Coastwatch has welcomed the promise of greater protections for sensitive maritime areas in the Marine Spatial Planning Bill as it continues its annual shoreline survey.
As reported in The Irish Times, the environmental group’s coordinator Karin Dubsky said “public participation will be an integral part” of the process when the bill, which was published last month, passes into law.
Hundreds of volunteers are already deep into the four-week survey of Ireland’s 7,500km coastline, which continues till Friday 15 October.
This year Coastwatch is making a special appeal for farmers and coastal landowners to get involved to record the status of seaside habitats.
“Most of Ireland’s of shore is owned by farmers, yet we rarely hear how coastal farmers and how they are dealing with climate change and sea level rise,” Cork Coastwatch coordinator Bernie Connolly said.
The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.