The Explorers Wild about Wildlife on the Seashore Poster includes forty photographs of animals that are typically found on the Irish seashore. Each of the animals are listed under their species headings including: Seashells • Sliogáin; Fish • Éisc; Crustacean • Crústaigh; Jellies, Anemones and Corals • Smugaurlí, Bundúin agus Coiréalaigh; Sponges and Squirts • Spúinsí agus Ascaidí; Stars and Urchins • Crosóga agus Cuáin; and Worms • Péisteanna. Each photo also includes the animals common and Irish names.

The Explorers Learning about Squid: KRAKEN the Sea Monster Presentation provides a series of fun facts that used to discuss the history, myths and stories of the giant squid. The Presentations can be used as PowerPoint or interactive presentations on a Whiteboard. The presentation includes lots of images that portray the Kraken in many guises. Photographs and images are Istock as well as Alamy. This PowerPoint may be used for educational purposes and the images must retain all of their image copyright details.

An acoustic survey of Atlantic herring Clupea harengus was conducted in ICES areas 6aS/7b in November-December 2020 and January 2021. The 2020 survey was conducted using five vessels; MFVs Crystal Dawn WD201, Ros Ard SO745, Johnny G S653, Abigail S SO354, and St. Catherine D299. The 6aS/7b survey design changed in 2020 compared with previous years in that only 6 core areas with prior knowledge of herring distribution from the monitoring fishery were targeted for surveying. This was largely based on the results from ICES WKHASS (ICES 2020) and from lessons learned in the previous surveys in this area from 2016-2019. This design resulted in a much reduced survey area compared to previous years, but with better coverage of most of the important inshore bays where the monitoring fishery takes place. The survey design objective remained the same; to capture the distribution of winter spawning herring in the 6aS/7b area, but this design was not expected to achieve overall stock containment. The timing of surveys in the core areas was flexible from the outset by design. It was decided that greater flexibility would allow for a targeted spatial and temporal approach which avoided the inevitable poor weather that can happen in this area during this time of the year and which lead to reduced survey effort in previous years. Using smaller vessels allowed surveys to be conducted in shallow inshore areas where herring are known to aggregate during this time of the year. This survey is the fifth consecutive annual acoustic survey for herring in this area at this time of the year. A pole-mounted system with a combi 38 kHz (split) 200 kHz (single) transducer was used successfully for the survey on small vessels (<18m) in 2020. Herring were again distributed inshore in shallow areas, and the improved survey design and use of small vessels for the survey resulted in a good measure of uncertainty (CV). The stock was not overall contained in 2020, particularly in the Donegal Bay area (Bruckless, Inver Bays, etc.) and more effort is required to target survey effort later in December and January when herring appear to show up in these areas in greater numbers. The COVID pandemic affected the ability to conduct surveys in late December. Very strong herring marks were evident in Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly in the channel in marks that extended for many miles. This was in areas where smaller boats in the fishery were concentrating effort. There was also a series of herring marks in Bruckless Bay, Fintra Bay and Inver Bay in discreet areas. There were a few small herring marks in the Achill strata. The monitoring fishery was being conducted on smaller boats in the same areas and close to the same time as the survey and biological samples from some of these vessels were used. There was a wide distribution of length classes in all hauls, with most hauls dominated by larger (> 22 cm) mature fish. The 2- and 3-wr age class of herring accounted for 54% of the overall numbers in 2020. The total stock biomass (TSB) estimate of 45,046 tonnes is considered to be a minimum estimate of herring in the 6aS/7b survey area at the time of the survey. The flexible survey design and focusing on discreet areas was generally successful and should provide a template for future survey designs.

Explorers Cephalopod Science Investigations OUR FAVOURITE SQUID SPECIES provides an introduction to squid species. Learning about animals such as squid, help us discover some of the amazing things about marine biodiversity and adaptation; as well as exploring the ocean around the world. This book looks at ten squid species found around the world including the largest squid in the world called the giant squid to the smallest pygmy squid, which is the size of your finger nail. Each squid information sheet identifies the English, Irish and scientific name of the squid species; its size, colour and life span. The squid sheets also highlights the ocean that the squid lives in, its habitat; what it looks like; how the squid protects itself; what it eats; and its predators.

Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and Marine Institute (MI) conducted seabed mapping between 2003 and 2005 under the auspices of the Irish National Seabed Survey (INSS) and this continued from 2006 to present day under the INtegrated mapping FOr the sustainable development of Irelands MArine Resource (INFOMAR) programme. INSS was one of the largest marine mapping programmes ever undertaken globally, with a focus on deep water mapping. INFOMAR is a joint venture between the GSI and the MI and is funded by the Irish Government through the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC). INFOMAR Phase 1, 2006 to 2015 focused on mapping 26 priority bays and 3 priority areas around Ireland and creating a range of integrated mapping products of the physical, chemical and biological features of the seabed in those areas. INFOMAR Phase 2, 2016 to 2026 intends to map the remainder of Ireland’s entire seabed.

The 2019 survey continues the Marine Institute’s Winter Nutrients monitoring that commenced in 1990/91. The survey has evolved and expanded during this time period with respect to target areas, parameters and sampling strategy. In 2011 this survey was reestablished as a winter environmental survey with a broader remit to provide supporting information for OSPAR and Water Framework Directive (WFD Directive 2000/60/EC) assessments and also to maintain the winter time series on key biogeochemical parameters in Irish waters in response to pressures such as land based inputs of nutrients and climate change. Since 2011 the survey circumnavigates the Island of Ireland every two years, alternating southabout and northabout, starting in the Irish Sea and ending in Galway. This provides a complete coverage of Irelands coastal waters over two-year periods. However, given the timing of the surveys, winter by necessity to ensure minimal biological activity and therefore highest concentrations of dissolved nutrients, the weather is a significant factor in determining the actual, as opposed to planned, coverage of the target stations. This work is complementary to inshore water quality monitoring activities of the Irish Environmental Protection Agency and Marine Institute and the annual offshore oceanographic survey/climate section (53N/Rockall Trough) on the RV Celtic Explorer led by the Oceanographic Science Services group at the Marine Institute. The 2019 survey was designed to collect multidisciplinary information on physical conditions, water chemistry (dissolved nutrients, total alkalinity (TA), dissolved organic carbon (DIC) and salinity), sediment chemistry (persistent organic pollutants POPs and trace metals), sediment particle size distribution and benthic macroinvertebrates (at targeted waterbodies around the coast). This contributes to data collection needs of various statutory drivers (WFD and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) Directive 2008/56/EC) as well as providing a research dataset on status and changing conditions (trends and variations) for key environmental variables.

The 2018 survey continues the Marine Institute’s Winter Nutrients monitoring that commenced in 1990/91. The survey has evolved and expanded during this time period with respect to target areas, parameters and sampling strategy. In 2011 this survey was re-established as a winter environmental survey with a broader remit to provide supporting information for OSPAR and Water Framework Directive (WFD - Directive 2000/60/EC) assessments and also to maintain the winter time series on key biogeochemical parameters in Irish waters in response to pressures such as land based inputs of nutrients and climate change. Since 2011 the survey circumnavigates the Island of Ireland every 2 years, alternating southabout (odd years) and northabout (even years), starting in the Irish Sea and ending in Galway. This provides a complete coverage of Ireland’s coastal waters over 2-year periods. However, given the timing of the surveys, winter by necessity to ensure minimal biological activity and therefore highest concentrations of dissolved nutrients, the weather is a significant factor in determining the actual as opposed to planned coverage of the target stations. This work is complementary to inshore water quality monitoring activities of the Irish Environmental Protection Agency and Marine Institute and the annual offshore oceanographic survey/climate section (53N/Rockall Trough) on the Celtic Explorer led by the Oceanographic Science Services group at the Marine Institute. As in previous years, the 2018 survey was designed to collect multidisciplinary information on physical conditions, water chemistry (dissolved nutrients, total alkalinity (TA), dissolved organic carbon (DIC), salinity), sediment chemistry (persistent organic pollutants POPs and trace metals), sediment particle size distribution and benthic macroinvertebrates (at targeted waterbodies around the coast). This contributes to data collection needs of various statutory drivers (WFD and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) - Directive 2008/56/EC) as well as providing a research dataset on status and changing conditions (trends and variations) for key environmental variables.

This independent review examines the National Marine Research and Innovation Strategy (‘MRIS’) 2017-2021 and progress towards achieving the goals and implementing actions as set out in the Strategy. Indecon International Research Economics were appointed by the Marine Institute to undertake the assignment. The review represents an assessment of the progress of the strategy, including a review of implementing structures and any emerging outputs and associated impacts.

Coordination of the survey was initiated at the meeting of the Working Group on International Pelagic Surveys (WGIPS) in January 2021 and continued by correspondence until the start of the survey. During the survey effort was refined and adjusted by the survey coordinator (Norway) using real time observations. The survey design was based on methods described in ICES Manual for International Pelagic Surveys (ICES, 2015). Weather conditions were regarded as exceptionally poor and all vessels experienced multiple days of downtime, with the exception of the Spanish vessel working in the Porcupine Seabight. This considered, the stock was covered comprehensively and contained within the survey area. The entire survey was completed in 19 days, below 21-day target threshold.