Emma Armshaw is the Marine & Coastal Policy Officer with Fair Seas Partner Sustainable Water Network (SWAN). Below Emma reflects on a recent week on board the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group’s Research Vessel, Celtic Mist.
I was fortunate to join fellow Fair Seas coalition partner the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) on board their research vessel for several days of surveying cetaceans off the west coast of Ireland. The Celtic Mist, a 17m ketch, has been used by IWDG to survey inshore and offshore waters since 2012, collecting data on the megafauna that live in, and migrate through, Irish waters. Such data is vital for making recommendations on the locations of future Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and has been used by Fair Seas to identify “Areas of Interest” in our Revitalising Our Seas report, where designations would be especially important to protect vulnerable species.
In 2024, the Celtic Mist is surveying from early May to mid-September, between Bantry, Co.Cork and Killybegs, Co.Donegal. A Skipper and First Mate are on board to ensure the smooth running of the vessel and a lead marine biologist to manage sightings and data collection. The other members of each week’s maximum eight-person crew may be new to sailing or observation or very experienced in one or both, but everyone is bonded by an interest in whales and dolphins, and expected to pitch in with tasks.
On the week I was part of the crew, we joined the Celtic Mist in Rossaveel, Co.Galway.
We were sailing away from Rossaveel Harbour before 7am the next morning, a harbour seal bobbing up to see us away. As we headed west towards the Aran Islands, and then past Inish Oírr, our on-board biologist gave the science briefing about species we might encounter, how to recognise them from behaviour and dorsal fin shape and the process for recording. As well as cetaceans (whales and dolphins), IWDG also records marine litter, the locations of lobster pots, and other marine megafauna (such as basking sharks and seals). Around the islands, we had some early sightings of common dolphins, some of whom joined us for bow riding, a playful behaviour where they seem to ride the currents of the boat. Once we were in deeper waters, we saw some birdlife (including charismatic puffins floating on the waves) and a sunfish, but despite the clear skies and calm seas providing perfect viewing conditions, the only other excitement came from spotting an escaped foil balloon (we fished it out) and a dead seal (we left that for the seagulls to feast on).
While of course we would have loved to have seen breaching humpbacks and the rumoured orca duo that might currently be cruising Irish waters, a voyage on the Celtic Mist is not a whale-watching jolly. Rather than making a beeline for known cetacean hot-spots, the biologist and skipper discuss weather and sea conditions and decide on transect lines for the day. These are specific courses we follow in a straight line, either in areas that have been surveyed before (so that data can be compared) or new areas, to provide baseline information. During a transect, two “spotters” keep watch on the port and starboard side of the boat in 30-minute shifts, covering a 180-degree view of the sea. When on watch we would scan the horizon for any glimpse of a dorsal fin, fluke or blow, or other signs, such as birds amassing in a specific area, where they might be freeloading off some feeding dolphins.
A lack of sightings does not mean failure, because it is all important data. We speculated whether the quiet surface might be due to a sandy sea floor and limited prey, even though we were in waters more than 100m deep, which might be favoured by whales. The data we collected will be analysed by IWDG in the off-season, perhaps against sediment surveys, to provide useful insight.
As we sailed south (mooring one night at Inish Oírr and anchoring the next by Mutton Island), we had some incredible encounters with basking sharks (including witnessing circling behaviour by a group of eight) and a full hour-and-forty-minute display by a welcome committee of bottlenose dolphins as we entered the Shannon Estuary. However, sometimes these sightings were after hours with nothing on the horizon. But having two dozen dolphins leaping on both sides of the boat, seeing a young calf with its mother bow-riding and groups of four breaking the surface together, surrounded by blue skies and seas with green cliffs on either side of us on a sunny evening made the 12+ hours days worth it, and a reminder of why it is important to collect data that will help ensure the protection of these incredible species.
After the awe-inspiring arrival in the Shannon Estuary, we moored in Kilrush Marina, in view of the IWDG’s Shannon Dolphin Centre- and the luxuries of our first shower and WiFi access since Rossaveel! Despite the best laid plans of five full days of surveying, Irish summer in the Northeast Atlantic has a mind of its own. Our skipper kept a close ear on reports coming through the radio, and when a small craft warning came through, we decided to stay put on Wednesday- a good lesson in “going with the flow.” While we attempted to go out on Thursday morning, the conditions ended up not being conducive to surveying, so the skipper and biologist jointly decided we should return to Kilrush again. It gave our crew of seven a chance to discuss the amazing sights we had experienced together over the previous days and talk about why it is so important to put measures in place to protect the vulnerable habitats and species of Ireland’s marine environment.
It’s easy to forget that the land we live on is only 10 percent of Ireland’s total area. Within the 420,000km2 of Ireland’s seas live (or visit) 26 species of whales and dolphins, 24 species of seabirds, 39 species of sharks (including the second biggest fish in the world, the basking shark), schools of fish that form important parts of the food web for other species as well as livelihoods for coastal communities, and a multitude of habitats, including unique ecosystems like deep-water coral reefs and important carbon sequestration areas like seagrass beds.
The surveying conducted from the Celtic Mist is necessary to provide evidence of where MPAs will be most effective in the seas around Ireland, but we urgently need MPA legislation published to ensure we reach 30% coverage by 2030, with robust management plans in place and assurance of stakeholder engagement. It is never more important to sign our petition and email your Ministers to push for this vital legislation.
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