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Today marks a significant milestone in understanding Ireland’s marine life, with the release of the ObSERVE Phase II Aerial Project reports. These reports offer crucial insights into the biodiversity present in Ireland’s offshore waters, highlighting species such as blue whales, pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, and seabirds like puffins and gannets.
ObSERVE, launched in 2014, aims to enhance knowledge about marine species and their habitats by regularly collecting data on cetaceans, seabirds, turtles, and other marine species around the Irish coast. In 2021, the second phase of the programme began, supported by various government departments and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, with a total investment of €4.5 million.
The reports present findings from aerial surveys conducted over two years by University College Cork, covering a vast 490,000 km² of Ireland’s maritime area. The data gathered will inform the conservation of protected species, support sustainable energy developments, and contribute to the management of Ireland’s marine resources.
Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State for Communications and Circular Economy, commented:
“The ObSERVE II Aerial Project has collected key data that has greatly improved our knowledge of the environment off the coast of Ireland. This information will help inform the way forward for future regulation and sustainable management of Ireland’s maritime area in tandem with advancing the conservation of protected species, and the identification of important areas for their natural ecology and its conservation.”
Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform
, added:
“The ecological data amassed through the ObSERVE II Aerial Project is a significant addition to our understanding of the dynamics of our marine environment. This will further enable the development of evidence-based approaches for the conservation of Ireland’s biodiversity.”
For more details on the ObSERVE Phase II Aerial Project reports, visit: gov.ie