six years. The council unveiled the new Galway County Heritage and Biodiversity Plan 2024-2030 at the Marine Institute, Rinville, Co. Galway, today, June 3, 2025. It aims to set out a detailed roadmap to address challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and the need for community-driven heritage preservation. The plan has been developed in collaboration with the Galway County Heritage and Biodiversity Forum, and the Heritage Council. According to the county council, the key priorities for the plan includes conducting a comprehensive biodiversity audit of council-owned lands, updating Galway's invasive alien species strategy, and developing a countywide tree and hedgerow management plan. The plan also commits to protecting sensitive habitats, such as peatlands and marine ecosystems, and delivering biodiversity education through training in collaboration with the Public Participation Network (PPN). The chief executive of Galway County Council, Liam Conneally said: 'The plan sets out a clear, action-driven vision to protect and celebrate our county's rich natural, built, and cultural heritage. 'It will guide our efforts in addressing climate and environmental challenges, promoting sustainability, and enhancing awareness and stewardship,' Conneally added. Galway County Council The biodiversity officer for Galway County Council, Rosina Joyce said that climate change and biodiversity loss are central to the plan. She said: 'Our heritage is a cornerstone of community pride and identity. This plan not only celebrates these unique assets but also addresses pressing challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and the evolving needs of our society. 'We are committed to integrating climate resilience into all actions, ensuring that Galway's heritage and biodiversity contribute to mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change.' 'By promoting sustainable practices and innovative solutions, we aim to create a legacy of resilience for future generations.' Galway County Council claims that the plan is the only one of its kind in Ireland to fully integrate biodiversity and heritage in a combined action plan.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
Campaign highlights 'indiscriminate harvesting' of sprat fish
Calls for a ban on inshore fishing by industrial trawlers has become an increasingly divisive issue among coastal communities in counties Cork and Kerry. A campaign is underway in Bantry and Kenmare to highlight what has been described as the "indiscriminate harvesting" of sprat fish, which are a vital part of the marine ecosystem. Over 100 people marched to Bantry Town Square at the weekend chanting 'Save our sprat'. It follows a recent public meeting attended by both campaigners and fishermen. Just last week, a whale watching company in west Cork announced it was cancelling tours due to the over fishing of sprat. Whales and other marine life are now foraging for food elsewhere. Fishing groups say they also want sustainable measures going forward, but argue against a blanket ban on inshore trawling. Dolf D'hondt grew up in west Cork and is passionate about marine conservation. He has helped set up the Save our Sprat campaign to raise awareness of what he has described as the "decimation" of sprat and the resulting decline in marine life. "At the moment we have a fishery which is completely unregulated," he said. "We are not against fishermen, they are not doing anything illegal, but the idea that you can go out unrestricted and catch everything inside in the bays, while this species, sprat, is trying to spawn, it's not sustainable. It's a recipe for disaster. "We have people all around this country saying that what they're seeing is a drop in marine life, which is directly related to the drop in sprat numbers." Campaigners and large scale fishermen are in agreement that there is a need for robust, concrete scientific data going forward, but Mr D'hondt says time is of the essence. "We feel that this is doing more damage to the fishing industry long term than anything else. Sprat is what feeds most of the commercially caught fish," he explained. "So you have 30 fishing vessels that are fishing sprat. You have 2,000 fishing vessels in the Irish fishing fleet. I think that taking sprat out of the marine ecosystem is having a bigger knock on negative impact on fishermen's livelihoods than if we lifted them. "We urgently need updated scientific advice from the Marine Institute and other agencies, but we know what we're seeing with our eyes and ears." Mr D'hondt said they are calling on the Government to introduce a temporary ban so that they can get some scientific evidence as to what a sustainable level of fishing is. "And remember, this is a fish which is caught to be pulped into farmed salmon feed," he added. "Less than 2% is for human consumption. So it's not for humans that we're fishing this fish. It's for turning into salmon farm food. This isn't a high income fish." The CEO of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, which is based in Castletownbere, said sprat are an important part of the ecosystem but they are being sustainably fished. "They live for four years, so you're talking about 16 sets of grandparents or grandmothers of these fish, and they've been fished for 50 years. That is the definition of sustainability," said Patrick Murphy. "The stock is going up in numbers, not down. We have pilchards and we have anchovies coming into our waters. Our waters are warming and the fish are moving and changing and moving around the coastline. "We need our scientists and our Marine Institute to follow on from the good work that they have done, the scoping exercise to find out what the biomass is of this fish, to do what we do with all the other fish stocks and make sure that there's a sustainable amount of fish caught in a calendar year that it recovers the following year. "As I said, every four years, all of this fish will die. We need to take use of our resources and we need to sustain what little of our fleet that is left in Irish waters. Remember, we only get 15% of the fish in our waters. To take something like this away from our fishermen will put more families out of their jobs. "The easiest way to describe this is like an apple tree. The apples are plucked from the tree and next year they come back. It's like fruit. These fish, if they're fished sustainably, will return." Mr Murphy said fishermen do not want to destroy the environment, adding that if the science says no, they will rebuild stocks and implement different types of fishing. He said the industry needs sustainability and millions of euros are invested in these boats. "You don't make it back in one, five or ten years," he added. "We are not fishing out stock like we're being accused. We're involved with the Marine Institute and we're looking at the ecosystem and how the environment is changing with new stocks coming in. To attribute this little bit of fishing to the destruction being talked about is not credible. "We need the science. We need to make proper decisions and proper evidence and proper information. That's all the fishermen are asking for. But if the science says that we shouldn't be fishing these stocks, then the fishermen will do the responsible thing and they won't fish them. It's a different conversation but remember what the legislation is targeting. It's not saying about stopping fishing. It's staying stopped for a certain poor heart the boats. "So it's not talking about stopping the fishing for everybody. It's targeting and discriminating against one side of boat over the other. The figures show that the small boats are lending up to 47% of what's landed, so if you're talking about this fish not being caught and not being sustainable, we need to find the evidence." However, some local fishermen, like Johnny O'Brien, say their livelihood has been affected by industrial trawling. "There were two boats coming down the bay for about ten years. Now there are four pairs, which is eight boats. And these are massive boats," he said. "And to make it worse, they're taking everything. Everything that comes into that net is gone." Darren O'Sullivan, who runs Bantry Bay Charters, said there has been a "drastic decline" in the number of seals, dolphins and minke whales. It's his opinion that this is because of overfishing of sprat. "Five years ago you would come upon a pod of 20 dolphins within minutes. Now it can take up to two hours to see the odd one or two," he said. "It breaks my heart to see the big vessels come in every September pair trawling for sprat. They come in to Bantry Bay and here in Glengarrif Harbour, which is a Special Area of Conservation. "What is the point of having a SAC when these large trawlers come in to fish there? It's ridiculous." Garard Sheehy, a young fisherman from Baltimore, runs the family sea trawling business. He says fishermen are being "hammered" on social media and in parts of their local communities, which is "hurtful and harmful" to the fishing industry and their families. "A lot of these boats are family businesses and it's very bad to see all this bad press without giving our side of the story," he said. "We want to see the data collected and updated by the Marine Institute and have the biomass of the fish assessed and see where we go from there. "At the moment these people are throwing out opinions and putting out information that's non factual. This trial by social media." Mr Sheehy grew visibly upset as he spoke of the damage to the livelihoods of fishermen without proper scientific evidence "We are not doing anything illegal. We're breaking no laws. We're abiding by the rules and I think people need to be mindful of this." The key contentious issue centres around large boats operating in pairs, a practice known as pair trawling. This is when two boats drag a vast net between them, often catching entire shoals of fish. The primary target is the small, silvery sprat when they come into sheltered bays to spawn around September. Campaigners say the overfishing of sprat, which is at the bottom of the food chain, means there often isn't enough food left for larger fish, sea birds, seals, whales and dolphins. They are now foraging elsewhere. There are no quotas for sprat and last year around 17,000 tonnes were caught. International scientific advice recommends limits of around 2,000 tonnes Most of the sprat caught are processed into fish meal. In December 2018, a ban was announced on vessels over 18 metres trawling inshore waters within the six nautical mile zone, but that was overturned on a legal technicality. A new public consultation process took place last year with almost 6,000 submissions received. The Department of the Marine said the matter is being carefully considered before a decision is made. Richard Cullen is a third level environmental researcher and a native of Kenmare who comes from a fishing background. He has pointed the finger of blame squarely at the Government for a lack of forward planning and policy, which he said will lead to the annihilation of sprat in the bays around West Cork and Kerry. "There were 6,000 people who voiced their opinion about what was going on here and as it stands, the Government hasn't really done anything. What I have seen from the Department of Marine is they have issued studies to be conducted about the health of different bays across Ireland," he said. "In all honesty, that's just kind of delaying what's kind of going on because they want more concrete proof. But really they should just listen to the people. "The people living around these bays have, for some time now, expressed their concerns. They've complained to the press, in social media, to politicians, but with very little action. "There's the increasing uneasiness about these practices that will eventually wipe out the food chain that serves the whales, the dolphins, the fish that's caught by the local fishermen, and the sea bird life and the marine life in general. "To us, it seems that the Government has been dragging its feet." Students at Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine in Kenmare were the winners of a UNESCO environmental award, as well as winning first prize at the recent AIB Future Sparks Award for their project on pair trawling in Kenmare Bay. The pupils adapted the words of an old sea shanty to drive home their conservation message. John O'Sullivan, the teacher overseeing the TY project, said Kenmare Bay is becoming "barren of marine life" because of the practice of pair trawling. "You only have to walk down to Kenmare Pier and there are no sea birds to be heard," he said. "It is decimating the sprat population, make no mistake. The Government needs to act now or future generations will ask the question: 'What were you thinking, why didn't you act?'" The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group said Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister of State Timmy Dooley told them that a "determination on the trawling inside 6nm" is imminent. "Minister Dooley explained that the reason it has taken so long is the drive to make the determination absolutely watertight and that there should be no legal room for further judicial review by the fishing industry," the group said. "Unfortunately, there will likely be a two year delay before the new determination will be fully enforced but Government considers this to be a less risky strategy in terms of getting it over the line and avoiding yet another successful legal challenge by the industry." In a statement, the Department of the Marine said the Programme for Government was committed to maintaining support for the inshore fishing sector and promoting the sustainability of fish stocks. "In December 2018, a transition period to a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines was announced. A significant part of the objective of this measure was to manage the fishing effort on sprat stocks, which are primarily targeted within inshore waters," the statement said. "This measure, however, was the subject of extended legal proceedings resulting in the measure being overturned in 2023. "In February 2024, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine held a new public consultation on a review of trawling activity inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines. This consultation took place without prejudice. "Over 5,500 submissions were received. These submissions, along with updated scientific and economic advice from the Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara, are being used to inform a review of trawling activity inside the six nautical mile zone and baselines. "All relevant issues will be carefully considered before a decision is made." European Maritime Day took place in Cork from 21 to 23 May. The event featured interested national and EU stakeholders from across the private and public sector with an interest in maritime affairs. Minister Dooley was in attendance at the event. He made no announcement in relation to the reintroduction of a ban on vessels over 18 metres trawling in inshore waters, as the matter is still being considered.
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Climate
- RTÉ News
Marine heatwave occuring in Irish waters, scientists say
Scientists from the Marine Institute have confirmed the occurrence of what is known as a marine heatwave in Irish waters, as a result of higher temperatures in recent weeks. The phenomenon is defined when temperature values exceed the 90th percentile of the mean, for five or more days in a row. Data gathered by the Marine Institute in recent days confirms that criterion has been met. However, forecasted winds over the coming week are expected to dissipate the warmer water with cooler levels below. Researchers on board the Celtic Explorer are returning to port today, following a three-week expedition off the west coast. "We monitor data for years and years and then we categorise that to get the average or the mean, and if it goes above the 90th percentile, for more than five days, that's technically a heatwave," said Marine Institute Oceanographer, Glenn Nolan. Mr Nolan, who oversees Oceanographic and Climate Services at the Institute, said such events were becoming more common due to the changing climate. "We've been in moderate heatwave conditions for a lot of this year so far, where it's just sitting above that 90th percentile. "Then when you get a really calm period, like we've just had, it starts to pick up a bit more, because there's already an underlying warm ocean and the sunny weather adds additional heat to the upper few metres," he said. Researchers plan to monitor the situation in the coming weeks but say that at present, there's no major concern about mass mortality of marine species due to warmer waters. "Over the next six or seven days, the wind is going to blow up a little bit and that will probably mix all of this heat down, so this will be a non-event in about a week's time. But right now the conditions are about three degrees above normal in certain areas," said Mr Nolan. He said the latest marine heatwave was not as big as one recorded in mid-2023. Analysis of data gathered by the Marine Institute at that time led to a determination that the temperatures were as a result of man-made climate change. The present heatwave is said to be "quite ubiquitous around the shelf region and offshore waters". But Mr Nolan remarked that the higher than usual temperatures were very close to the surface and that below ten metres, normal conditions are still being detected by the monitoring equipment used on the Celtic Explorer.
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Gender disparities in marine sector in focus at European Maritime Day event in Cork
Huge employment opportunities will arise from offshore energy projects coming on stream in Ireland but a gender disparity in the industry means many women will miss out. The barriers to women entering the blue economy are being explored in Cork this week as part of European Maritime Day (EMD) 2025 in Cork city. Organised by the European Commission, with Cork City Council, the Government, and the Port of Cork, EMD 2025 is the flagship event for the European maritime community, bringing together up to 1,000 maritime professionals to discuss joint action on marine policy, fisheries, offshore renewables, and the future of the sustainable blue economy. As part of the EMD 2025 event, a workshop is taking place on Thursday discussing the importance of gender balance for sustainable ocean governance and innovation in the blue economy. The WinBig project is a Europe-wide project with partners across Europe, including the University of Galway and the Marine Institute. 'We are trying to understand the barriers and issues when entering this industry in terms of employment because it is very much male-dominated," said Jenny O'Leary, who works in Strategic Planning and Development with the Marine Institute. Ms O'Leary pointed out that the ocean economy is growing at a faster rate than the overall economy in Ireland, with offshore energy likely to lead to further growth. Most recent figures show Ireland's ocean economy employs almost 40,000 people directly and gross added value of €2.72bn. One issue which has emerged is a lack of visibility for female marine 'champions' in Ireland and Europe, and a film documentary project being filmed in Cork is one of the initiatives addressing this. Female marine leaders in Ireland are being interviewed filming as part of the European documentary project Women from the Sea, co-ordinated by Raquel Clemente Martins from Portugal. The project aims to 'empower women in oceanic careers and inspire the next generation of ocean leaders to broaden perspectives and drives tangible change'. Three days of filming have taken place in Cork. Meanwhile a free maritime-themed family festival running along Cork's city quays is taking place on Friday May 23 and Saturday May 24. Over €2m will be spent in Cork across the EMD events.
Irish Examiner
21-05-2025
- Science
- Irish Examiner
Is the future of Ireland's boarfish industry bright?
In a significant development for sustainable fisheries management, the Marine Institute has successfully developed a new method for the assessment of boarfish. This achievement, part of an International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) peer-reviewed stock assessment benchmarking process, is expected to have long-lasting positive effects for the Irish fishing industry and marine conservation efforts. A new era for boarfish management The Marine Institute's Fisheries ecosystems advisory services (FEAS) team undertook a comprehensive review of available data and methodologies to improve the scientific foundation for boarfish stock assessment. Their work has culminated in an advanced method that not only enhances the accuracy of stock assessments but also allows for more dynamic and responsive fisheries management. Boarfish is named for its cylindrical snout, ending in a small mouth with a protrusible upper lip, resembling a pig. Picture: Jonathan White Boarfish, a small red and silver fish that thrives in depths of 40 to 600 metres, has historically been caught for processing into fishmeal. However, growing interest in its potential as a source of bioactive compounds and human food has positioned it as an increasingly valuable resource. With Ireland holding 70% of the total allowable catch (TAC), a well-managed and sustainable fishery could have significant benefits. From unregulated catches to scientific stewardship The targeted boarfish fishery in the Northeast Atlantic was established in the mid-2000s, primarily by the Irish pelagic industry. Initially, the lack of regulation led to rapid increases in catches until the introduction of TAC-based management in 2011. Recognising the importance of sound scientific guidance, Ireland's Marine Institute collaborated closely with the pelagic sector to develop the information base and included the establishment of an annual acoustic survey, extensive scientific sampling of catches, and improving the biological knowledge of boarfish. Initially, the assessment method was limited due to a lack of long-term data. As a result, stock assessments relied heavily on the acoustic survey and broad assumptions about stock behaviour. While this necessarily conservative approach ensured sustainability, it restricted opportunities for increasing catch limits despite evidence of stock growth, particularly in recent years. Breakthrough in stock assessment Recent indications of a substantial rise in boarfish stock levels necessitated a more refined and responsive assessment model. The FEAS team identified new data sources, leading to the development of a method that has now been formally accepted by ICES as the basis for advisory recommendations from 2025 onwards. The new assessment method is a major improvement over its predecessor, as it leverages the full spectrum of available data. It is more robust, allows for more precise monitoring of stock status, and ensures that the catch advice aligns with the principles of 'maximum sustainable yield' (MSY). This aligns with the objectives of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, which aims to maintain fish stocks within safe biological limits. A 40% increase in boarfish quota One of the most immediate and tangible benefits of the Marine Institute's work is the 40% increase in the advised boarfish catch for 2025. This significant boost comes whilst ensuring that the stock remains in a healthy state. For the Irish pelagic sector — instrumental in both establishing the fishery and supporting scientific data collection — this represents a vital economic opportunity. In recent years, the boarfish fishery has contributed approximately €5 million annually to the Irish economy. With the increased quota for 2025, revenue for the sector is expected to rise considerably. This boost comes at a crucial time, offsetting reductions in quotas for other species and helping to stabilise Ireland's fishing industry. A model for collaborative success The Marine Institute's success with the boarfish stock assessment is a testament to the power of collaboration between scientists, industry stakeholders, and international bodies. By continuously refining data collection techniques and stock assessments, Ireland has positioned itself at the forefront of sustainable fisheries management. Ongoing monitoring and cooperation between the Marine Institute and industry partners will ensure that Ireland's boarfish fishery remains a model of sustainability and economic viability. With the boarfish stock size near a historic maximum, continued improvements in scientific advice will be crucial to maintaining this positive outcome. The Marine Institute's achievement underscores the importance of data-driven decision-making in fisheries management. Their work not only secures the future of the boarfish fishery but also sets a precedent for other fisheries seeking to balance economic interests with ecological responsibility. Dr Ciaran Kelly, director of Fisheries Ecosystems Advisory Services at the Marine Institute. Picture: Andrew Downes Dr Ciaran Kelly is director of Fisheries Ecoystems Advisory Services (FEAS) with the Marine Institute, the State agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation in Ireland. He trained as a marine biologist and subsequently as a fisheries scientist.
