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Appeal for Watersport Enthusiasts to Steer Clear of Rogerstown Estuary

21st November 2020
BirdWatch Ireland map highlighting bird hides at the inner Rogerstown Estuary in north Co Dublin BirdWatch Ireland map highlighting bird hides at the inner Rogerstown Estuary in north Co Dublin

BirdWatch Ireland recently made an appeal to watersport enthusiasts in Fingal to avoid the inner estuary at Rogerstown, north of Portrane in Co Dublin, for fear of disturbing the area’s marine wildlife.

The statement comes after “several incidents recently where people entering [the estuary] in kayaks and paddle boards” allegedly disturbed roosting and feeding birds in the Special Area of Conservation.

BWI Fingal noted that there are no signs in the area to warn anyone approaching from the water “so most people are probably unaware of the impact they are having”.

Fingal County Council is currently engaged in emergency works on nearby Burrow Beach, which include relocating 70 reinforced concrete barriers or ‘seabees’ which had been moved without authorisation and caused irreperable damage to the dune system.

The Fingal Independent reports that the seabees are part of interim measures to delay coastal erosion in this sensitive area which has been exacerbated by recent storms.

Published in Marine Wildlife
MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!