The Explorers SDG posters illustrate how the ocean is connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). ‘Explorers SDG Poster No. 13, Climate Change’ provides a beautiful photo of the ocean reminding us of how we have an impact on the ocean and how the ocean impacts our lives. The posters also include interesting facts highlighting these connections, which are also interlinked to the SDG’s. The posters can be used for presentations to generate ideas for class discussion. They may also be printed and used as a visual display in the classroom, to help raise awareness, knowledge and engagement in conversations about our ocean.

This report represents a continuation of the scientific aspects of the Annual Reports published by the Salmon Research Agency of Ireland, now integrated into the Fisheries Ecosystem Advisory Services Group (FEAS) of the Marine Institute. The data presented creates a unique record of fish rearing and wild fish census data for the past 49 years. This data is an essential component in the local, regional and national management of salmon, sea trout and eel and is becoming ever more valuable in the light of increasing pressures on natural stocks, such as exploitation, habitat degradation and global climate change scenarios. The fish monitoring facilities in Newport, along with the reared and ranched salmon stocks held in Burrishoole, are also essential for supporting projects such as development of novel enhancement techniques, alternative stocks and ranching and evaluation of interactions between farmed, ranched and wild strains. An expanding programme in the Burrishoole system is including ecological and genetics research into eel, sticklebacks and stock dynamics of juvenile salmonids and eels.

This report provides the main results and findings of the sixteenth annual underwater television survey on the ‘Smalls grounds’ ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 22. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV and other ecosystem data. A total of 42 UWTV stations were surveyed successfully (high quality image data), carried out over an isometric grid at 4.5nmi or 8.3km intervals. The precision, with a CV of 7%, was well below the upper limit of 20% recommended by SGNEPS (ICES, 2012). The 2021 abundance estimate was 13% lower than in 2020 and at 656 million is below the MSY Btrigger reference point (990 million). Using the 2021 estimate of abundance and updated stock data implies catch in 2022 that correspond to the ICES MSY approach of 1257 tonnes assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2018–2020. One species of sea pen was recorded as present at the stations surveyed: Virgularia mirabilis. Trawl marks were observed at 24% of the stations surveyed.

This report provides the main results and findings of the twentieth annual underwater television survey on the Aran, Galway Bay and Slyne head Nephrops grounds, ICES assessment area; Functional Unit 17. The survey was multi-disciplinary in nature collecting UWTV, CTD and other ecosystem data. In 2021 a total of 44 UWTV stations were successfully completed, 34 on the Aran Grounds, 5 on Galway Bay and 5 on Slyne Head patches. The mean burrow density observed in 2021, adjusted for edge effect, was medium at 0.26 burrows/m². The final krigged burrow abundance estimate for the Aran Grounds was 311 million burrows with a CV (Coefficient of Variance; relative standard error) of 4%. The final abundance estimate for Galway Bay was 12 million and for Slyne Head was 9 million, with CVs of 2% and 2% respectively. The total abundance estimates have fluctuated considerably over the time series. The 2021 combined abundance estimate (331 million burrows) is 16% lower than in 2020, the MSY Btrigger reference and it is below point (540 million burrows). Using the 2021 estimate of abundance and updated stock data imply that catches in 2022 should be no more than 360 tonnes, according to the EU MAP and ICES MSY approach and assuming that discard rates and fishery selection patterns do not change from the average of 2018–2020. Virgularia mirabilis was the only sea-pen species observed on the UWTV footage. Trawl marks were present at 5% of the Aran stations surveyed.

This report summarises the activities undertaken by the Fish Health Unit (FHU) of the Marine Institute (MI) in 2020. The services of the FHU, undertaken on behalf of the State, are largely driven by European and national legislation on aquatic animal health. In 2020, animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and rules for the control of aquatic animal health within the European Union (EU) was determined in Council Directive 2006/88/EC on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals lays down rules for the control of aquatic animal health within the EU. Council Directive 2006/88/EC was enacted in Irish Law by Statutory Instrument (SI) 261 of 2008. New Animal Health Law, Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and associated implementing regulations, replaced the regulatory framework provided by Directive 2006/88/EC in April 2021. However, this report covers FHU activities carried out in 2020 under Directive 2006/88/EC and associated national legislation. The MI is the Competent Authority (CA) responsible for implementation of aquatic animal health regulation in Ireland as described in these statutes.

The Explorers Five Turtle Species Recorded in Irish Waters poster provides a collection of illustrations of the turtles that migrate across the Atlantic and are found in the ocean waters around Ireland. This includes the Leatherback Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, and the Hawksbill Sea Turtle. The poster also includes details of the common name, scientific name, size, weight and the life span of each of the turtles.

The Ocean Depths Poster provides an illustration of the ocean zones. This includes the Sunlight (0 – 200m); Twilight (200 – 1000m); Midnight (1000 – 4000m); Abyssal (4000 – 6000m); Trenches (6000 – 11,000m). The poster also provides images and interesting facts about typical animals found at each level of the ocean. It also highlights a number of discoveries in the Atlantic Ocean that have been made by the Marine Institute, as well as other international discoveries around the world.

The Explorers Learning about Squid: Explorers Learning about Squid: Our favourite SQUID FACTS includes 20 of the Explorers outreach teams favourite facts about squid. These can be used as a presentation within the class to generate ideas for class discussion, stories, and to help children create their own favourite squid facts. The squid fact images may also be printed and used as part of an Explorers Learning about Squid visual display in the classroom. The Explorers team facts were created by: Cushla Dromgool-Regan, Noirín Burke, Mona McCrea, Sarah Varian, Eithne Larkin, Atalya Peritz, Rebecca Murphy, Eoin McMahon, Sorsha Kennedy, Bríd O'Connor, Padraic Creedon, William McElhinney, Shazia Waheed, Mervyn Horgan, Jai Tuohy.

The Explorers Real Map of Ireland Poster and Activity sheet is double-sided and includes an illustration of Ireland’s marine territory on one side and activities on the other. Ireland’s ocean territory is ten times the size of the island of Ireland. The currently designated Irish Continental Shelf, represented by the red line on the map, shows the Republic of Ireland's current territorial waters, which extends out across the North Atlantic Ocean and includes parts of the Irish and Celtic Seas. This area includes one of the largest marine Exclusive Economic Zones in the European Union. The activity sheet on the back includes a word-find and word-jumble, where children can learn the names of the areas of the ocean. It also includes an art activity, drawing the Marine Institute’s research vessels that are used for seabed mapping in Ireland.