Marine

Speaking out for the marine environment

 

Ocean & Climate Change

The ocean is a key driver of global weather patterns and mitigates global warming through the cycling of carbon and carbon sequestration. Life in the ocean is under immense strain from global warming.

 

Marine Protected Areas

Working to protect marine life

BirdWatch Ireland is Ireland’s leading voice on marine conservation. We advocate for the sustainable management of our seas. We are actively working to end overfishing, and to promote marine protected areas and sustainable marine spatial planning.

Marine Advocacy & Policy

 

As an island nation Ireland is home to a rich diversity of coastal and marine habitats which support internationally important populations of marine species. Our rugged and diverse coastline is some 7,500km long. When our  vast marine waters are taken into account Ireland is one of the largest EU states. Our naturally biodiverse marine environment supplied by deep water and surface currents, supports high levels of primary productivity, the building blocks of the marine food web upon which fish, seabirds and many other marine organisms depend.

These productive waters support giants like Blue Whale and Basking Sharks as well as hundreds of thousands of seabirds including globally important numbers of breeding Manx Shearwater and European Storm-petrel. Some seabirds such as Northern Gannet, Northern Fulmar and Black-legged Kittiwake form spectacular breeding colonies in summer, forming ‘high rise’ settlements as on Little Skellig (Co. Kerry). Arctic Terns choose to come to our waters to breed and feed in often very localised areas, travelling massive distances across the globe as part of their annual breeding and foraging cycle.

As an island nation, we have only recently come to realise the potential value of our ocean resources. Improved technology and market pressures such as the demand for seafood and exploration of energy sources offshore have also produced new and additional ambitions for our seas with social, economic as well as ecological implications. We believe Ireland can be a world leader in marine conservation and the sustainable fisheries management.

Protecting a High Seas Seabird Haven from Seafloor to Sea Surface

North Atlantic Current & Evalanov Sea basin Marine Protected Area

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Ending Overfishing

Overfishing disrupts the balance of life in our oceans, affecting marine life from seabird colonies to the deep sea.

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Life on the Edge

Seabirds and fisheries in Irish waters.

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Ocean and Climate Change

The ocean is a key driver of global weather patterns and mitigates global warming through the cycling of carbon and carbon sequestration. Life in the ocean is under immense strain from global warming.

Find Out More

Marine Blog

Keep up to date with BirdWatch Ireland’s marine advocacy

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Read our latest Marine news

AdvocacyMarine BlogSeabirdsUncategorized
November 2, 2023

What storms mean for seabirds

Stormy weather is not unusual at this time of year. Anyone living in Ireland is well-accustomed to being buffeted by the wind and plundered by rain during the winter months.…
Cape Clear Bird ObservatoryMigrationNewsRingingSeabirds
February 21, 2024

Spread your wings with a stay at Cape Clear Bird Observatory in 2024

Think of an island of just under 6km² in size and you would be forgiven for believing that your options for things to see and do are limited. Yet, on…

Latest Publications

Annual Report – 2008

Annual Report – 2016

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