For everything you need about the marine environment – covering the latest news and updates on marine science and wildlife, weather and climate, energy from the sea, and Ireland’s coastal regions and communities – the ideal place is Afloat.ie.

Coastal Notes

The Coastal Notes category covers a wide range of stories, events and developments that impact Ireland’s coastal regions and communities, whose lives and livelihoods are directly linked to the sea and waters. Irish coastal areas.

The topics covered in Coastal Notes can be as diverse as the rare discovery of sea creatures, a historic shipwreck with secrets to tell, or even a trawler’s net caught carrying more than just fish.

Other angles drawing the attention of Coastal Notes are the Maritime Museums of Ireland, which are of national importance for maintaining access to and knowledge of our nautical heritage, and those who fish at sea using small boats based in harbors where infrastructure and security are a problem, plying their commerce along the rugged and rugged west coast.

Coastal Notes tells stories that are arguably as diverse as the environment they come from and that shape how people interact with the natural world and our relationship with the sea.

Marine fauna

One of the best memories of any day spent cruising around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine life. It is a pleasure for young and old to observe seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales in their own habitat. And as boaters lucky enough to experience it will attest, even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat. Was it a porpoise? Was it a whale? Whatever the brief glimpse, it is a privilege to share the seas with Ireland’s marine life.

Thanks to our location in the North Atlantic, there seems to be no shortage of marine life to observe. From whales and dolphins, to seals, sharks and other marine life, the Marine Fauna category documents the most interesting stories around our coasts. And we look forward to receiving your observations, photos, links and video clips too!

The unique perspective of all those who navigate, from coastal boating and sea fishing to coastal kayaking and offshore yacht racing, is also valuable, as what they encounter can be of great importance. importance to organizations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG). Thanks to their work, we now know that we share the seas with dozens of species that also live in Ireland. But as impressive as the list is, experts believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. The next time you step out on the ocean waves, stay tuned!

Time

As an island in the North Atlantic, Ireland’s fate is decided by Weather more than many other European countries. When strong winds cross the Irish Sea, ferry and shipping services are disrupted, disrupting our economy. When swelling waves crash on our shores, communities are flooded and fishermen brace themselves for the impact – both for their vessels and their livelihoods.

Keeping abreast of the weather, therefore, is as important for boaters and fishing crews – for whom a small craft warning can mean the difference between life and death – as it is for communities along the coast, where timely weather alerts can help protect homes and lives.

The weather affects us all, and Afloat.ie will keep you posted on the how and why.

maritime science

It is perhaps the work of the Irish research vessels RV Celtic Explorer and RV Celtic Voyager in the Atlantic Ocean that best highlights the essential nature of marine science for the future growth of the emerging “economy.” blue »Irish.

From marine research to sustainable development and management, Ireland is developing a solid and well-deserved reputation as an emerging center of excellence. From Wavebob ocean energy technology, aquaculture, weather buoys and oil exploration, the Marine Sciences category documents the work of Irish marine scientists and researchers and how they obtained leading roles in many European and international marine science organizations.

Power of the sea

The message from the experts is clear: offshore wind and wave energy is the future. And as Ireland turns to the potential of the renewable energy sector, power generation from the sea will become a higher priority in the state’s ‘blue growth’ strategy.

Developments and activities of existing and planned projects in the wind and wave renewable energy sector pipeline, and those in the energy exploration industry, indicate the future of energy needs for the whole world, not just in Ireland . And that’s not to mention the additional industries that marine energy projects can support in coastal communities.

Irish ports are already well placed to capitalize on investments in offshore renewable energy services. And Power From The Sea can even be good for marine life if done right.

Besides the green sector, our coastal waters are also teeming with oil and gas resources that many prospectors hope to exploit, although people in coastal and island areas are not yet sure of the potential benefits or pitfalls for their communities.

Ocean climate change

Our ocean and our climate are inextricably linked – the ocean plays a crucial role in the global climate system in several ways. These include absorbing excess heat from the atmosphere and absorbing 30 percent of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere by human activity. But our marine ecosystems are under increasing pressure from climate change.

The Marine Institute, along with its national and international partners, strives to observe and understand how our ocean is changing and analyzes, models and projects the impacts of our changing oceans. Advice and forecasting of changes in our oceans and climate are essential to create effective policies and management decisions to protect our ocean.

Dr Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute, said: “Our ocean is essential to life on earth and affects many facets of our daily activities. One of the biggest challenges we face as a society is that of climate change. The strong international collaborations that the Marine Institute has established over decades facilitate a common focus on changing oceanic climate and the development of new and improved ways to monitor it and track changes over time.

“Our knowledge and services help us observe these patterns of change and identify steps to protect our marine ecosystems for future generations. “

The Marine Institute’s annual ocean climate research survey, underway since 2004, facilitates long-term monitoring of the deep water environment in the west of Ireland. This repeated study, which takes place aboard the RV Celtic Explorer, allows scientists to establish baseline ocean conditions in Irish waters that can be used as a benchmark for future changes.

Scientists collect data on temperature, salinity, water currents, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the Atlantic Ocean. This high-quality oceanographic data contributes to the Atlantic Ocean Observing System. The physical oceanographic data for the survey is submitted to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) and, in addition, the survey contributes to national research such as the VOCAB project on ocean acidification and biogeochemistry, the “Clean Atlantic” project on waste and the A4 project on marine climate change.

Dr Caroline Cusack, who coordinates science activities aboard the RV Celtic Explorer for the annual survey, said: “Generating long-term series to monitor ocean climate is vital for us to understand the likely impact of future changes in oceanic climate. on ecosystems and other marine resources.

Other activities during the investigation in 2019 included the deployment of oceanographic gliders, two Argo floats (Ireland’s contribution to EuroArgo) and four surface dinghies (Interreg Atlantic Area Clean Atlantic project). The new Argo floats have the ability to measure dissolved ocean and ocean surface biogeochemical parameters to a depth of 2,000 meters continuously for up to four years, providing important information on the health of the ocean. our oceans.

During the 2019 survey, the RV Celtic Explorer retrieved a chain of oceanographic sensors from the deep ocean to a station moored below the adjacent surface and deployed a replacement M6 weather buoy, as part of the Irish network of d observation of marine data buoys (IMDBON).

Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Navy, IMDBON is managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann and is designed to improve weather forecasting and safety at sea around Ireland . Data buoys are equipped with instruments that collect meteorological and oceanic data, including wind speed and direction, pressure, air and sea surface temperature, and wave statistics. This data provides vital information for weather forecasts, navigation bulletins, gale and swell warnings, as well as data for general public information and research.

“It’s only in the last 20 years that meteorologists and climatologists have really started to understand the central role the ocean plays in determining our climate and weather,” said Evelyn Cusack, Manager forecast at the Met Éireann. “The real-time information provided by the Irish data buoy network is particularly important to our sailors and our rescue services. The M6 ​​data buoy in the Atlantic provides vital information on swell waves generated by Atlantic storms. Although the weather and winds can be calm around our coasts, there could be very strong swells from Atlantic storms. “