Nature in the News

Del.Monte wrote: »

The Greens are too worried about LGBT rights, BLM, leadership issues, political correctness, virtue signalling, direct provision, the Irish language and other left wing issues to do anything about the NPWS or the environment.

Well I intend to make a list of the issues highlighted in recent weeks and ask the new minister what he is going to do about the sorry state of the NPWS?? I would encourage everyone else who cares about the issue to email etc him and keep the pressure up on the "problem" individuals within the organisation

Bsal wrote: »

A Bearded Vulture has shown up in England this week thought to have come in from Swiss Alps

https://twitter.com/willbowell/status/1282304350325538817?s=20

Vulture populations are recovering well in Western Europe and its probably only a matter of time before they become regular visitors to these islands. Even now immature Griffons are now regular visitors to the likes of Holland and Belgium

Birders are continuing to flock to Greystones in Co Wicklow after what is believed to be the first ever sighting of a Brown Booby in Ireland.
The large seabird is usually found fishing in tropical waters in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.
It was spotted yesterday afternoon in Greystones and has delighted birders by loitering at the beach today.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2020/0714/1153244-booby-bird/

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, i was thinking that the water the bird was diving in must have been maybe 20C below the water it's used to?

Amazingly another one has turned up on a ship just off the Cork coast yesterday and reported on Irishbirding!!

Sadly, it's bleeding demised, shuttled off this mortal coil, it is an ex-parrot booby.


https://www.facebook.com/pg/Wildlifeunitkildare/posts/?ref=page_internal

New Home wrote: »

Yep. Capercaillie (I mean, that was the poster that has been doing all that hard work on his farm, I don't know if he's the person mentioned in the article); there may be others, too.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=112123501

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=101319818

Yip thats me.

magicbastarder wrote: »

i see decathlon are catching some flak for having listed shotgun cartridges and other items in the UK, which are listed as being suited to hunting thrushes and songbirds. decathlon are blaming a translation error and minor confusion over jurisdictions in which it's allowed, from what i can see.

Must've thought they were in Malta.

https://www.waterfordlive.ie/news/home/560552/investigation-underway-after-waterford-officers-seize-illegally-caught-lobsters.html?fbclid=IwAR1g8Ysw02V9FsRmMPTvqL5_iR5o_WMDprMbq9It_thX3TtiMLswdE0rUOo

The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), acting on information from a member of the public, seized 86 illegally caught lobsters from a recreational fisherman in the South East this week.

The team of SFPA officers from Dunmore East in County Waterford also detained a vivier lorry in Rosslare which was destined for Spain with approximately 6,000 lobsters on board, including almost 700 illegally caught lobsters. All lobsters were returned alive to the sea and the SFPA is preparing a file for the DPP.

Since 2016, legislation has been in place to help in the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems, under a range of conservation measures to support the viability of the commercial in-shore fishing industry. Under these regulations, recreational or private fishers can catch one lobster daily and are prohibited from selling their catches.

poster
There are also regulations about the minimum size of shellfish that can be caught in Irish waters, applying to commercial and recreational fisheries, while lobsters that have been v-notched must not be retained on board either.

Over 630 undersize lobster and almost 60 v-notched lobster were seized from the lorry, which was specially fitted out with large water tanks to transport live lobster, maximising their value.

Further investigations are underway as to the origin of these fish, which the SFPA believe were collected from the north west and west of the country - some of which may have originated from Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the seizure, SFPA chair Dr Susan Steele acknowledged the support of the public in alerting the SFPA and encouraged people who have concerns about suspected illegal fishing or activity that could compromise food safety to contact their local SFPA port office.

“The volume of such a find of undersize lobsters is both significant for the future viability of the fishery and concerning given the scale of the find. The fishery for lobster is one of the most traditional fisheries among coastal communities and the mainstay of many small vessels fishing all around the coast of Ireland. The actions of a few fishermen selling undersize and v-notch lobsters undermine the legitimate fishermen trying to maintain a sustainable fishery and livelihood," Dr Steele said.

“The majority of inshore fishermen act responsibly and in conjunction with state agencies, including the SFPA, to ensure the protection of the species which have been in decline in recent years. Many inshore fishermen participate in voluntary measures such as v-notching to assist with restocking of lobster,” she added.

Mass stranding of Bottlenose Whales in Donegal...

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/seven-whales-die-after-donegal-beach-stranding-39463139.html