MarPAMM aims to develop tools for monitoring and managing a number of protected coastal marine environments in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Western Scotland. It is a cross-border project because many marine species and habitats do not abide by administrative borders. Therefore, to manage mobile species and border areas, requires cooperation.
About The Project
MarPAMM’s objectives
MarPAMM partners will collect data on the abundance, distribution and movement of marine protected species and habitats. This data will help us produce new habitat maps and develop models for a range of species, including connectivity assessment for species with mobile life stages.
Who is funding the project?
This €6.4 million project is supported by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Match funding has been provided by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in Ireland.
Our Involvement?
Seven work packages deliver MarPAMM’s full range of outputs with BirdWatch Ireland contributing to two Work Packages; Seabird Monitoring and Modelling WP and MPA Management Plans WP. Our staff will collect data on marine bird population sizes, distributions and breeding success, through ground surveys, aerial surveys, Seabirds at Sea surveys and tagging and tracking. The monitoring data will feed directly into the management plans being developed by the project.
Regions within MarPAMM
- Argyll region
- Outer Hebrides region
- Murlough Special Area of Conservation
- Carlingford Lough Special Protection Areas
- Co Down – Co Lough region
- North Coast Ireland – North Channel region
MarPAMM project Website
BirdWatch Ireland is a key partner in the Marine Protected Area Management and Monitoring project, together with partner organisations in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland. For more information please visit the website.
Satellite tagged gulls
The video to the right shows the movements of our lesser black-backed gulls travelling south for the winter. To learn more about why we have tagged large gulls in the NW of Ireland and follow their movements, Click on the link below
Ocean Ornithology blog
Follow our BirdWatch Ireland fieldworkers as they monitor marine birds along the coastlines of Co. Donegal, Co. Sligo and Co. Louth. They will be conducting surveys of seabirds that nest along cliffs, nest in burrows on remote uninhabited islands and marine birds that visit our waters during the winter. GPS tags will also be deployed on several key seabird species to identify their movements and habitat use.
Meet the team
Kendrew Colhoun
Project Manager
Paul Whitelaw
Fieldworker
Paul Baker
Fieldworker
Justin Judge
Marine Protected Areas Policy Officer
MarPAMM partners
