2017 Another Record-Breaking Year for Whale and Dolphin Strandings
2017 has been another record-breaking year for whale and dolphin strandings. By 31st August there had already been 201 validated strandings logged…
Environment & Conservation
Join the Ballybunion Big Beach Clean with Circular Ocean this Sunday!
Come along to the Ballybunion Big Beach Clean this Sunday. The European Circular Ocean project has joined forces with Clean Coasts and Ballybunion…
Dumping in Dublin Bay a real concern for Marine Life
Dredging is due to commence today at Dublin Port with dumping of spoils in Dublin Bay to start again this week. The…
Scientists Discover Microplastic Pollution Danger to Irish Fisheries on West Coast
A new study by NUI Galway makes for some concerning reading with microplastics found to be building up on the west coast…
Join in Clean Coast’s Big Beach Clean | 15th-17th September
Clean Coasts annual Big Beach Clean weekend returns from the 15th – 17th September. Around the country hundreds of beach cleans will…
Calling all Citizen Scientists! Get Involved in 30th Annual Coastwatch Survey
Calling all citizen scientists! Coastwatch is conducting its annual coastal survey and needs your help. They are looking for volunteers from all…
EPA Water Quality Report is Crystal Clear – Must Try Harder!
So which student is better off, the one who excelled in a few subjects but failed others, or the one who got…
Attention Anglers | How to Spot an Invasive Salmon and What to Do Next
Thirty Pacific pink salmon have been found in nine different Irish rivers since late June and it causing concerns for the health…
Have your Say | Citizen’s Assembly is looking for your views on Climate Change
Climate change is arguably the biggest issue facing the world today. It is a challenge that will affect us all no matter…
Rare Arctic Bearded Seal Spotted on Cork River Bank
A rare and unusual visitor has been spotted in West cork. A bearded seal, more commonly found in Arctic sea has been…
POLL | Should Irish Supermarkets introduce Plastic-Free Aisles?
Plastic pollution is a serious problem in the sea. Now that’s no newsflash to anyone that’s ever visited the coast and had…
Ireland’s deepest coral reef discovered 1.6 km underwater
Scientists carrying out research onboard the Irish Lights vessel Granuaile have discovered Ireland’s deepest cold water reef. The coral species, Solenosmilia variabilis, was found at…
On Shark Awareness Day, Watch out for Dangerous Exclamation Marks!
Sharks in the media typically come with an exclamation. Watch out! There’s one right there. The implication, usually reinforced in the text,…
Wexford Whale unveiled at London’s Natural History Museum
After months of preparation the Wexford whale is now ready to be revealed to the public in its new place of honour…
Get Involved | Take the Two Minute Irish Marine Pollution Survey
The Irish coast is an incredible resource and we all use it in our own way. Understanding the range of interactions people…
Hungry Sharks circle Whale Carcass off Donegal Coast
The Irish Air Corp captured these amazing images of a whale carcass being scavenged by sharks 200km off the northwest coast of…
Future’s Electric | Tipperary Hydro Station Project takes Important Step Forward
A €650 million Hydro Electric Power Station Project in Tipperary is another important step closer to being realized following the signing of…
#OurOcean | Galway Atlantaquaria in Global Effort to Combat Marine Litter
Galway Atlantaquaria is set to join over 50 aquariums around the world to raise awareness and encourage action on marine litter. The…
Swimming Ban Remains in Place at Sandymount Strand
A swimming ban that came into place over the weekend remains on Sandymount Strand until at least Wednesday. The ban was placed…
Swimming Ban Placed on Two Dublin Beaches after Sewage Washes Up
Two of Dublin’s popular swimming spots, Sandymount and Dollymount Strand, have been put under a temporary swimming ban following sewage washing up…
[Watch] UCD Scuba Divers Epic Encounter with Basking Sharks off Mayo
The thought of an unexpected and extremely close encounter with sharks would bring a shiver to many off us but for a…
Discovering the Secrets of the Seashore with Olive Gilsenan
Secrets of the Seashore is an exciting new marine environmental experience based at the beautiful Donabate beach. They offer workshops and camps which…
Help Keep our Beaches Beautiful with a Quick #2MinuteBeachClean
Clean Coasts have just released an excellent new #2MinuteBeachClean video featuring Irish comedian Colm O’Regan reprising his role as part-time philosopher, full-time human Benicio Sandz….
The Lowdown on Irish Beaches: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
It’s an impressive haul, eighty-eight blue flag beaches around the country, and it’s something we should be rightly proud of. But looking a little…
88 Beaches & Marinas win coveted Blue Flag awards
88 beaches and marinas have won this year’s International Blue Flag awards. This is three up from last year while two of Dublin’s top beaches, Killiney…
#EMD2017 | Future of our Seas means Fixing a Dysfunctional Relationship
European Maritime Day is an annual celebration of Europe’s diverse maritime community and this year marks its 10th anniversary. Over the years…
Precautions urged after Crayfish Plague Outbreak on River Suir
All water users of the River Suir are being urged to take precautions after confirmation of an outbreak of Crayfish Plague on…
Appeal Lodged to Stop Road through Lough Beg Special Protected Area
An appeal has been lodged to a ruling that will allow the construction of a road through the environmentally sensitive and culturally significant Lough…
From the Depths! Rare Giant Squid Caught off Dingle
One of the most rare and mysterious leviathans of the deep has been caught off the coast of Kerry. The giant squid measuring…
Shark tooth fossil discovered in Clare is an incredible 320 million years old
A rare and fascinating discovery of a 320 million-year-old shark tooth fossil is greatly increasing our understanding of the ancient predators of Ireland’s seas. The fossil…
Extremely Rare Ghost Lobster Netted off Achill Island
Local fisherman Charlie O’Malley’s catch was a rare one indeed – the odds of netting an incredibly rare Ghost lobster is believed to…
Bionic Turtle | Tralee Bay Turtle Gets 3D Printed Replacement Flipper
A loggerhead turtle, rescued adrift in Tralee Bay after it had lost a flipper in a shark attack, is to get a prosthetic 3-D…
To Protect Bull Island’s Wildlife, Is Banning Dogs the Way Forward?
The popularity of Dublin’s North Bull Island means the wildlife that call it home are regularly subject to disturbance by people and pets…
Floating Windfarms could lead Ireland’s Sustainable Green and Gold rush
Oil and gas exploration never brought much benefit to Ireland’s economy for reasons only worth exploring if you have very low blood…
Exploring the Ocean | Free Marine Lesson Plans for Primary Schools
The Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme has published a series of new freely downloadable lesson plans, resources and a guide for primary…
Will Discovery of Superbugs in Bathing Water force the hand of Infrastructure-Resistant Politicians?
The discovery of superbug enzymes in our bathing seawater is a seriously concerning development but one that is hardly surprising. The paths of…
Injured Loggerhead Turtle Rescued from Tralee Bay
An injured turtle has been rescued from Tralee Bay near Fenit. The large loggerhead turtle was discovered by Jonathan Lynch and his family who…
Pilot Whale, Gannets and Seagulls found dead on Stradbally Beach, Kerry
The beautiful Stradbally beach near Castlegregory, Co Kerry was littered with some unpleasant sights this weekend with a pilot whale and a large number of gannets…
On Skelligs, Bad Weather and Gravitational Force Awakens a Major Rockfall
A major rockfall has occurred on Skellig Michael this week making it unclear whether the island will be ready to open for…
Great Barrier Reef reaches Breaking Point as Coral Bleaching Devastates
New aerial surveys have shown the extent of the damage to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and it’s not looking good. Over two…