From the Sherkin Comment 42
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SHERKIN COMMENT Issue No. 42 Environmental Quarterly of Sherkin Island Marine Station 2006 Bat Fauna of Sherkin Island Going for Gold at Nature’s Expense Monks of Scelig Michil Moonrise over Kakadu Daniel Buckley tells us about bats Rosia Montana in Transylvania is John Gore-Grimes on the Anthony Toole explores Kakadu, and how they are part of the island’s under threat from gold mining on a activities of the Christian monks a World Heritage Site and heritage. 5 massive scale. 7 on the island. 10 Australia’s largest national park. 20 New Zealand’s Cool Waters Paul Kay Wildlife Photography Lucy Kay behind a Red Coral within the Gut (Te Awaatu Channel) Marine Reserve, New Zealand. Photograph by Paul Kay 2 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ SHERKIN COMMENT 2006 Issue No 42 Contents Editorial EDITORIAL: “A Water Meter for Every House” ................2 Matt Murphy questions taking water from the River Shannon to supply Dublin. Seabirds Down Under Part II ..................................3 A Water Meter for Oscar Merne continues his study of birds in the southern hemisphere. Phosphorus - The Bringer of Light ....................................4 Anthony Toole enlightens us on the properties of phosphorus. Bat Fauna of Sherkin Island ................................................5 Every House? Daniel Buckley on the status of bats on the island. Channels & Challenges - The enhancement of salmonid rivers ....................................................6 By Matt Murphy A vital manual from Martin O’Grady that will help to increase salmon and trout stocks. DUBLIN City Council, on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities, has recently Going for Gold at Nature’s Expense ........................7 announced that they are considering, as a John Akeroyd & Andrew Jones tell us how Rosia possible option, piping water over 100 Montana in Transylvania is under threat from kilometres from Lough Ree on the River gold mining on a massive scale. Shannon. It seems the Dublin area will Environmental Enforcement in Practice......................8 have a shortfall in water supplies in a few Progress being made by the EPA. years due to the huge growth in both resi- Monks of Scelig Michil..................................................10 dential and commercial development. John Gore-Grimes on the activities of the Before this option is taken it is essential that major studies be undertaken so that a Christian monks on the island. proper assessment can be made on what The Black Death in Ballincollig ............................12 effect such a scheme would have on the Daphne Pochin Mould recommends a book on ecology of Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Ballincollig Powder Mills , Co. Cork. Taking water from Lough Ree may seem The Demise of the Irish Field Naturalist ..................13 reasonable when the river levels are high Michael Guiry on the need to nurture an interest but summer water levels can drop in our natural history. severely. It cannot be forgotten that cli- Photo: Courtesy PDphoto.org nothing. Therefore they see no reason to what may only be a small percentage of Stingrays (Order: Myliobatiformes)in Irish Waters ..14 mate change is now with us and that we will have much drier summers. be prudent with its use. A householder extraction at the beginning could be a Declan Quigley continues his articles on rare fish In March 2000 the National Water could be allocated x litres monthly and “flood” in a number of years. Then which around our coast. Study was published. It found that unac- thereafter pay for the extra volume used. will have precedence, the River Shan- New Zealand’s Cool Waters ............................15/16/17 counted for water losses varied Very quickly running taps and damaged non’s ecology or people using its waters pipes would be taken care of and many A photographic journey by Paul Kay in the significantly between regions but were on the east coast? other saving would be made. Collecting temperate waters of New Zealand. generally in the range of 40% to 50%. Of The issue of extracting water from rainwater for gardening and other uses A Spotlight on World Environmental Matters ......18 course, not all this water was wasted - a would be of immense help. A hugely Lough Ree needs to be examined by the Interesting news on the world’s environment from good proportion was just not being prop- EPA, our environmental watchdog. They erly metered and recorded. The report was Alex Kirby. already have much water data on our quite emphatic that water conservation Can Environmental Assessments & Environmental rivers and will now need to introduce fur- strategies should assume a high priority. “Huge savings in water use Impact Statements be effective tools for ther monitoring programmes, such as These should include: would result if a meter was managing our environment? ......................19 • All supplies to each scheme should be river flow and flora and fauna. We cannot A US view from Michael Ludwig, on this metered; installed for every residence afford to mess about with nature. We must important subject. • All connections to each scheme and in the State.” be certain that this great river will not suf- Moonrise over Kakadu ..................................................20 number of properties connected should fer ecological damage. If the east coast Anthony Toole explores Kakadu, a World Heritage be identified; does in time need extra water supplies • All non-domestic properties should be then maybe they should be extracted Site and Australia’s largest national park. important issue not being emphasised is identified and metered; Moths of Sherkin Island ......................................................22 the excessive water use by the commer- below the Ardnacrusha Dam where the • Schemes should be divided into dis- Christopher Barry on the island’s moth cial world. A major educational ecological damage would be vastly less. trict meter areas, and permanent dis- programme would reap major savings of Maybe the time has come to encourage population. trict flow metering installed; water, which in itself would be of eco- residence and commercial development in Restoring the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary....................23 • Meters should be re-calibrated regu- nomic benefit to businesses. counties where there is sufficient water Dennis Suszkowski reflecting on the current larly. Before transporting water from Lough supplies. I pose the question, should local health of the harbour. Local authorities with major Depart- Ree, indepth studies must look at the authorities have water supply as a condi- ment of the Environment funding were Publications of Interest ..................................................24 effects on: tion in gaining planning permission? advised that all non-domestic water con- • Captain Cockle ......................................................26 Tourism Worldwide lack of water is now a major sumers are to be metered by end 2006 and • More exciting marine facts from John Joyce. Farming issue for many countries. Because of a programme for active leakage control • Fish stocks Wrens & Dunnocks ..............................................27 increased demand from development and should be put in place. Since this report • Possibility of more frequent algae Niall Hatch & Declan Murphy tell us more about was published, those local authorities that agriculture, many aquifers in the US are these two small birds. blooms carried out active leakage control works • Cost of pumping the water up the east falling so fast they are not being replen- Common Insects....................................................28 have reduced significantly Unaccounted coast. ished. Are we in Ireland heading in the Another informative leaflet from ENFO. For Water rates. For example, in Dublin • Treatment costs (the Shannon waters same direction and is this the beginning of Insect Puzzle Page..................................................29 they reduced from 42.5% to 28.7%; in are peaty) possible conflict between the east of the One Man’s Belief in the Young People of Ireland....30 Donegal it was from 59% to 39%; in • The knock on effects to the ecology of country and the rest? Urgent action is John T. Murphy on the work of John Murphy, Meath it was from 47% to 34%; and in Lough Derg. needed to get people to realise water sup- Kilkenny it was from 45% to 29%. recently retired Chief Executive of Gaisce. It needs to be remembered that once a plies are not never-ending. However, we must go further. Huge pipeline becomes a reality supplies can Sherkin Island Marine Station Environmental savings in water use would result if a and will be taken from along its length by Matt Murphy, Director, Sherkin Island Competition 2006 ..................................31 meter was installed for every residence in other local authorities that may have Sherkin Island Marine Station the State. Many people believe that water water supply problems in the future. Thus Marine Station, Sherkin Island, Environmental Award 2005 ........................32 is an endless resource and it costs them Co. Cork, Ireland. Presented to William McSweeney, Cobh, Co. Cork. +++++Subscription details on page 4+++++Subscription details on page 4+++++Subscription details on page 4++++ SHERKIN COMMENT 2006 Issue No 42 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3 kilometre back the road and set up a telescope on a tripod, focussed on Taiaroa Head. For