Irish Marine Life
inshore offshore play science coral-reefs crabs ag snámh news think imeachtaíArchive for September, 2009
The Best of Irish Marine Photography
Winning Image (sourced from competionSDW.com)
There are not many, who can overcome time, light, technological and we suppose artistic, considerations to record our underwater marine life in a worthwhile way. Taking good photos underwater is an arduous pursuit, and especially so in Ireland. Scubadivewest, based in North West Connemara, have announced the best of them, in their 2009 Underwater Photography Competition (check all the winners here).
The winning entry in the macro section was an image of nudibranch copulation under the Cliffs of Moher by Martin Kiely.
Fisheries board seeks data on seal and cormorant populations
The South Western Regional Fisheries Board has called on the Department of the Environment to set target numbers for seal and cormorant populations amid concern that the two species, which are both protected, are threatening two other protected species, eel and salmon
Aidan Barry, the board’s chief executive, said that seal and cormorant numbers are “perceived to have increased”, and stressed that hard data is now needed. Studies by the National Parks & Wildlife Service appear to back up the claim that grey and common seal numbers have indeed grown. Fisherman apparently told the SWRFB that cormorants pose as great a threat to eel population numbers as eel fishing, which is now banned.
The Irish Times has the full story. Seal population numbers are a source of much debate, with fisherman frequently claiming that large populations impact on fish stocks and their livelihoods. Hard data on both seal and cormorant populations is now urgently needed, as is data on the optimum population numbers needed to ensure their prey species are not threatened.
Tiny marine life made beautiful
Irishmarinelife’s favourite author turns his attention to one of the most minute, and as you may imagine important, of our ocean’s ecosystem members, Protists and to be more specific radiolarians. Read Michael Viney’s Saturday article here. He is concerned with the preservation and display of these unseen wonders through the medium of glass sculpture.
Image sourced from Irishtimes.com
Radiolarians have received attention recently (read it here) for holding secrets about past changes in climate in their microscopic composition which is important when it is considered that they are vital contributors to the carbon cycle, that process that regulates the uptake and release of carbon to and from the atmosphere, and thus the regulation of our climate.
News – IWDG record largest ever pod of bottlenose dolphins in Irish waters
Image - copyright Dave Wall, sourced from iwdg.ie
The most productive Irish marine group, the IWDG have recorded the largest ever pod of bottlenoses in Irish waters, but unusually in offshore waters. This raises the question of the presence of an offshore ecotype distinct to the inshore dolphins we see so commonly, read the story here at iwdg.ie.
The event occured on the journey home from the 2009 Cetaceans on the Frontier research cruise. Read about all the marine life documented on this trip here.
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lenny antonelli
