Locals and visitors to the County Kerry coast will have an opportunity to explore the underwater world up close this Friday. Fair Seas and marine awareness and activity centre Sea Synergy are hosting a series of special events in the Greater Skellig Coast Hope Spot to celebrate Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day.
The Greater Skellig Coast Hope Spot was identified as a region critical to the health of the ocean globally, and was announced as Ireland’s first and only Hope Spot by global marine conservation movement Mission Blue in January 2023. The Hope Spot, which is championed by the Fair Seas coalition and Lucy Hunt of Sea Synergy, stretches from Kenmare Bay in Co Kerry to Loop Head in Co Clare and covers an area of roughly 7,000km2 of Irish coastal waters.
The MPA Day events include a subsidised snorkeling trip through seagrass meadows from Ballinskelligs Pier with a marine biologist guide. There will be Marine Creature Feature stalls, an underwater photography exhibition by Vincent Hyland and hand foraged Atlantic Irish Seaweed Tasters at Cafe Cois Trá in Ballinskelligs. The day concludes with a guided exploration of the seashore and sandart at Whitestrand Beach in Cahersiveen.
The 1st of August is a global day dedicated to raising awareness about MPAs and their essential role in ocean conservation, sustainable development, and community well-being. Fair Seas has been campaigning for strong and ambitious legislation committing to effectively protecting 30% of the seas around Ireland by 2030, with 10% strictly protected.
Lucy Hunt, Founder of Sea Synergy added, “We look forward to celebrating Marine Protected Areas Day with Fair Seas and highlighting the amazing marine life we have here in South West Kerry and the Greater Skellig Coast Hope Spot through the different activities. It is great to have support from Fair Seas, the Heritage Council and Cumas Ceantar Uibh Rathaigh to bring this day to life and share the marine environment with the wider community through a number of different initiatives.”
Jack O’Donovan Trá, Marine Biologist and Communications Officer with Fair Seas says, “This Friday we will be highlighting the international recognition this region’s seas have received and showcasing why it’s vital we do everything we can to protect them. The Greater Skellig Coast Hope Spot is home to critically endangered sharks, globally important seabird colonies, and animals threatened with extinction which rely on these areas for breeding and feeding. Ireland’s first marine national park, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, has also been established here underscoring the importance of this area. However, we believe properly resourced and effectively managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) will go even further and will allow nature to recover as well as supporting the local coastal communities.”
To register for the events visit: tinyurl.com/MPADayKerry2025
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