Ireland has an international responsibility for whales and dolphins

According to the IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services, over one third of marine mammals globally are currently threatened.

To date we have recorded 26 cetacean species in Ireland, including new species recorded in 2016 (bowhead whale) and 2017 (Blainville’s beaked whale). This is nearly one-third of the world’s species – in a small country like Ireland!

As many species are endangered and also highly migratory, we have an international responsibility to protect them and their habitats.

Citizen science
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group has been at the forefront of whale and dolphin research and conservation since it was formed in 1990. We receive around 1,500 sightings and 250 strandings per annum from our ‘citizen science’ recording schemes. All records are robustly validated.

Over the past 30 years we have made many discoveries and recorded many changes. Bottlenose dolphins are becoming more prevalent off northern coasts and densities of harbour porpoise off north Co Dublin are some of highest recorded anywhere.

Common dolphins are stranding more frequently, especially in the winter. Fin and humpback whales are frequently observed off the south and southwest coasts and the increase of humpback whales to inshore Irish waters is one of the biggest good news stories of recent decades.

Drone technology
WhaleTrack Ireland is a new IWDG project aimed at building our knowledge through the use of drone technology, acoustics and biopsy sampling.

Most of the humpback whales recorded by the IWDG return each year and spend many months here feeding on schooling fish such as sandeels and sprat.

IWDG welcomes the recent decision to exclude large trawlers from fishing with 6nmls and should assist in good management of inshore waters.

The IWDG recently discovered a breeding ground (Cape Verde) for humpback whales feeding in Ireland. This gives Ireland a huge responsibility to assist in protecting these breeding grounds as well as our feeding grounds.

Such obligations will also exist for minke and fin whales, sperm and blue whales if we can identify their breeding grounds and for some dolphin species for which Irish waters only form a small part of their range and annual movements.

Data gathering
The IWDG is as strong as its members and supporters, constantly trying to support and build our membership and recording network. We deliver training on species identification and recording, and how to respond to live stranding events.

We carry out local watches at headlands around the country, through individuals and local groups or during our annual WhaleWatch Ireland event which this year is on Saturday 24 August.

We wish to encourage coastal communities to take ownership of their local marine resources while supporting the global nature of our marine diversity and obligations.

Think globally, act locally has never been truer for our whales and dolphins in this rapidly changing world for which we have responsibility.

Dr Simon Berrow