SHERKIN COMMENT

Issue No. 57 Environmental Quarterly of Sherkin Island Marine Station 2014

The Rock Art of West Cork Loophead and its Natural Charms A Viking House and Garden at Glasnevin Mapping the Seabed of Roaringwater Bay Finola Finlay & Robert Harris highlight Discovered! The National Botanic Gardens builds a Kevin Sheehan gives an overview of the little-known examples of ancient art in Carmel Madigan takes us on a journey commemorative replica of a Viking-age GSI/Marine Institute seabed survey of the West Cork. 7 along its beautiful coastline. 8 Dublin house in the gardens. 15/16/17 bay in 2013. 22

Bee eater on Portugal’s Castro Verde Steppes Photograph by Brian Henderson 2 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 Contents Editorial EDITORIAL: The Value of Our Drinking Water....2 Matt Murphy looks at how the provision of clean drinking water has progressed over his lifetime. The Value of Our Drinking Water The Little Egret ...... 3 An article from the late Oscar Merne about the the Station we had to pay a yearly sum for through its legislature. The bill will pro- increase of this bird’s population in Ireland. By Matt Murphy the amount we used. The relief we got – vide money for conservation projects to Greening the Lavender Lake ...... 4 no more drawing water, no more shortage, clean up polluted groundwater and make THIS editorial is just to remind us of the Walter Mugdan on the cleaning up the United just turn on the tap. irrigation more efficient. It will also value of having safe drinking water. When State’s most heavily polluted water way. At the station we are still paying water increase penalties for illegal water we turn on the tap clean water is instant. rates. If I smoked, it would be the cost of appropriation. In Israel, the country is Wetlands in Ireland...... 5 We don’t consider it a luxury but in real- 10 cigarettes a week. Put it another way, it facing its worst drought in a century and Nicola Dwyer explains the benefits to wetlands in ity it is. Yes, there may be the odd would be the cost of a pint of beer or a extra desalination facilities have been signing up to the Ramsar Convention. occasion in some areas when the supply is cheap bottle of wine. Water is the most established. Food waste offers unforeseen benefits...... 6 affected by pollution and people have to previous gift we have and need. Having The European Environment Agency’s recourse to bottled water or tanker supply Paul Brown on the renewable energy and other experienced times in my life without recently published study “Assessment of through their local council. It is fair to say benefits that can be derived from food waste. piped water it is a cheap price to pay. cost recovered through water pricing” that the majority of the population have Presently a huge amount of water is considers water pricing in several EU The Rock Art of West Cork ...... 7 been connected to a public water supply. I wasted in Ireland. Officially obsolete pub- countries. Among the key findings is that Finola Finlay & Robert Harris highlight little- have had the experience of both worlds. lic piping accounts for 41% of this. Add to households use around a third less water known examples of ancient art. Growing up in Cork City in the 40s and it the water wasted by households up and when they are charged for the actual 50s the only worry we had with our drink- Loophead and its Natural Charms Discovered!...... 8 down the country and the figure is much amount. The public seems to support ing water was burst lead pipes in those more. This water has cost money to pro- being charged according to the volume of A native of Loophead, Carmel Madigan takes us on very cold winters of ice and snow. In a journey along it beautiful coastline. duce. The new body, Irish Water, must water they use – 84% of EU citizens agree those days I spent my holidays with first address the public piping issue and with this principle to some extent accord- Integrated Catchment Management ...... 9 cousins on a farm near Kanturk. I learned there must then be a carrot to stem the ing to a 2012 Eurobarometer survey. Donal Daly & Micheal Ó Cinnéide explain how quickly that the water for the house and massive amount of water wasted in house- Very soon households in Ireland will be good water management is critical to the future well- farm had to be drawn from the hand pump holds. Give households a reasonable following those in many other European being of Irish society. in buckets and it was not limitless. One amount of free water and then charge for countries and will be paying for their learned to spare it as drawing water to Birdwatching on Portugal’s Castro Verde Steppes ..10 the excess over that figure. household water use. It is essential that farm animals was not an easy task for a In Ireland we are privileged to have an much of the charges be put into the public Anthony Toole on his visit, observing the rich and young 13-year-old teenager. varied Portuguese bird life. excellent supply of drinking water. To put networks to help reduce the 41% of water Time moved on and in my late teens I our situation into perspective, it is worth wasted though obsolete piping. If, as Can marine ecosystems be re-balanced while fish go took up canoeing and started to spend looking at how other countries are fairing. already mentioned, a reasonable amount with chips? ...... 11 time canoe-camping. We got water for For example, in Brazil drought has forced of free water is provided to begin with, Ivor Rees calls for strategic thinking on the whole cooking and drinking from a local farmer. 140 cities to ration water. Some 6 million perhaps consumers will see the benefits of However the pots and pans were mostly ecosystem where marine wildlife species are harvested. people are said to be affected by the worst putting a price on this essential resource. washed in the nearby river. These early More Island Life and Lore - An Island Going...... 12 drought in decades. In Malta, the country To strengthen this, Irish Water must put days developed in to canoeing camping is running a major risk by not capturing its time and money into educating the public Daphne Pochin Mould on her life-long fascination holidays for children on the River Black- rainwater. Its groundwater is over- about the importance of water conserva- with islands and island life. water near Banteer, Co Cork. Often we exploited and 90% shows nitrates levels tion and they should continue to support What’s in a Collection? ...... 13 had up to 60 children each day throughout that exceed EU limits. The authorities educational programmes in schools such the summer. The water to cook and wash have now announced a plan to recharge as the Green Flag programme. William Milliken on the importance of maintaining came from a surface well near the camp- an Herbarium at Kew. the groundwater resources with treated site, which local people used daily. wastewater. An Expectation of Climate Scientists ...... 14 Everyone drew the water by bucket, using Matt Murphy, Sherkin Island Marine In California, in the US, a $644 million Station, Sherkin Island, Co. Cork. Alex Kirby on the standards of accuracy expected of a small container to fill it. Can you imag- emergency drought relief bill had passed climate scientists but not from others. ine how many buckets a day we used to look after all those children? In time a A Viking House and Garden at Glasnevin ..15/16/17 local water group scheme was set up in To mark the millennium anniversary of the Battle of the area and everyone had piped water. Clontarf, the National Botanic Gardens builds a Our site was fitted with a tap and there SUBSCRIPTION FORM replica Viking-age Dublin house in the gardens. was a yearly water charge, which we were Mapping the Seabed of Roaringwater Bay ...... 18 delighted to pay. SHERKIN COMMENT is a environmental publication of Sherkin Kevin Sheehan gives an overview of the GSI/Marine In the mid sixties when we purchased a Island Marine Station, aiming to promote the awareness of our natural Institute seabed survey of the Bay in 2013. house on Sherkin there was no mains resources, their use and protection. water supply. Water for all things, except Dissecting Donegal...... 20 drinking and cooking, came from a con- SUBSCRIPTION: to receive a 4-issue subscription to “Sherkin John Akeroyd reviews an encyclopaedic account of crete tank on the side of the dwelling, Comment”, please send a cheque or money order for €7.50 for Ireland Ireland’s most northerly county. which was from rainwater saved off the and £7.00 stg for the UK (sterling cheques accepted from UK); send The Status of Bass in Ireland ...... 21 roof. Drinking water came from a small €11.50 for Europe and the rest of the world (surface postage) – payable to Ciaran Byrne looks at this iconic marine sportfish hole in the ground some 400 yards from Sherkin Island Marine Station and sent to Sherkin Island Marine Station, species & its importance to the Irish tourist industry. the house and had to be drawn by bucket. Sherkin Island, Co. Cork. Ireland. Water became a major problem when we Tel: 028–20187 Fax: 028–20407 Email: [email protected] Sturgeons in Irish & NW European Waters ...... 22 organised adventure holidays for children. Declan Quigley outlines the current status of this Then it had to be drawn in milk churns by Please send a 4-issue subscription – beginning with Issue No...... migratory fish species. horse and cart from two public hand Publications of Interest...... 24 pumps down the island. This water had to I enclose cheque/postal order to the sum of €...... be left settle overnight as the iron in the Salmon, People and Place ...... 25 water oxidised and sank to the bottom. We Name ...... Matt Murphy reviews Jim Lichatowich’s new book had to use it sparingly as it was not limit- Address ...... that outlines a biologist’s search for salmon recovery. less. In time we dug a well near our house Captain Cockle with John Joyce ...... 26 with crowbar and sledgehammer – it was ...... Oystercatchers ...... 27 5 ft square, through rock down to 20ft. In Tel ...... Email Address ...... How much do you know about flowers?...... 28 summer this gave us around 300 gallons every 24 hours. It was like winning the Date ...... Signature ...... Gaisce - the President’s Award & Brú Youth Service ..30 Sweepstakes (now the Lotto). STAFF: Editor, Matt Murphy; Editorial Assistant, Susan Murphy Wickens; Typesetting, Stamp Collecting ...... 31 Piped water arrived in the mid 1970s Susan Murphy Wickens; Publisher, Matt Murphy. ISSN 0791–2447 © 2014 Giving Rivers Back to Nature ...... 32 from the mainland via an underwater pipe, Mike Ludwig on the removal of old dams. it was then piped throughout the island. Sherkin Island Marine Station website: www.sherkinmarine.ie The water was free to householders but at SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______3 Our Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, is one of a Genus of 13 species that are distributed around the globe. Most breed in warmer zones – areas with The Little Egret Mediterranean-type climates, the tropics and in warm-tem- perate latitudes, usually south of 50º N and north of 45º S. However, in South America a couple of species wander south to Patagonia and as far as Tierra del Fuego. The Lit- tle Egret is the most widespread of the egrets, with an almost continuous range in the Old World, from Ireland in the west to Japan in the east. Five other closely- related sub-species extend to Africa, SE Asia, Australia and even New Zealand. The Little Egret of the Old World is replaced in the Americas by the very similar Snowy Egret, Egretta thula. The largest of the Egretta egrets is the Great White Egret, as big as our common Grey Heron, Images courtesy of Cian Merne while the Little Egret, at half Little Egrets – left, above and right: Before breeding commenced in Ireland, Little Egrets were rare vagrants here, with the first record in 1940. the size, is, as the name sug- to an end. The population more frequent records – in 16 continue to feed successfully – WeBS. One young bird, raised gests, one of the smallest of began to recover, slowly at of the 21 years, including 18- on small fish and invertebrates. at a colony near Galway, possi- the Genus. first, but exponentially in 19 individuals found in 1970. They are partially migratory bly following an ancestral recent decades. When the EU Most of these records and clear off south to avoid instinct to move south-west in Oscar Merne retired from Birds Directive came into occurred in spring and early severe winter conditions. autumn, flew 2,133 km over Ireland’s National Parks & being in 1979 the Little Egret summer, the time when Little We’ve had a couple of very the Atlantic Ocean to the island Wildlife Service in January was still considered to be a Egrets would be expected to hard winters recently and the of Terceira in the Azores 2004. Before he died in “species of conservation con- be migrating north to breeding numbers of egrets remaining Archipelago. Happily it was January 2013, Oscar wrote a cern”, with an EU breeding areas. Clearly a northwards here in mid-winter went down found alive and well, but we number of articles for Sherkin population of only c.20,000 range expansion was begin- noticeably: in January 2012 don’t know if it managed to get Comment to be published in pairs, and was therefore placed ning to manifest itself. only 149 were recorded by I- back to Ireland in the spring. future issues. in Annex I of that Directive. In the 1970s and 1980s my With more effective protection family and I spent many sum- By Oscar Merne and the establishment of Spe- mer holidays on travelling/ cial Protection Areas camping holidays in France. In IN my recent article on Irish (covering breeding colonies the early years, driving south Birds – losses and gains I and their important wetland through France, we encoun- mentioned the commencement habitats) throughout the EU, tered hardly any Little Egrets of colonisation by Little Egrets the Little Egret population is until we reached the Mediter- in Ireland in 1997, and sug- now estimated to be in excess ranean coast, where the birds gested this was probably due of 200,000 pairs. A great con- were quite common in the to climate change allowing the servation success story! saline lagoons and marshes species to spread northwards Since the first Irish breed- stretching from the Camargue from its traditional Mediter- ing colony was discovered in (on the Rhone/Saône Delta) to ranean breeding range. East Cork in 1997, the Little the border with Spain near However, any climate change Egrets have spread quite rap- Perpignan. However, as the effect is likely to have been idly in Ireland, first along the years went by, we found we preceded by a population Waterford and Wexford were encountering more and increase and range expansion coasts, then up the east coast more Little Egrets progres- in the 20th century following as far as Dundalk Bay, on to sively further north, first as far decimation of much of the inland locations, and even to as the Loire Valley and eventu- European egret population due the west coast near Galway. ally all along the English to the plume trade in Victorian The final results of the Channel (La Manche) coasts times. Unfortunately, at that recently-completed four-year of Brittany and Normandy. I time it became fashionable to Breeding Atlas survey are not recall thinking at the time that create ladies’ hats from the yet fully available, but the dis- it would not be long before exotic plumes of various birds, tribution map of breeding they started breeding in south- including the Little Egret. The Little Egrets will show a ern England. Sure enough, finest plumes were from the remarkable change from the they did, but to my great sur- adult breeders and large-scale position shown in the last two prise they also started nesting commercial raids were made breeding atlas surveys in in Ireland – much further to on the nesting colonies, 1981-1991 and 1968-1972, the north-west – at about the slaughtering the birds to col- when there were precisely no same time. lect the feathers. Happily, this Little Egrets found nesting in In the autumn, after the prompted a reaction from peo- Ireland and Britain. There are breeding season, the adult and ple concerned about bird probably now several hundred young egrets disperse from the protection, leading to the pairs breeding here. colonies and in September founding of organisations such Before breeding com- 2011 a total of 704 were as the Royal Society for the menced in Ireland, Little recorded at the main Irish wet- Protection of Birds in Britain. Egrets were rare vagrants lands by the Irish Wetland Bird Campaigning against the here, with the first record in Survey (I-WeBS). Being plume trade, together with 1940. Between 1957 and 1965 aquatic birds, Little Egrets are changing fashion (and possi- a total of 13 individuals were dependant on there being bly the growing scarcity of found here, while between unfrozen waters in their win- surviving egrets!), brought this 1966 and 1986 there were tering areas so that they can 4 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 Greening the LAVENDER LAKE

1 communities of Park Slope, By Walter Mugdan Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill. The narrow waterway is January, 2014 poorly flushed by the tides, so “LAVENDER LAKE” is the the sewage settles out to derisive name given by local become putrid, gelatinous residents to the infamous mud more than ten feet thick. Gowanus Canal, arguably the So much accumulates that at most heavily polluted water- low tide the mounds of sludge way in the United States. It is are exposed above the water- called “lavender” because of line creating an intolerable Image of US EPA the lurid colours of the oils and stench. For generations, rou- Image of Katia Kelly www.pardonmeforasking.blogspot.ie coal tar that form perpetual tine dredging – required to Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, New York, arguably the most heavily Gowanus Canal is known as the “Lavender Lake” because of the lurid sheens on the water surface. keep the canal open to naviga- polluted waterway in the United States. (Study area in blue.) colours of the oils and coal tar that form perpetual sheens on the water surface. Elsewhere toxic pollutants are tion – provided temporary measured in parts per million, relief from the worst of the PCBs and other chemicals billion or even trillion; in the foul odours; but by the latter welling up from beneath or Gowanus Canal they are part of the 20th century there dribbling in from the sides. measured in parts per hundred. was little commercial naviga- (The colour and consistency Less than two miles long, tion, and there hasn’t been any of the accumulating mud the canal was once one of the dredging since 1955. caused EPA researchers to dub busiest waterways in New By that time, of course, it “black mayonnaise,” but York’s harbour. In the mid- most sewage was conducted to one would be ill advised to try 1800s the canal was carved treatment plants away from it on a ham sandwich.) PAHs out of a Brooklyn salt marsh the canal. However, like most also continue to enter the that had been the scene of older cities, New York origi- canal via the CSO discharges some of the most important nally built a “combined” themselves. moments in the 1776 Battle of sewer system. This means that To add insult to injury, the Long Island. (In that fight sanitary waste (from toilets, Gowanus Canal is pictured in

George Washington’s troops bathtubs, dishwashers, and so urban lore and literature as a Image of Katia Kelly www.pardonmeforasking.blogspot.ie were badly beaten by the on) flows in the same pipes dumping ground for murder Less than two miles long, the British redcoats; the fledgling that also carry storm water victims (of the Mafia and canal was once one of the Image of Katia Kelly www.pardonmeforasking.blogspot.ie American army was saved when it rains. The pipes, and other malefactors). busiest waterways in New York’s Dunkirk-style by an overnight harbour. The canal was designated a Superfund site in 2010 and the cleanup the treatment plants to which Already by the late 1800s plan is expected to take 8–10 years. evacuation to Manhattan.) they lead, were designed to local residents were clamour- Industry sprang up along accommodate only dry ing for a canal cleanup. In cient action (alternating with canal. (Whole Foods is a very “responsible parties.” These the newly built canal, includ- weather flows. During wet 1911 the City opened the inaction) by the City of New upscale grocery chain cater- include the corporate succes- ing three manufactured gas weather a nasty mixture of raw Flushing Tunnel, an under- York, intervention by the ing to the higher end of the sors to the gas plants and other plants. These turned coal into sewage and rain water is inten- ground conduit through which national government might income scale; indeed, it is factories that closed decades the gas that provided lighting tionally discharged into nearby clean(er) water from the open achieve the results for which known in some quarters as ago, and of course New York for homes and streets in the waterways through “combined harbour is pumped to the head they have long hoped. “Whole Paycheck.”) City. (Also among the 25 or decades before electricity sewer overflows” or CSOs. of the canal, thus creating a On the other hand, there New York City also 30 responsible parties is the became dominant. They left The Gowanus Canal steadier downstream flow. It was intense opposition from opposed Superfund designa- U.S. government itself, which behind a hideous residue receives nearly 400 million worked off and on during the New York City’s municipal tion because it feared that EPA during the World Wars oper- called coal tar. A gooey sub- gallons of CSO discharges last century, and was recently government. The City worried might require, as part of the ated shipyards and piers on stance that never really annually. These discharges refurbished and reopened. But that Superfund designation canal cleanup, dramatic the canal.) The work is hardens, it sinks into the contain huge volumes of it was never enough to render would create a “stigma” that reductions in CSO discharges, expected to take 8-10 years. ground where it is dumped; solids (sewage plus runoff the waterway tolerable for the would deter the hoped-for an expensive proposition. Though the cleanup won’t when it reaches an obstruction from streets), resulting in long-suffering neighbours. redevelopment of the area This fear was justified. leave the Gowanus Canal pris- like bedrock or clay it oozes accumulations of as much as Then, in 2009, the U.S. with new residential build- In September, 2013 EPA tine, the improvements will be horizontally, often into the 5” per year in some places. Environmental Protection ings. Events proved this issued its final cleanup deci- extraordinary. Area residents adjacent waterways by which During heavy rainstorms a Agency (EPA) proposed to concern to be unwarranted. sion for the Gowanus Canal. can now look forward to the the coal reached the plant. wave of brown glop washes add the Gowanus Canal to its One large developer did pull The plan requires the removal time when the name “Laven- Coal tar is infused with a down the canal, an exceed- “Superfund” list of the most out after EPA finalized the of some 600,000 cubic yards der Lake” will be an obscure witches’ brew of toxins, dom- ingly unpleasant phenomenon heavily contaminated sites in Superfund designation in of contaminated mud (the anachronism. inated by a class of chemicals known locally as a “poo- the nation. (“Superfund” is the 2010, but another quickly aforementioned black mayon- known as polycyclic aromatic nami” (you can watch one at nickname of the law through stepped in to snap up the naise), followed by capping of 1Mr. Mugdan currently serves hydrocarbons, or PAHs. http://www.mnn.com/earth- which EPA ensures proper parcels in question. Indeed, dredged areas. The plan also as Director of the Emergency PAHs make up nearly 5% of matters/wilderness-resources/b cleanup of these sites.) Being the Gowanus area experi- requires significant CSO & Remedial Response the mud in some parts of the reductions, at an estimated logs/watch-a-canal-overflows- home to a Superfund site is a enced a 52% increase in land Division in the Region 2 canal. The mud also contains a with-sewage-in-brooklyn). distinction many communities prices between 2008 and cost of $78 million. The over- office of the U.S. potpourri of pollutants from Not only does the sewage wish to avoid. But the resi- 2012, the period when the all cost of the canal cleanup many other industries, includ- smell, but it carries plenty of dents near the canal were U.S. housing market bubble plan, including the CSO con- Environmental Protection ing polychlorinated biphenyls bacteria and viruses. The virtually unanimous and very burst, land values elsewhere trols, is estimated at $506 Agency, located in New York (PCBs), an assortment of pes- decomposing sewage also passionate in supporting plummeted, and the global million. Cleanup of the three City. However, any opinions ticides, chromium, copper and robs the water of oxygen, Superfund designation – they financial crisis reached its manufactured gas plant sites, expressed in this article are other heavy metals. making it harder for marine even created buttons reading height. As if to underscore the also underway, could cost his alone, and do not The canal has also long life to survive. And the fine, “Superfund Me” and “We point, in December, 2013 a another $500 million. necessarily represent the views served as the sewer that drains silty particles act like toxin Trust EPA.” They concluded new Whole Foods supermar- The cleanup work will be of the EPA. the surrounding residential magnets, attracting the PAHs, that after 150 years of insuffi- ket opened on the banks of the performed and paid for by the SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______5 Wetlands in Ireland

By Nicola Dwyer The Ramsar Convention defines wetlands as "areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, WETLANDS are areas where water with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including is the primary factor controlling the areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed environment and its associated plant six metres". Wetlands can also incorporate riparian zones and coastal and animal life. In Ireland, water zones adjacent to wetlands. makes up approximately one quarter of the total area of the country, with Our wetlands are a vital compo- allowed to continue functioning. the result that Ireland hosts a broad nent of the water cycle; they fulfil Unfortunately, wetlands are one of variety of wetlands. Our Marine and many important functions and pro- the worlds most threatened ecosys- Coastal Wetlands include sand vide important ecological services. tems. In Ireland, water extraction, dunes, saltmarshes, our popular Many act as sponges, retaining large drainage of lands for agricultural sandy beaches, and our sea cliffs and quantities of water during periods of purposes, extraction of peat, and stacks which provide some of our high rainfall, which contributes to afforestation result in drying out of most spectacular scenery and support flood protection and helps to prevent wetlands, either through drainage or internationally important concentra- damage to land and property. This by lowering the water table. In addi- tions of many species of breeding retained water is slowly released in tion, development including road and wintering birds. With our ample times of drought or low flow in construction, housing, etc. impacts Wetlands provide many ecological services from a global scale (storing carbon to rainfall supply, the island of Ireland rivers, which helps to maintain the on wetlands, resulting in loss of wet- help reduce the impacts of global climate change) to a local scale (providing food hosts a broad diversity of Inland Wet- water table throughout the year. Wet- land habitat, increased flooding in for our dinner!). lands including marshes, fens, bogs, lands create a diversity of physical areas previously free of flooding, and rivers, lakes and ponds several of habitats that can be colonised by a loss of biodiversity. Pollution result- which are also of international wide range of plant and animal ing from sewage, chemical waste and importance to biodiversity. Our species - leading to high biodiversity. run-off from agriculture also changes rivers and streams link our wetlands This in turn makes wetlands ideal the ecological structure of wetlands from the mountains to the sea, and locations for learning about nature, and results in loss of biodiversity and act as corridors for migratory fish the environment and environmental function. Invasion by alien species species - the salmon, eel, lamprey and ecological issues. Many are including Japanese Knotweed, Giant and shad. Some wetlands, such as important areas for leisure activity - Hogweed, American mink and Zebra bogs and turloughs, are unique in for fishing, boating, swimming, or Mussel also alters the species com- Europe and internationally, across just lazing at the seaside! Wetlands position and functioning of wetlands. the global landscape. Human-made also help to maintain and improve The Ramsar Convention was Wetlands like Poulaphuca reservoir water quality by acting as natural fil- adopted in 1971 and today there are and the canal systems of the country ters to remove high levels of 163 signatories (countries), including are also important and support nitrogen, phosphorus and silt, Ireland. The Convention encourages important wetland species. Each of thereby purifying water. Bogs and its signatories to designate Wetlands these categories of wetlands (Marine fens, particularly active ones, can of International Importance - Ireland & Coastal, Inland and Human-made) reduce the impacts of climate change has included 45 sites on the "Ramsar is the focus of the Ramsar Conven- by absorbing carbon to act as carbon List", comprising around 67,000 Our wetlands are a vital component of the water cycle and fulfil many important tion, or Convention on Wetlands, the sinks. Many rivers, lakes and coastal hectares - to maintain the ecological functions including water purification and water retention. (Image courtesy of Westford Conservation Trust, UK, www.westfordconservationtrust.org) mission of which is "the conserva- wetlands are a source of food includ- character of these wetlands, and to tion and wise use of all wetlands ing shellfish, fish and seaweeds, and plan for the wise use, or sustainable through local, regional and national a source of employment for people use, of all wetlands within their terri- actions and international coopera- who work in these areas. All of these tories. The Convention promotes tion, as a contribution towards functions, uses and values of wet- wetland education, provides advice achieving sustainable development lands can only continue to exist if the to contracting parties, and has pub- throughout the world". ecological processes of wetlands are lished handbooks on how to achieve wise use of wetlands (these are avail- able on www.ramsar.org). The Convention also promotes the estab- lishment of National Ramsar Committees and, in 2010, the Irish Ramsar Wetland Committee (IRWC) was set up to assist Ireland in meet- ing the requirements of the Convention. IRWC includes mem- bers drawn from a variety of government agencies, scientific and technical institutions, regional and local authorities and non-govern- mental organisations, and our principal objective is to promote the wise use and protection of all wet- lands in Ireland. We do this by raising public awareness of wetlands, supporting wetland education and providing advice to policy makers. Our website www.irishwetlands.ie contains information on wetland events, useful reading materials and City Print Ltd., Carrigrohane Road, links to wetland information. Victoria Cross, Cork Nicola Dwyer, SEA Research Fellow, T +353 21 4545655 F +353 21 4342996 SEA Section, Office of Environmental email [email protected] www.cityprint.ie Assessment, Environmental Protection Agency, Regional Inspectorate, Ireland has included 45 sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance Printers of Ireland’s Hidden Depths (the “Ramsar List”), comprising around 67,000 hectares. Inniscarra, Co. Cork. (Image courtesy of Irish Ramsar Wetland Committee) 6 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 green wastes can be put in them, converted to gas and used to make electricity and fertiliser. Alexander Madden, Agrivert's chief executive, says palm, coffee, and banana plantations all Food waste offers produce waste that is ideal for digesters. Worthwhile gains Hylton Murray-Philipson, one of the com- pany's founder shareholders, says: “The unforeseen benefits technology can be applied anywhere, but you need the regulatory framework at both ends of the process, to make sure a steady supply of prized by farmers. The entire process takes waste is collected for the digesters and that there Disposing of food thrown away by those rich enough to be able to afford about 100 days, so a whole series of digesters is a market for the electricity at the end of it.” to do so is an expensive problem – but it can provide renewable energy is needed to keep up with the flow of waste and In Britain, he said, the company had 20-year and other benefits. to provide a regular supply of gas to the elec- contracts to provide the service and to sell the tricity turbines. electricity. It had been so successful that it had for local farmers. One of the local authorities The plant, not far away at Wallingford in made the Oxfordshire local authorities taking By Paul Brown involved is the Royal Borough of Windsor and Oxfordshire, processes 45,000 tonnes of waste part in the scheme among the top ten best recy- Maidenhead, which collects the food waste a year and cost £10 million to build. It produces cling authorities in Britain. SOCIETIES all over the planet are running out from Windsor Castle, one of Queen Elizabeth’s 2.3 megawatts of electricity annually, enough At the moment Agrivert has its two plants up of holes in the ground in which to dump their favourite homes. to meet the needs of over 4,000 average British waste, so they're under increasing pressure to Each household in the borough puts its food households. and running in Oxfordshire providing electric- find alternative solutions. waste into containers provided by the borough, Each year it produces enough fertiliser for ity for 8,000 homes, with another under In the European Union one of the problem which then collects them, takes them to a pro- 2,500 acres of local farmland, replacing fer- construction in Surrey. Other companies are wastes is food – rich people buy too much in the cessing plant and turns the contents into a thick tiliser made from fossil fuels, a further saving also building plants elsewhere in Britain and supermarket and throw a lot away. This is a dis- soup. Other organic waste from food proces- of greenhouse gases. The company that runs many other EU countries as a way of disposing aster for local authorities that have to find a way sors, large supermarkets, restaurants and green the plant, Agrivert Ltd, claims that it avoids the of this difficult waste, but until now British of disposing of it, and a problem for the planet waste from forestry, which would also go to release of 22,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide government help has been lacking. because rotting food produces large quantities landfill, is added to the mixture. annually. Agrivert runs a second plant nearby, Mr Madden says the growth potential of of methane, a global warming gas 23 times This is then fed into a sealed container, which produces 2.1 MW. digesters will ultimately be limited by the more potent than carbon dioxide. called an anaerobic digester, which is designed The big question is whether this system can amount of waste available, about four million Pressure to do something about the problem to allow bacteria – in the absence of any oxy- be used globally, or just in rich societies. tonnes a year in Britain, enough to feed 150 has been increased by ever-growing taxes on gen – to eat the waste, producing methane in Agrivert points out that poor people don't medium-sized plants. At the moment only 25 local authorities and companies who throw the process. The methane is extracted, cleaned throw food away – and in any case it's always have been built. away waste in landfill, making it more expen- and used to generate electricity. cheaper to chuck waste in a hole in the ground sive every year to rely on holes in the ground. or in the river, especially if the person throwing Paul Brown, Climate News Network – a free, A successful solution to the problem has it away does not have to pay the clean-up cost. been found in Oxfordshire in England, which For rich and poor alike? But it is not just waste food that can be ready-to-use factual service that brings you the not only solves the waste problem but also pro- When the bacteria have done their job all treated in the digesters. Most organic waste latest news of climate change science. Website: duces gas to provide electricity and fertiliser that's left of the food is a carbon-rich fertiliser from food processing and forestry and other www.climatenewsnetwork.org

Short listed by The Maritime Foundation for the Maritime Sherkin Island Marine Station Media Awards 2011 Publications Ireland’s Hidden Depths Just The Wild Plants of Bere, Dursey, Whiddy and other Islands in Bantry Bay puts on record the variety of wild plants found in Ireland's most famous €19.99 €3.00 natural harbour. This part of West Cork is famed for its dramatic scenery, + carriage mild climate and sub-tropical gardens, and both land and sea are richly SPECIAL steeped in history. Plants, people and landscape have shaped one another, OFFER! and this book examines the history, geography, geology, vegetation and ISBN: 978-1-870492-48-5 land use of this beautiful corner of Ireland, as well as presenting an €10.00 Softback • 170 x 245 mm annotated catalogue or Flora of its wild plants. +€3.00 p+p 240 pp • 140 colour photographs John Akeroyd (Editor), Leander Wolstenholme, Jenna Poole Published by Sherkin Island Wendy Atkinson, Paul Flynn, Marketa Janouchova Marine Station Caroline Plant, Jenny Fisher

Order Form I enclose € ...... for...... copy(s) of “The Wild Plants RRP €17.99 of Bere, Dursey, Whiddy....” @ €19.99 plus €3.00 carriage. (Orders can also be paid for online at www.sherkinmarine.ie Explore, with nature photographer and author Paul Kay, the beautiful, using Paypal or by cheque or postal order) intriguing and fascinating creatures that can be found in the shallow waters around Ireland's coast. Name ...... Address ...... ISBN: 978-1-870492-53-9 • Softback (with french folds) • 277 x 227 mm • 160 pp • 200 colour photographs ...... Telephone ...... Signed ...... Date......

Order from: Matt Murphy, Sherkin Island Marine Station, Sherkin Island, Co. Cork, Ireland. Tel. 028-20187 Fax: 028-20407 Email: [email protected] Website: www.sherkinmarine.ie

A Sherkin Island Marine Station Publication

Available from: Sherkin Island Marine Station, Sherkin Island, Co Cork Tel: 028-20187 Fax: 028-20407 [email protected] www.sherkinmarine.ie Books can now be purchased online using Paypal or by cheque or postal order. SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______7 The Rock Art of West Cork By Finola Finlay except for cupmarks) and ‘Rock Art’. There are exam- & Robert Harris ples of rock art motifs also on movable rocks, standing YOU’VE been hiking all day stones and on some built mon- on the hills in the south west uments such as boulder corner of Ireland. You are burials and even the well- heading homewards when known Drombeg Stone Circle suddenly your attention is near Glandore. caught by curious patterns on a In West Cork, the local rock outcrop. Lit by the slant- sandstone provides the canvas ing rays of the low sun, you for all the rock art. The carving see small round depressions technique was mainly that of surrounded by concentric ‘picking’ using a pointed stone rings and you realise that they implement and a hammer. must have been carved delib- Drawing of rock art from Gortbrack, Co Cork. Even when deeply picked it erately. But by whom? can be quite hard to discern, When? How? And most of establishing an exact date for mark, a concave depression, especially in grey weather and all, why? rock art is difficult. Like pas- often surrounded by one or is best viewed when the low What you have just seen is sage grave art, it may have more concentric rings, and sun creates shadows that make an example of prehistoric started in the Neolithic or sometimes with a radial the carvings stand out. Images courtesy of Finola Finlay & Robert Harris Irish rock art. And you’ve early farming period, about groove from the cup to the out- Observers of rock art Rock Art at Ballybane West, Ballydehob, Co Cork, lit by the rising sun. been lucky! While most peo- 5,000 years ago, but cup- ermost ring or beyond. always ask the same question: ple are aware of the much marks in particular seem to Cupmarks can occur in clus- What does it mean? Alas, the cific location from which an Some panels previously identi- better known megalithic art - have persisted well into the ters or grouped within larger carvings are enigmatic and ancient astronomer could use fied can no longer be found so think Newgrange and Knowth Bronze Age and beyond. circles (rosettes) and circles there is no definitive answer as the surrounding undulating it is impossible to verify if they - few people have seen Irish Instead of the spirals, zig- can occasionally lack a central to what the motifs themselves landscape to chart the move- are still safe. rock art. Passage tombs and zags and lozenges typical of cup. Straight or curved lines, may represent. However it is ment of the sun. From that spot, If you find rock art, please their carvings are dated from megalithic art, the ‘classic’ sometimes joining to form clear that they must have some one might observe the summer contact the Archaeological Sur- about 3200-2900 BC, but motif of rock art is the cup- loose grid patterns, are found. meaning, since they are so per- solstice sun set at the topmost vey of Ireland at Rocks may have been carved sistent over time and space. peak of a nearby mountain, or http://www.archaeology.ie/Arc over time, with successive There are numerous examples the spring equinox sun rise in a haeologicalSurveyofIreland or carvers adding elements to all along the Atlantic seaboard, notch in the hills. your local county archaeologist, already-existing motifs, or from Norway to Portugal, with Regarding conservation, county museum or university carving new ones. To our significant concentrations in there is cause for alarm in West archaeology department. modern eyes it does not seem Britain and northern Spain. Cork and elsewhere. Rock art For more photographs, an that a conscious overall com- Rock art is known throughout can be hard to see and farmers excellent resource is the site of position or design was the world, and all the conti- engaged in rock-breaking photographer Ken Williams, involved in most rock art pan- nents have examples, some activities may not recognise it. www.shadowsandstone.com. els: rather, the motifs appear figurative, but cup and ring We have seen evidence of For more on rock art as ancient to us to be randomly scattered marks are found in all areas. heavy equipment driven over observatory sites, see Mike over the surface. Interpretations of Irish panels panels of rock art, and cases Wilson’s website at In comparison to megalithic have included maps, solar and where construction is so close http://mega-what.com. art, which is found on built lunar symbolism, access to rock art panels that it may structures such as passage points to other worlds, and fig- have unwittingly destroyed The authors are working some of them. Weathering is, of Picked markings at Derreenaclough, Co Cork – a recently found panel graves, rock art is normally ures influenced by altered with CRAG (Cork Rock Art course, an ongoing challenge, with elaborate carvings. found in the open on natural states of consciousness but we Group) at UCC. may never know exactly. as is the effect of lichen, roots But we can also ask, Why and plants on a rock surface. was it done? And again, Why was it done on this rock, when there are so may other surfaces available nearby? Rock art researchers have noted for a long time that loca- tion seems to be important - carved rocks are often located with specific views, of the sea, for example, even where quite far inland, or of valley entrances. They may have marked routeways through the landscape, or territorial bound- aries. They may have been done as part of other rituals - those that involved the whole com- Map showing distribution of munity or those that were the rock art in West Cork. exclusive domain of a group. Yet another function may outcrops or earth-fast boul- have been observatories. We ders. It occurs in many already know that Neolithic locations in Ireland, with sig- people were intimately famil- nificant concentrations in iar with the movement of the Kerry, Cork, Carlow, Wick- sun and the moon and orien- low, Meath, Louth, Monaghan tated many monuments and Donegal. In West Cork, towards the rising or setting the National Monuments Serv- sun at the solstice or equinox. ice (www.archaeology.ie) Several West Cork stone cir- makes a distinction (not made cles were built in this way, the in most other Irish counties) best known being Drombeg. between ‘Cupmarked Stones’ Perhaps carving on a rock was A carved stone beside Knockdrum Fort, Co Cork. (where there is no carving another way of marking a spe- Scaled drawing of the Derreenaclogh rock art panel, Co Cork. 8 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 By Carmel T. Madigan flower encountered. Some of our rarities included Elecampane, AS a native of Loophead with Marsh Mallow, Babington’s Leek. strong ancestral linkages to the area Some of our favourites included Loophead and its Natural stretching back for hundreds of Sheep’s bit, Common Centaury, years, it seems amazing that people English Stonecrop and the abundant like me could let decades pass with- Montbretia. In all more than 120 out flitting an eyelid at the extensive flora were recorded by us in the Charms Discovered! natural beauty that surrounds us. Western Loophead Region, in a proj- Reared almost blind folded, the first ect that felt as native and natural to us thought provoking comment actu- as, perhaps, fishing! It was the ally came from an Inspector to our August of 2011, when I decided to primary school, who stated that we work on the publication of our newly lived in one of the most beautiful researched knowledge in the form of places he had ever visited. This ‘The Wild Flowers of Loophead’, a raised an eyebrow. Still, Kilkee with first book ever written on any natural all its sweet shops, horseshoe history topic for the Region. shaped sandy beach, and swinging Our coastal shingle flora research boats in the summer, was our had taken us back into Ross Beach, Mecca. Not that we didn’t use the the beach where I had collected the cliffs and smooth sandstone flags as Bárnachs all those decades ago. I our playground, played vigorously had not been at that beach in several with Beadlet Anemones in the decades, even if I passed it quite Rockpools, not knowing what they often, because of its roadside prox- were, but knowing that they stung. imity. Gradually, we found We were sent to the Beach with a tin ourselves being dragged down to can on Fridays after school to collect the lower shore, looking at the Bar- Bárnachs for our dinner, whilst my nachs/Barnacles, Seaweeds and entrepreneurial teenage brothers col- Anemones. We found ourselves lected netting, formed it into lobster cherishing our fortnightly trip from pots which they sunk off the cliffs Barefield to Ross Beach, to conduct and sold the Lobsters and Crayfish evermore research, take photos, take collected to local agents, leaving the heed of changes, seasonal variation, unwanted crab claws to be toasted on study it through our pile of books our own open fire – a real tasty treat! and other resources, and mesmeriz- Siocháin was collected by my dad ing ourselves with the sheer during the Winter/Spring months and diversity of the compact habitat. We boiled with home cured bacon, pro- divided it into micro habitats/zones, viding another tasty meal. My shingle foreshore, salt marsh, sub- parents enjoyed Dilisk, known to tidal, lower shore boulder and pool them as ‘Sea Grass’ and they dried Clockwise from top left: Striking coastal and so forth. One of our exciting rock formation at Loophead, Co Clare; large batches of it for domestic use. I findings during all this time was the Vertical distributions and abundance on could never warm to its salty flavour. discovery of a somewhat migratory rocks; An assemblage of seaweeds; Roll on decades, whereby I Fleabane, common in late summer; James pattern for the Sandalled Anemone on the beach during a spring research trip; moved away from Loophead to (Fried Egg). Normally a sub-tidal Participants in a rocky shore exploration study at the University of Limerick species, below the level of our sub- with Carmel; The Bridges of Ross, and take on a working career, a hub- spectacular natural sea arches at tidal investigation, we found that in Loophead; The Hedge School’s shell bie and a young family. Our visits to late December for the past four collection from Ross Beach; Carmel Loophead were at first all about vis- years, they have migrated upshore holding Furbellows kelp; A winter scene, iting my parents. Hubby, Peter, with a cormorant family that moved to middle shore pools, only to leave inward as a storm approached; Gem inherited his family home there, so again by the end of March. The Anemone in a rockpool. we had our own place to look after same pools are chosen each year. as well. With my third son, James, We conducted several micro-sur- however, things began to change. veys on Limpets, shell gravel, and James loved nature, loved David we followed the growth seasons and Attenborough, and all nature pro- patterns of the main seaweeds. To grammes. He bought lots of nature date our research has led to the dis- books, and when I stumbled upon covery of 85 seaweeds, identifiable one that had a section on wild flow- to the naked eye, 60+ shore crea- ers, whilst in his company, we had a tures, 30 beach flora and 10 shore sudden ‘meeting of minds’. It was Lichens. Our entirely voluntary early Summer 2006. We took our- research work continues. selves around the meadow, to see In 2012, I set up the Loophead what we could identify using the Summer Hedge School, an environ- book. To our amazement, we found mental and creative Summer School, that there was very little in com- based around our new found knowl- mon, but the seeds of our passion edge of the natural habitats of had been sown, so our ‘wildflower’ Loophead, combined with my work books piled up as our walks took on as a professional artist. Our first year, longer distances, different habitats, brought us participants from as far coastal moorland, coastal shingle, away as Hawaii, and for all a connec- waysides, hedgerows, verges, tion or a reconnection with nature at drains, ditches and meadows. It its wonderful best. The Loophead unfolded into an enthralling fun- Summer Hedge School will run from loving exercise that we both July 12 – August 23 2014, and more cherished, a voyage of discovery information can be found on my driven by ourselves. We used the Facebook blog. Facebook.com/Loop- resources of Google images, head Summer Hedge School. whereby we typed up our descrip- tion of the flower that we had in front of us and viewed what came Carmel Madigan, Loophead up. The hardest flowers took up to Summer Hedge School, Loophead, two years and many hours to iden- Co. Clare.

Images courtesy of Carmel Madigan tify, as no single book had every www.carmelmadigangallery.com SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______9 Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) A Pathway to the Future

There are solutions. We will need closer By Donal Daly & engagement, the hard yards of outreach and a common framework. In our view, a key part of Micheal Ó Cinnéide the solution for mobilising towards water qual- ity is ‘integrated catchment management’

GOOD water management is critical to the Images courtesy of the EPA (ICM). This is an approach that is increasingly future well-being of Irish society. We need an seen internationally as essential to successful adequate supply of good quality, safe water for water management; it is used in areas like the drinking, sustaining ecosystems, attaining Murray Darling basin Australia and more Water Framework Directive (WFD) objectives recently in England, where it is called the and Food Harvest 2020 (FH2020) goals. catchment based approach. However, achieving good water management What is ICM? It is a new way of thinking is difficult. While our approaches to-date are deal- ing successfully with large point pollution and working, although it builds on past suc- sources, such as wastewater treatment plants, it is cesses and experiences. It provides the clear that diffuse sources (agriculture, forestry, ‘organising principles’ and ‘organising frame- urban areas) and small point sources (farmyards work’ for successful water management. In and wastewater treatment systems such as septic simple terms, it includes all of the following tank systems) are more challenging. The experi- elements (if one or some are missing, it is no ence across Europe is that a top-down ‘command longer ICM): • and control’ approach to water management on its We need to see Catchments in 3 dimensions, own will not be successful in dealing with diffuse as shown in the graphic, to follow the flow and small point sources. of water. It is clear that the environmental authorities • Catchments as the land based units of water need to engage more actively with the agri sec- management; they are 3-D physical entities, tor, particularly dairy industry, to ensure that mapped at a scale that best fits to enable the the increased intensification in agriculture is issues, solutions and consultations to be undertaken in a sustainable manner that targeted effectively. Integrated catchment management is an approach that is increasingly seen internationally as essential to successful water management. improves or maintains water quality. We will • A focus on pollutant pathways, both surface need to work together, so that the WFD objec- and subsurface, that link pressures with • Partnerships with local communities and tives can be achieved but also that the FH2020 receptors, and enable critical source areas citizen engagement that includes goals will not be compromised. (CSAs) to be delineated. identifying key stakeholders, public awareness and outreach campaigns, identifying issues of concern, and obtaining and taking account of feedback, collectively devising practical solutions to issues raised, and providing assistance to implement measures and change where necessary. • Genuine integration and learning. • A change from the top-down, ‘command and control’ approach to a combination of bottom-up and top-down. A 3-dimensional view of water catchment. • Systematic communications and social learning between policy, science and making adjustments, if necessary. operations as a means of dealing with the Creating a new vision is one of the big chal- complexities caused by working cultures, lenges at the outset of ICM. We are proposing remits and priorities. a vision of a healthy, resilient, productive • Linkages, co-operation and networks rather and valued water resource, that supports than ‘silos’, both internally in organisations vibrant communities, branded as a ‘healthy and between organisations. In particular, catchments programme’. good communication and co-operation We are at a cross-roads in Ireland in terms between public bodies such as local of our water management. New governance authorities, Teagasc, Irish Water and the arrangements are being discussed, but we are EPA will be needed. struggling to meet WFD deadlines for the • Looking at ‘ecosystem goods and services’ next cycle of River Basin plans. There is a in a systematic manner, including putting a danger that, although agri-industry and Bord ‘value’ on water resources, geosystems and Bia appreciate the need for good water qual- ecosystems, and the potential contribution ity as the basis for marketing Irish food to the ‘green economy’. products abroad, FH2020 could be con- • A broad range of ‘tools’ in the ‘toolkit’, strained by our inability to achieve water ranging in a continuum from local quality objectives. participation and partnership to The integrated catchment management enforcement. approach, backed up by adequate resources, • Enhancement of the local environment for provides an organising framework. EPA looks people, businesses and wildlife, while forward to working with the River Basin achieving the WFD objectives required by groups, the local authorities, Teagasc, Inland the EC. Fisheries Ireland and with the farming sector to • A series of interconnected steps: creating tackle the water quality challenges while build- and communicating a vision of ICM; ing a sustainable rural economy. ICM is part of building partnerships; characterising the the future! catchments; finalising goals; identifying and evaluating possible management strategies; Donal Daly & Micheal Ó Cinnéide, designing an implementation programme; Environmental Protection Agency, Johnstown and implementing the programme and Castle, Wexford. www.epa.ie 10 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 one we were hoping to see. Jorge stopped the car sud- denly and leapt out, carrying Birdwatching on his telescope. He pointed across the grasslands toward a distant hill. Even with binocu- Portugal’s Castro lars I could only make out a pale brown object that could have been a rock. Through the Verde Steppes telescope, however, it became Europe’s heaviest bird, and one of the largest flying birds in the world, a great bustard. These huge, rare and endan- Roller gered birds are wary of humans, so that these open, sparsely populated grasslands are ideal for their breeding. Black stork. They can also hide effectively amid the tall grasses, and so are not easy to spot. Before stopping for break- fast, we even saw its smaller relative, a little bustard, at Booted eagle. By Anthony Toole closer range, poking its head above the grasses of a JORGE, our guide, certainly meadow it shared with a small knew where to find the birds number of cows. and when. He had convinced We continued south for us to abandon the comforts of another few miles, and our hotel at 7 am, and had detoured into the Vale Goncalino Biodiversity Sta-

negotiated with the manage- Anthony Toole Images courtesy of tion, where we became fully ment to provide us with a Great-spotted cuckoo. Nesting tower, Vale Conçalinho packed breakfast to bring with aware of the true extent of the Biodiversity Station. us. In the early morning light Castro Verde grasslands. The even the white storks nesting Education and Visitor Centre down from the centre, past a century to commemorate the on the hotel rooftop seemed stood on a slight rise overlook- nesting tower perforated by Battle of Ourique, fought in lethargic. ing an undulating expanse that more than twenty holes. 1139, in which the Christian We had enjoyed two very resembled a prairie. There were These were occupied by a sur- forces of Prince Afonso Hen- warm days on the Portuguese no hedges and very few, widely prising selection of birds that riques defeated a much west coast, observing large scattered trees. Yet this seem- clearly did not object to each superior Moorish army, a vic- numbers of wetland birds. ingly natural environment was others’ company, a lesser tory that led to the creation of Now, we had moved inland, created entirely by agriculture. kestrel, a roller, starlings and the Portuguese state. the temperature had fallen sig- The primeval Mediter- pigeons. Two black-bellied The only notable bird we saw nificantly and a strong wind ranean forests that once sand grouse flew over the from the summit was a short- Great bustards. caused us to wrap up well. covered the area had given plains, while a pair of kestrels toed eagle that circled over the Between the hotel and the way to pasture land on which mobbed a booted eagle. eastern slope, searching for the nearby village of Albernoa, we many generations of sheep had Despite the cool breeze, a snakes that were its main prey. passed wheatfields, vineyards grazed. During the 20th cen- heat shimmer rippled the Among the grass and flowers, and olive groves. On the road tury, the government decided ground. We moved uphill to a however, was a beautiful swal- south toward Castro Verde, the that the land should be used huddle of abandoned farm lowtail butterfly, one of the trees gradually thinned and the for the growing of cereal buildings, beyond which the largest in Europe. low hills slowly transformed crops. This led to traditional land rose gently to the skyline, We spent the rest of the into grassy plains. rotation farming, in which the on which stood our second afternoon meandering along After a few miles, we turned cultivation of wheat and oats great bustard. side roads farther east, before onto a side road, and almost alternated with the land lying We adjourned to the town of heading back toward Alber- immediately stopped to watch fallow. The result was the Castro Verde for lunch, then noa, adding a black vulture, a pair of Montague’s harriers pseudo-steppe that now lay drove to Sao Pedro das red-legged partridges, a black circling over an adjacent field. before us. Though the agricul- Cabecas. We paused by a river kite and grey shrike to our But that was only the start. tural methods employed lack a to watch some terrapins bask- bird total. And on the final Crawling along the road, we modern efficiency, this ing on the rocks, then carried stretch, a little bustard flew in spotted a stonechat, colourful ecosystem is ideal for the birds on to a hilltop that commanded front of the car, then hid from bee eaters and birds I was see- such as those we had seen ear- a superb view over the whole us amid the flowers and tall ing for the first time, such as lier, and in 1999, the steppe Castro Verde region. grasses of a roadside meadow. azure-winged magpies, a was designated a Special Pro- The summit itself was The next day, we left the roller, a woodchat shrike and a tection Area. occupied by a small her- hotel after a more leisurely mitage, built in the 16th breakfast, and drove east from Black-winged kite. calandra lark. Then came the We followed a footpath

Guadiana River gorge. Wolf's Leap waterfall (Pulo do Lobo). Steppe landscape, Vale Gonçalinho Biodiversity Station. SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______11

in England and Wales peaked in the late 1930s aware of the Water Framework Directive, coinciding with the era when there were fleets which is largely concerned with pollution but of steam trawlers operating from Milford also takes account of algal blooms induced by Can marine ecosystems be Haven and Swansea, fishing particularly for eutrophication. Potentially more far reaching hake. Taking into account catching power the is the Marine Strategy Framework Directive real peak was probably back in the 1890s. (MFSD) (2008/56/EC). Such official docu- re-balanced while fish go Coming to the present day, there are concerns ments are not easy reading, but within them are about “fishing down the food web”. This con- many of the things that need to be urgently con- cept relates to those situations where, having sidered in managing Welsh seas in the period with chips? removed the prime fish, smaller species and the between now and 2020. These range from invertebrates they once fed on are now tar- rebalancing the age and size distributions of geted. Siren voices can be heard requesting fish populations, managing mixed fisheries and A WELSH PERSPECTIVE development funds for new fisheries. History avoiding damage to seafloor integrity. This tells us that too often it is only after such goes well beyond the old approach of aiming stocks have crashed that funds are then made Forestry Commission) can live up to the title for maximum sustained yields of a few target available to investigate their life-histories and and really bridge the gulf between barely species while in practice just trying to avoid population dynamics. By Ivor Rees restrained “tragedy of the commons” patterns their breeding stocks falling below safe biolog- Apart from a general decline in fish sizes and of exploitation and the sometimes unrealistic ical limits. The MFSD covers targets for WHELKS, whiting and whitebait are all the near extinction of a couple of rays, the demands for marine wildlife conservation. restoration. mentioning setting aside represen- wildlife together with a host of other marine It is easy for politicians to utter platitudes greatest fishery induced environmental degra- organisms taken by Welsh fisheries. While dation in Welsh waters was to beds of native tative sea areas, monitoring protocols for a about socio-economics and sustainability, but it series of issues including sea borne litter and farming on land is based on selectively bred or is more challenging to decide where detailed oysters (Ostrea edulis). Historical records much more. In theory “Over the Side is Over” introduced species, marine fisheries exploit policy measures should be leading in the longer show that there must have been a series of beds as far as dumping non biodegradable items natural wildlife resources. In spite of this obvi- term. In his book The Unnatural History of the all round the coast from Mumbles to Moelfre. from ships and fishing vessels is concerned. ous and fundamental difference, in most Sea Callum Roberts undertook an exercise in At the time in the 19th century when they were From markings fisheries related waste washing countries administrative responsibility for fish- historical ecology, gathering data from many dredged out the way oyster larvae selectively eries tends to get tagged onto the much larger sources to show how fish populations and some settle on old oyster shells was not understood up on Welsh beaches a significant amount remit of agriculture departments. Nevertheless, seabed habitats have been degraded since the so the crucial habitat structure was lost as well. comes from across the water. Wales itself may throughout the 20th century some scientists in mid 19th century. Even before there were fish- Experience in America with a different species “have previous” when it comes to evading the government fisheries laboratories were able eries statistics, old lithographs of fish being shows that oyster reefs can be brought back but European environmental directives, neverthe- to undertake fundamental work on planktonic sold show how many more large fish of some depositing many thousands of tons of shell is less the MSFD should provide new impetus for and benthic ecosystems often under the guise common species there used to be. Early photo- hardly practical here. This is just one illustra- closer alignment of fisheries and marine of investigating the food of commercial graphs of fish quays confirm this. One of the tion of the need for strategic thinking on the wildlife conservation policies. species. Only in the last decade have the con- key measures used in fishery science is Catch whole ecosystem wherever a marine wildlife cepts of ecosystem based fisheries percolated per Unit Effort. By stepwise comparisons species is to be harvested. Like it or not com- Ivor Rees formerly a lecturer at School of the corridors of power. In Wales the fiasco last between vessels as each technological mercial marine fish species are wildlife and Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, year over Marine Conservation Zones showed interdependent with the ecosystems improvement came in, it is possible to compare Wales, UK. This article first appeared in the how far the ecosystem concept is from being the catching power of mid 19th century sailing Many readers will be familiar with the Habi- understood, let alone implemented. It is too vessels with modern trawlers, assisted as they tats Directive. In Welsh waters there are several quarterly magazine NATUR CYMRU – early to judge whether Natural Resources are by many electronic aids. Such comparisons large Special Areas of Conservation, though NATURE OF WALES. Annual subscription Wales (an amalgamation of Countryside Coun- suggest that one modern vessel has the catch- fisheries management measures barely £15. For further information cil for Wales, Environment Agency and ing power of 50 sailing trawlers. Fish landings acknowledge this. Some readers will also be www.naturcymru.org.uk Castro Verde. Abandoning the main road, we entered the Guadiana Natural Park, along a narrow, twisting road that ran over and around a maze of hills and valleys, clothed with pine and holm oak woodlands. It is into these woods that it is hoped to re-introduce the Iber- ian lynx from a Spanish breeding population during the next five years. Quite early on, we spotted the bird that we had decided was to be our target species Black-eared wheatear. for the day, a Spanish Imperial eagle. We watched it circling blue rock thrush that perched circled high above us. over a nearby hill for about on a crag above us. Our final detour brought us two minutes, until it flew We drove through the historic to a small lake, and though no away to the north. A short dis- town of Mertola, that seemed to birds graced its surface or tance farther along the road, cling precariously to steep shores, a stone curlew and a we stopped to watch a juve- slopes above the river, and con- hoopoe flew across the track nile golden eagle, just tinued eastwards, taking another into the surrounding scrub. recognisable in the distance narrow side road through the From a high point on the above a conifer wood. village of Corte Pequena. We road, we looked east to the We passed through a gate walked down a track to where Spanish border, which was Black vulture. onto an unsurfaced road, and the Guadiana again flowed being washed by heavy rain The trip was organised through walked the last few hundred through a rocky gorge. showers. The sun, however, Sunvil Discovery: www.sunvil.co.uk metres downhill to the spec- As we approached a weir at stayed with us, and on our who can arrange tailormade visits to tacular Pulo do Lobo, or the bottom of the track, a grey return to the hotel, I had the the Alentejo region. Wolf’s Leap waterfall. Here, heron flew away to the far time, before dinner, to swim a Our extremely knowledgeable the broad river squeezed bank. The reason for his inter- few lengths of the open air guide was Jorge Safara of through a narrow gorge and rupted vigil became quickly pool, watched by the storks Birdwatch in Alentejo: www.bird- crashed over a 20-metre drop, apparent, as we saw numer- nesting on the roof and a pair watchinalentejo.com the highest in South Portugal. ous fishes leaping into the air of azure-winged magpies in Even on our rocky viewpoint trying to clear the weir. Some the surrounding trees. Anthony Toole, 65, Cheswick above the river, we were landed on the rocks to the side Drive, Gosforth, Newcastle drenched by the spray. and flapped in panic as they Useful information upon Tyne, NE3 5DW, U.K. This gorge is a nesting tried to regain the river. No E. [email protected] place for black storks and rock doubt the heron would return

I flew from Heathrow to Lisbon with http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ant Anthony Toole Images courtesy of buntings, but though we saw as soon as we departed. And TAP Portugal airline: www.flytap.com honytoole Hoopoe neither, we were compensated while we watched this as a guest of Alentejo Tourism: by the presence of a beautiful spectacle, a golden eagle www.visitalentejo.pt/en/ 12 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 More Island Life and Lore – An Island Going

places. No magic, no giants, just molten rock Malta, Lundy, St. Michael’s Mount, Skelligs, By Daphne Pochin Mould cooling down and taking up a shape natural to The Blaskets and between Scotland and Ice- brand new solid rock. Islands can be of any sort land, the Faroes. I visited all the Faroe Islands My dream is of an island-place of rock, from loose mounds of sand to soil. in the days when the old boats still SERVED Which distant seas keep lonely, Some have been formed by natural erosion; THE ISLANDS and remember an old steamer A little island on whose face many have a brief existence and are swept in her last year. Landing can be difficult in fog The stars are watchers only: away, leaving a headland far out to sea. The and Faroese sunshine. Iceland Air flew DC3s Those bright still stars! they need not seem waves and winds erode its flanks and even cut into the islands and the island’s landing stripe Brighter or stiller in my dream. tunnels through. There are tunnels through the was not an easy approach in poor weather. First verse of “An Island Old Head of Kinsale’s softer rock and hard Icelanders joke that the Faroes were inhab- by Elizabeth Barrett Browning storms can end with the sea breaking right ited by the sea sick who got to the first dry through and making a natural arch from the rocks they could find. There they composed a THERE may be some of us who like to live on mainland. Further erosion of the headland can living tradition of music, song and dance. large landmasses, where we can drive in any cause the arch to fall and a new island is Faroese was not written down however but direction for a thousand miles without being lives in daily use and people’s minds and in the formed, which can often be very difficult to get stopped by the sea. On these great landmasses ancient ring dance. Any number can join in this to with the old bridge gone. we build cities and factories, hospitals and lab- dance, footing it round with traditional steps. A There is a famous fortress on the Scottish oratories, observatories with telescopes to study central person sings a long ballad to which the east coast Tantallon Castle and out to sea the the stars, trying to figure out how this wonder- dancers give the responses, rather like a sea

bird haunted Bass Rock. There’s an old saying Image courtesy of NASA ful world came to be. shanty. The person in the centre may also hold “Ding doon Tantallon! Mak’ a brig to the Faroes Islands in the North Atlantic. Others prefer the seclusion of islands. Some a bottle for the dancers refreshment. islands are very, very old - their rocks date back Bass.” Today brigs or bridges are no more pos- The Faroes ring dance takes place when the that all changes when it is low. Important are to very long ago, to the first decades of the geo- sible than in the past and tunnels through rock islanders have something to celebrate, a big two-way radios (transceiver), mobile phone logical record. If you want to see the ancient and building ridges has made life a lot easier take of fish or some other success. It survived batteries fully charged and all electric gear in a crystalline Lewisian Gneiss take a ferry or for many islanders. Of course the light mostly in song and verse until the 19th century waterproof pack. Be aware of where to go get plane to Scotland’s Outer Hebrides where the aeroplane, the helicopter and reliable engines when scholars became interested, studied it and help - Gardai, lifeboat, mountain rescue coast- Lewisian Gneiss formed them. Meet the grey on small boats has made island-going much had it written down. guard. At sea always wear a life jacket and outcrops of “the old Boy”, as old Scots geolo- easier and safer. Icelandic was a written language from early dress for bad weather. Study met and local gists called it for they came upon none older. The British Isles and Ireland are surrounded times and Icelanders are a nation of poets and weather patterns and current forecasts. Ask They came to study many much younger rock, by whole groups of islands, including the Scot- writers, who put their early history in sagas and locally for advice both at sea and on land. from lava flows of various ages, sometimes tish Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetland, Scilly stories. Icelandic homes have libraries and read When on the islands let sleeping dogs lie, like- forming regular hexagonal columns, including Islands and more remotely the Channel Islands, books. Icelandic poetry is very formal and wise bulls and do not disturb nesting birds. Be The Giants Causeway in Ireland, Fingal’s Cave Lundy and the Aran Islands. There are islands carefully crafted, not just free verse put equipped with first aid and some instructions if in the Scottish Hebrides, and many other that stand alone for one reason or another: Iona, together any old way. possible. Most islands have some source of Whereas Iceland gets a fair share of sun- water. If you have doubts about it there are shine, the Faroes are in a foggy patch of ocean tablets to kill the bugs. Take plenty of non-per- and mist. The fog is known as “faroese sun- ishable food and one of the new seaweed books shine”. I arrived there in a DC-3, the reliable as many seaweeds are good eating. Islands may old workhorse of the world, flying low over a be rich in shellfish, cockles and mussels, scal- grey sea under low grey clouds. I looked in lops, limpets – I have seen an American wonder to see if a sudden wall of rock might professor eat them raw but its better to have a appear. The Faroes have some of the world’s safe portable stove. Remember though to keep highest cliffs for birds to perch on. anything flammable away from vegetation or Islands are of every shape and size, fruitful branches and timber. I have seen wild fire at or storm swept. The Channel Island gives us large in America and Australia and don’t want early potatoes and flowers, the Scillies are them here. bright with early flowers and the Australian Do not be afraid of being alone with your- settlers planted their convicts in Norfolk self on an uninhabited island. You have the Island where grew the biggest pines they had whole vastness of space, the miracle of its as ever seen. yet unspoilt existence. Indeed “what a won- Island going is a bit of an addiction. When derful world”. your boatman nuzzles his vessel close to the rocks and says to step lively, you find yourself There’s a schooner in the offing, in a world just all your own. Remember that With her topsails shot with fire, you can be stranded on an island by a storm as And my heart has gone aboard her I was on Skellig. Go prepared for any weather, For the Islands of Desire. any length of stay and have store provisions. I must forth again to-morrow! Advice to Island-goers With the sunset I must be Hull down on the trail of rapture Communications – the old large scale 6 In the wonder of the sea. inches-to-the-mile ordnance maps give much information. Marine charts and tide tables are Excerpt from “The Sea Gypsy” also vital as the sea is not always the same by Richard Hovey place. You could be insulated by a high tide but Image courtesy of Robbie Murphy Overlooking Baltimore Harbour, with Sherkin Island in the background. SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______13 What’s in a Collection?

A typical cupboard of herbarium specimens: the red covers are used for unique ‘type’ collections, used for The oldest Herbarium wing, build in the 1870s, housed about a diversity. The latest is a state- thing?” The answer to this descriptions of new species. fifth of Kew’s specimen collection. By William Milliken of-the art affair with common question is a temperature-controlled vaults resounding “no”. THE initial reaction of most and compactor shelving, Herbarium specimens are visitors to the Herbarium at designed for optimum storage still prepared in much the Kew is an audible gasp. The conditions and minimum risk same way that Sir Joseph transition from modern foyer of pest damage. Maintaining Banks was using on the into the extraordinary Victo- this collection in good order is Endeavour, or Darwin on the rian three-storey ‘vault’ a huge and expensive task. Beagle. The plant, preferably known as Wing C, with its This needs to be justified. with flowers and fruits, is elaborate ox-blood ironwork, Natural history collections arranged and pressed in a sheet spiral staircases, floor-to-ceil- were all the rage in the 19th of newspaper (Banks was ing wooden cupboards, boxes century, when documenting using copies of a commentary and bundles of specimens and describing the natural on Milton’s Paradise Lost), wrapped in newspaper from world was seen as a justifiable dried in the sun or over a the four corners of the globe, end in itself. Nowadays, insti- stove, and ultimately mounted and the elusive odour of innu- tutions such as Kew are on a piece of card with a label. Kew Images courtesy of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Thanks to large-scale herbarium data analyses by the Sampled Red merable exotic dried plants, expected to demonstrate how The label ideally includes a The Reflora programme digitised gives the sensation of walking nearly 50,000 of Kew’s Brazilian List Index project, we now have a vastly improved understanding of their collections, and the work description of the plant, its specimens during 2013. threats to plant species around the world. back in time. It would be no of their scientists, are helping geographical location (which great surprise to find Darwin to solve global challenges. we can now pinpoint to within bent over a microscope in one This is as it should be, and it a few metres on the Earth’s tion and how this is changing. health and food security. somebody with a sufficient of the many window bays, isn’t hard to do. First and surface), its habitat, the date, This in turn allows us to priori- The challenges, now, are knowledge of the group recog- quietly poring over a rare foremost these specimens, in the collector, and sometimes tise our research and harvesting and interpreting nises it as something South American sedge. the right hands, allow us to notes on common names and conservation efforts, and to this massive ‘database’, and previously unknown to sci- Innumerable is about right; name plants accurately. An uses, or miscellaneous ecolog- monitor the effects of global making the information ence. In 2012 for example, an we’re still not exactly sure accurately named plant opens ical observations. change and habitat loss. Spec- widely and easily accessible. orchid specimen I collected in how many herbarium speci- the doors to a wealth of infor- Each specimen thus com- imens also tell us at what time Natural history collections the highlands of New Guinea mens are held at Kew. It’s mation: its distribution, its prises a complex piece of data, of the year plants are flowering around the world, Kew twenty years earlier was finally somewhere in the region of uses and its ecology. Effec- and the more data we have and fruiting around the world, included, are feverishly ‘digi- described as a new species. seven million, with about tive conservation, sustainable access to the better able we and how this may be shifting tising’ their specimens for So it’s not just the speci- thirty thousand new additions use of natural resources, cli- are to address our most press- over time. Many tell us some- access via the Internet, mak- mens and data that are every year. Roughly every mate change adaptation, ing issues. Each represents a thing about the relationship ing high-resolution images important in biological collec- thirty years since its original ecosystem restoration... – all point in time and space for a between species and habitats, and comprehensive databases tions – it’s also the people construction in the 1870s, are dependent on this ability. species (Kew’s oldest herbar- allowing us to understand available for all. For collec- who maintain and study them. another wing has had to be “Why do you need so many of ium specimen dates back to ecosystems better, or provide tions the size of Kew’s this is And it’s not just the major col- built to house this expanding them though – isn’t it enough 1699), allowing us to build up the keys that help us to apply a gigantic endeavour, but in lections that are important; library of the world’s plant to have one example of every- a picture of its global distribu- plants to human needs such as the course of doing so we’re smaller ones (such as disinterring vital information Sherkin’s) are vital sources of that’s been lurking behind local information on biologi- cupboard doors for decades or cal diversity. Taxonomy is as even centuries, whilst facili- important as it ever was, but tating botanical research in increasingly hard to fund and countries without access to the there are ever fewer courses specimens. available to train the next gen- Interestingly, we’re also dis- eration of specialists. Raising covering new species in the funds for curation is harder Herbarium, some of which still: biological collections may already be extinct. Keep- around the world are strug- ing a collection up-to-date with gling to keep themselves the latest concepts of names going and many have closed and relationships is a Stygian down. Yet we need them, and task, and without taxonomists we need to keep investing in to do this it soon begins to lose them for the future. However value. At Kew we’re approach- unfashionable they may seem ing the end of complete right now, generations to reorganisation of the Herbar- come will wonder what on ium, based on new Earth got into us if we let understanding of plant families them go. made possible by molecular systematics (genetic research). William Milliken, a former Many families and genera volunteer at Sherkin Island haven’t been revised by spe- Marine Station, is Head of cialists for decades, and it’s not Tropical American Botany at uncommon for a specimen to be filed away as ‘indeter- the Royal Botanic Gardens, mined’ (unidentifiable) until Kew, UK. 14 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 An Expectation of Climate Scientists

scientists should be held to a would have been very his own opinion, but not his By Alex Kirby gold standard of precision. unlikely, but it’s impossible to own facts.” They’ve been at it for years, prove beyond all doubt that The reaction of the deniers - WHY DO so many of us and the UN climate confer- they were acting in good faith. perhaps climate fantasists bet- expect climate scientists to ence in Copenhagen in 2009 Of course the mistake ter describes many of them - to meet standards of accuracy so must have seemed a godsend should never have happened, the IPCC’s 2013 report was much more rigorous than in to them. That was when the though in a voluminous report instructive. The Global Warm- most other fields? Why do we fortuitously leaked emails it’s all too easy to miss a mis- ing Policy Foundation, headed demand that they should from the University of East print. Understandably, in the by the former British Conser- always be precise and unfail- Anglia helped to erode public circumstances, the deniers vative politician Nigel ingly correct before we’ll trust in the scientists’ findings. objected vociferously. Lawson, issued a press release condescend to believe a word The emails were rapidly fol- Penitent, bloodied but on AR5 which was headed: they say? Why do we stoop to lowed by the discovery of a unbowed, the IPCC went on “The Global Warming Policy accuse them of manipulation, serious error in the 2007 its way, and in September Foundation is criticising the lying and outright conspiracy assessment report from the 2013 produced the first IPCC for its deliberate attempt to trick us into accepting that Intergovernmental Panel on tranche of its latest report, to obscure the reality of an climate change is a reality - Climate Change. AR5 in the jargon (the Fifth ongoing temperature standstill which it is? The IPCC managed to get Assessment Report). and its failure to come clean You think that’s too strong? an important figure badly Himalaya-gate, the botched about the failure of its mod- You doubt that the climate wrong. Instead of saying that story of the glaciers, was only els.” The GWPF argues that doubters really make accusa- the Himalayan glaciers risked one tiny part of the IPCC story. temperatures have stood still tions as serious as that? Have a melting by 2305, they said For a quarter of a century it has since 1998, and that this proves hear a prominent critic of the should abandon scepticism, look then at the book written this could happen by 2035. teased apart the tantalisingly climate change has stopped. IPCC speak at a public meet- but the opposite. Sceptics sus- by one Republican senator in You could dismiss it as a care- confusing and incomplete sci- They haven’t, and it hasn’t, ing. His argument, I think (it’s pend belief. They refuse to the USA, James Inhofe. It’s less, unwitting transposition ence of climate change, has and if the Foundation was sometimes hard to be sure) believe what they’re told until called The Greatest Hoax: of digits, which the evidence developed the best explana- ready to accept the sort of was that a temperature rise of they’re given the evidence How the global warming con- suggests it was: a clear case tions it can of what is uncertainty that pervades many up to 4°C above pre-industrial they need to let them accept it. spiracy threatens your future. for a rigorously old-fashioned happening to the planet - and other areas of life it would levels (which the IPCC and Cynics though withhold In fact, most of us don’t copy editor. Or you could why - and spends much of its probably agree that much of other scientists think is quite belief, refusing ever to accept make such preposterous argue that it was evidence of a time trying to test those expla- the extra heat which formerly possible by 2100) would not whatever they have decided to demands. But the climate determination by the IPCC to nations to destruction. So far, it went into the atmosphere is be a cause for worry, because reject. In one sense it’s easy deniers, a small, shrill, harden the evidence that cli- has failed to destroy them: the now going into the ocean humans are adaptable crea- enough to see why the climate assertive minority wielding mate change is an urgent laws of physics won’t let it. Or, depths. Granted, we need to tures. I asked him whether he deniers are so cynical about influence out of all proportion threat, even if that meant to quote a former US senator, know why that’s happening. thought the natural world the IPCC and those of us who to the strength of their argu- printing blatant falsehoods. the late Daniel Patrick Moyni- But few climate scientists would show a similar adapt- argue that climate change is ments, insist that climate Given the IPCC’s record that han: “Everyone is entitled to doubt that that is an entirely ability, and was very surprised real and urgent and (perhaps) credible explanation - one of by his answer. “Don’t worry still within our power to several possible ones - for what about the polar bears”, he affect. The sort of society that is happening now. Yet the said. “They’ll manage.” takes anthropogenic climate GWPF, with its talk of a But I hadn’t wanted to change seriously and takes “deliberate attempt to obscure” know about polar bears. I was serious action to prevent it reality and “its failure to come concerned about creatures like would be very different from clean” accused the IPCC not nematodes, microscopic the one we have. simply of bad science but of worms which live in the soil. The real sceptics, the peo- bad faith as well. Some of the 20,000-odd kinds ple who deserve the name, are You want certainty and of nematode destroy pests, the climate scientists them- exactitude? We didn’t get that and so they help to sustain selves. In 1998, in my last from the bankers in 2008. OK, agriculture. Will they survive week at the BBC, I talked to so you need no scientific qual- unchanged in a warmer one of them, a man who was ifications to be a banker. But world? No. Researchers say one of the British team work- there are many other branches that since 1960 they have been ing with the IPCC. He told of science where most of us shifting north and south at an me: “The big problem is the are - in practical terms - will- average speed of three kilo- uncertainties. But the science ing to settle for the best on metres a year to escape the is hardening up quite a lot, and offer, even though it may be growing heat. Yet the speaker it’s come on by leaps and Salmon, Trout & Shellfish unproven; where we accept didn’t mention a single bounds since the Intergovern- that certainty is unattainable, species so potentially vital to mental Panel on Climate Marine & Freshwater and that the whole scientific humans which could be at risk Change first met in 1988. enterprise is a work in as the thermometer climbs. “There’s been enormous progress, something undergo- Perhaps he forgot. progress in observations, in our North, South, East & West ing constant revision. We all want certainty in all understanding of the processes I’ve never thought that sorts of areas of our lives. But and our modelling of them - medicine is an exact science, as we grow up we come to they’ve all moved on bril- but I’d still go to a doctor if I accept that it’s often impossi- liantly. The more you were ill. I’d want the best ble to be sure, and that the understand, though, the more treatment available, and I’d best we can do is to accept you realise how much you Delivering results for Aqua-Business accept that that was more the best available explana- don’t understand. In some likely to be dispensed by tion, however improbable it areas our ignorance is woeful.” someone who had spent years may seem, and to learn to live It still is, in some areas. But learning about it than from with that. That’s what we the underlying trend points someone whose scientific have to do with climate unambiguously in one direc- For more information contact: track record was as modest as change, if we’re to have any tion - and it’s not a good one. IFA Aquaculture Section, my own. hope of surviving it - because Irish Farmers’ Association, Those who challenge the it’s a threat multiplier, the Alex Kirby is joint founder- joker in the pack that’s help- Bluebell, Dublin 12 overwhelming scientific editor of the Climate News majority seem themselves ing to make so many other Network (www.climatenews- ph: 01-4500266 fax: 01-4551043 problems even more insolu- e-mail [email protected] sometimes quite hazy about network.net/) natureaqua the fundamentals of climate ble than they were. science. Last year I went to This is not a plea that we SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______15 demonstrate the source By Matthew Jebb materials of the building, as well as plants used for THE National Botanic Gar- thatching, bedding material dens have built a replica of a or wild-sourced plant foods Viking-age Dublin house at will make the garden a fasci- Glasnevin. Over the summer nating piece of living the house will be surrounded archaeology. by a garden including crops Master craftsman Eoin and useful plants that would Donnelly of Enniscorthy has Images courtesy of National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Images courtesy of National Botanic Gardens, have been present in a city been overseeing construction garden 1000 years ago. Those of the building with assis- who have experience the tance from Botanic Gardens beautiful buildings and smell staff. Eoin manages the of wood smoke at the woodland from which he National Heritage Park at harvested the Oak, Ash and Ferrycarrig in Wexford will Hazel. Peter Compton, a know the sense of immediacy thatcher from County Cavan, and delight a well-crafted trained in Denmark and his building can bring to the past. techniques and terminology Having an outdoor build- are firmly rooted in the ing of this quality, close to the mediaeval excavations at Norse world. the centre of Dublin, was one The building phase, during of the major inspirations for March and April, has been a the project at the Gardens. major attraction at the gardens. The plan has been to recreate A master craftsman and a typical Fishamble Street thatcher at work give a won- house with its attendant gar- derful insight into rural crafts den, as evidenced by the and are a delight to younger excavations undertaken at and older generations of visi- Wood Quay and Fishamble tors. A diary of photographs Street between 1974 and The 19th century round tower in Glasnevin Cemetery was built to commemorate the great Liberator, Daniel O'Connell. It is interesting when and commentary on progress is 1981. Another reason for you realise that in the 10th Century this was a normal combination of building styles. To modern eyes they seem a world apart. available on the Gardens web- building the house this year site (www.botanicgardens.ie is to mark the millennium /Viking). anniversary of the Battle of The house has come about Clontarf. The site of the Gar- through the enthusiastic sup- dens, on the banks of the A Viking House and port of many partners Tolka River, was no doubt especially Dublin City Coun- witness to some part of the cil, the National Museum of fighting. The House and its Ireland and the School of attendant garden will, we Archaeology, University hope, form a graceful addi- Garden at Glasnevin College Dublin. We have tion to the Gardens for many received generous financial years to come. a time into the house and talk construct such a building, the and the house will provide an rounding garden will there- assistance from the Irish There are several reasons about life in Hiberno-Norse land area required to supply excellent focus on sustain- fore exhibit not only the Museums Trust and Dublin why building such a replica Dublin a thousand years ago. these materials and the years ability and the importance of crops and utility plants of City Council. fits well with our mission. One of the most striking for that to be replenished, plants then and now. the time, but importantly the The Gardens run an exten- features of these buildings is will become a feature of Visitors will be able to weeds of cultivation that we Matthew Jebb, Director, sive education programme that they are, of course, many of our sustainability- understand the construction know were abundant at the National Botanic Gardens, and cater for many thousands entirely organic and con- focused garden tours and of houses of the time, as time. Examples of ash, of visiting school children. Glasnevin, Dublin 9. structed exclusively from workshops. A large propor- well as how evidence can be hazel and oak trees will The aim will be to take (See pages 16 & 17) plant resources. The amount tion of the world's population gathered from fireplaces, groups of up to 30 children at of raw material needed to still live in such buildings, floors and bedding areas, to interpret the way people lived, the foods they ate and the plants they used. This will have a direct bearing on both the junior and sen- ior cycle curriculums. We hope it will also be an inspiration to young minds as to how archaeology teaches us about the past and the possibilities of a career in this area. The National Botanic Gardens is a scientific insti- tution and one of its many research interests is the ori- gins of the Irish flora. Many species of flowering plants - our native flora - reached Ireland by entirely natural means over 9,000 years ago. However, it is likely that people introduced a further 100 or so plant species -so Peter begins the roof. The Thatcher uses a pole mounted between 2 boom hooks as his movable scaffold. called archeophytes - The boom hooks are nicknamed 'Tritelas' in Denmark because of their resemblance to a 3. The hook penetrates the thatch and rests upon a rafter and is then hooked up behind the next higher rafter on the between the neolithic and roof - an ingenious and easily moved support. mediaeval eras. The sur- 16 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______17 Images courtesy of National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Images courtesy of National Botanic Gardens,

Peter explaining the finer points of thatching. Eoin Donnelly, Master craftsman, throwing a bundle to thatcher Peter Compton. The roof battened out. The roof rafters and battens are made from Ash, either in the round or split lengthwise. A Viking

Applying the bundles of reed. The Thatch is imported Polish reed. This is the only element that had to be imported for the sad reason that most Irish reed beds are now so polluted with nitrates that the reed has grown too quickly and is weak and short-lived. Crows and a boom hook. The green painted ash pegs are known as Crows and are used House and to temporarily hold the thatch in place while it is being worked.

Garden at The reeds are patted into position. traditional tools adze and spoke shave. Glasnevin

Eoin preparing the house posts. First of the battens. Beginning the roof.

Eoin using the brake to remove the bark from an ash pole.

Splitting ash poles using the cleaving brake. House corner. Beginning the wattle walls. The wattle walls are made from hazel rods. Walls half way up. The trestle supports are made from Oak, as are the house posts. Walls complete. 18 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 Mapping the Seabed of Roaringwater Bay

the enhanced integration top 30 metres of the sub-sur- pinger system for sub-bottom of marine survey data and face. A magnetometer towed investigations. CNAV, a the dissemination of data behind the vessel provides Global Navigation Satellite and information products measurements of the Earth's System (GNSS) provides high to policy makers, acade- magnetic field and any made resolution positioning data for mia, private sector and man object that has an associ- all sensors. the public; ated magnetic field, i.e. Images courtesy of Marine Institute 3.Value Added Exploitation: certain wrecks. In addition, a To deliver a range of value variety of techniques are used Survey of added opportunities linked to obtain groundtruth infor- Roaringwater Bay to user demands, commer- mation, i.e. grab samplers, cial markets and external corers and video imagery. and Surrounding Area funding sources. The RV Celtic Voyager departed Cork city on 10th Survey Vessel July to commence survey Survey Methodology The RV Celtic Voyager operations in the South Prior- INFOMAR routinely col- (Figure 2) has wet, dry and ity Area (SPA), Clonakilty lects high resolution multibeam chemical laboratories, which Bay. Multibeam echosounder, echosounder, singlebeam are permanently fitted with shallow seismic sub-bottom echosounder, sub-bottom pro- standard scientific equipment profiler and magnetometer filer shallow seismic, mag- and can accommodate 6 - 8 data were acquired on all sur- netometer, sound velocity pro- scientists with a maximum vey lines in the area. Water file and groundtruthing data. endurance of 14 days. The depths ranged from 10 to 100 Multibeam echosounder sys- vessel is manned by a very metres. An area of approxi- tems provide information on experienced crew who are mately 1000 km2 was mapped the bathymetry and backscat- highly skilled with the han- during the period to 7th ter over a wide area at either dling and deployment of August. Figure 3 is the side of the boat's track, typi- scientific equipment. bathymetry image of the area cally 3 or 4 times the water It has a hull-mounted high surveyed, colour coded for depth beneath the survey ves- resolution EM3002 multi- depth. The dark blue areas are sel. Sub-bottom profiler beam echosounder specifi- deepest and the reds represent provides information on sedi- cally suited for mapping the shallowest depths. ment thickness and depth to waters less than 200 metres A number of wrecks were Figure 1: INFOMAR priority bays and areas. bedrock in approximately the depth. It has a hull-mounted mapped, some of which were

operations. A license was greater than 200 metres water By Kevin Sheehan granted with certain stipula- depth. Total mapping cover- tions, and these were adhered age by the INSS to end of to throughout. Operations 2005 was 432,000 km2. INSS Introduction within Roaringwater Bay delivered an important base- SAC took place in daylight line dataset which is a ROARINGWATER BAY in hours and a Marine Mammal national asset and can assist in West Cork, and the surround- Observer (MMO) was on duty policy making for present and ing area were surveyed during throughout. future economic, environmen- July and August 2013 as part tal, infrastructural, heritage, of the national seabed map- social and policy issues. ping programme, INFOMAR INFOMAR The INFOMAR pro- (INtegrated Mapping FOr the gramme is focussed on areas Sustainable Development of Background Information not mapped by the INSS. Ini- Ireland's MArine Resource). The INFOMAR pro- tially 26 priority Bays and 3 The survey was undertaken gramme is a joint venture Priority Areas (Figure 1) were utilising the Marine Institute between the Geological Sur- identified for mapping (MI) research vessel RV vey of Ireland (GSI) and the between 2006 and 2016. Celtic Voyager. Roaringwater MI. The programme suc- Bays and Areas were se- Bay is a Special Area of Con- ceeded the Irish National lected based on strategic im- servation (SAC) for marine Seabed Survey (INSS), which portance in terms of mammals and for a variety of ran from 1999 to 2005. The navigation, environmental, other biological and geo- INSS was one of the largest economic, cultural, legislative Figure 3: Multibeam bathymetry image for entire survey area. graphical reasons. As such, an marine mapping programmes and other requirements. The application to survey the area ever undertaken anywhere in strategy has three major pro- was made to National Parks the world and concentrated gramme components: and Wildlife Service (NPWS) principally on mapping Ire- 1.Data Acquisition, Data prior to commencement of land's offshore territory in Management and Interpre- tation: To contribute to the management of activities and resources in Irish in- shore areas by completing a comprehensive mapping and data interpretation programme for defined priority areas and bays to the period to end 2016 fol- lowed by the remaining areas and bays in the pe- riod to 2026; 2.Data Exchange and Inte- gration: To establish processes and procedures Figure 2: RV Celtic Voyager. to create a mechanism for Figure 4: Multibeam image of previously uncharted wreck. SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______19

Figure 5: Multibeam bathymetry of Roaringwater Bay. Figure 6: Multibeam bathymetry Gascanane Sound.

previously uncharted. One shallow draft vessels will com- areas represent areas of rela- such wreck appears to be a plete the shallow water parts of tively soft seabed. Some of submarine (Figure 4). the bay in future years. the dark areas represent The wreck was not previ- Figure 6 is an image of the bedrock outcrop and other ously charted. Efforts are bathymetry of Gascanane dark areas are scoured seabed. currently being made to iden- Sound which marks the chan- The bathymetry shaded relief tify it. The exact location is not nel between Sherkin and Cape and backscatter images com-

being disclosed at this time. Clear Islands. Strong currents bined are a powerful tool in Images courtesy of Marine Institute A portcall took place in flowing through the sound determining the seabed char- Kinsale on 24th July and sur- have scoured the seabed and acter. Seabed character is an vey operations recommenced formed holes greater than 50 important factor when it on 25th July in Roaringwater metres deep. Scoured sedi- comes to the zoning element Bay. Given its location, the ment has been deposited in of marine spatial planning; number of ports in the area, the northeast part of the area. e.g. the routing of seabed its importance in terms of The smooth parts of the image cables and pipelines or decid- flora and fauna, and its popu- represent areas of soft sedi- ing the location of wave larity as an area of recreation ment and the rough areas energy devices. it was decided to map it as represent bedrock outcrop on part of INFOMARs 2013 sur- the seabed. Kevin Sheehan, Marine vey programme. Figure 7 shows the multi- Geophysicist, Marine Figure 5 shows the extent of beam backscatter of the bay. Institute, Rinville, the survey coverage within the Backscatter is a measure of Oranmore, Co. Galway. bay. Operations were limited the relative hardness of the to depths greater than 15 seabed. Dark areas in this www.marine.ie metres for this survey. It is image represent areas of rela- anticipated that INFOMAR's tively hard seabed and light Figure 7: Multibeam backscatter image of Roaringwater Bay. Image courtesy of Robbie Murphy

A view of Roaringwater Bay from the top of Slievemore, Sherkin Island, Co. Cork. 20 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 Dissecting Donegal

John Akeroyd reviews from more than 50 contribu- elsewhere, even at lower alti- tors – academics, independent tudes. Donegal is, for an encyclopaedic scholars, journalists and other example, the Irish headquar- account of Ireland’s writers, all deeply immersed ters of Globeflower (Trollius in Donegal’s history and europeaus), a showy butter- most northerly county. geography. In their own intro- cup-like plant of northern and ductory chapter, they montane Europe widespread THE new Atlas of County elegantly summarise the past by the rivers and lakes. The Donegal* provides an inti- and present situation of a coasts especially have colour- mate and varied glimpse of a county where farming was ful displays of wild flowers, fascinating county. County hampered by poor or thin although generally Irish Donegal lies on Europe’s far soils and fishing never devel- botanists have neglected the north-western fringe, a beau- oped properly (although it county since Henry Chich- Town and villages of Donegal. In the first decade of the twenty-first tiful land of remote districts while staving off invasions made the medieval lords of ester Hart (1847-1908), gifted century, one in five people in Donegal were living in Letterkenny, and ancient survivals. It is a from Vikings and Normans Tír Chonaill rich), leading to polymath, explorer and ath- Buncrana, Ballybofey or Stranorlar. Today almost one third of the place of mountain and sea, (Donegal derives from Dún the high levels of emigration lete, published The Flora of county's inhabitants are in towns with a population of one thousand where Ireland’s oldest rocks – na nGall, fort of the foreign- inhabitants or more and half the population of the county is in large- of the 19th–20th centuries. the County Donegal in 1898. to-medium towns and villages. hard gneiss, granite and ers). Donegal is also a county They and their contributors Donegal is also rich in butter- quartzite – form steep moun- rich in biodiversity and, as emphasise Donegal’s links flies (which are well studied) tain scenery, similar to the this book demonstrates, cul- and influences far outside the and moths, marine and land Scottish Highlands, and great tural activity such as weaving, county, as well as the creativ- mammals, and a wide range sea-cliffs. The indented coast music, writing and the visual ity and affability of the of birds of which 85 species has extensive complexes of arts. The county encapsulates inhabitants. breed there, including waders sand dunes, machair, marshes the spirit of Ireland but also The first section of the and seafowl. An account of and inlets, with shifting illustrates many of Ireland’s book is ten chapters on the the reintroduction of Golden shorelines and stunning problems, past and present. It physical environment and Eagles to Donegal completes views. The county has a rich has long attracted researchers wildlife of Donegal: geologi- this section of the book, human history, with numer- seeking authentic fragments cal and glacial history, coastal showcasing a project that is a ous relics from the of older ‘Celtic’ Ireland. geography, climate, habitats, symbol of hope for the future Mesolithic, through the The editors of this large and plants and animals. The of biodiversity in what Bronze Age and monastic impressive Atlas (more an county bears a distinctly remains an impressively wild times, to the turbulent Encyclopaedia) have done northern ecological stamp, landscape. One particularly medieval period when local their native county a great especially a suite of Arctic- important message emerges chieftains fought for control service. In a feat of editing Alpine and Boreal plants that from this work: that farmers “Atlas of Donegal” Images from of what was then Tír Chonaill, they have assembled essays occurs on Slieve League and and country people suspicious Ballyhillen, Malin Head, Co. Donegal. The raised shorelines of of conservation measures Inishowen are particularly well developed at Ballyhillen, where they form a cliffed shoreline landward of the modern gravel beaches. apparently imposed from out- (Photo: Andrew Cooper) side often respond well to the folklore and cultural tradi- small farming communities Celtic Tiger years and the tions associated with eagles living in a cluster of houses, building boom, it is a place of and other wildlife. Biodiver- the clachan, surrounded by new communities, and most sity thus links in directly with open strip fields that were people, visitors or residents, the wider cultural heritage of regularly re-distributed use the countryside for leisure Donegal that is the theme of among families. These fields rather than work. Donegal has this Atlas. were devoted to potatoes and thus changed markedly over The remainder of the book cereals, whereas more distant the last century but, though is a cornucopia of information and less productive land was the quieter if physically on the human inhabitants of used for communal grazing. harsher world of small self- the county, their history, tribu- This type of communal land sufficient rural settlements lations and many great use was once widespread in has gone, much of their accu- achievements, their lives parts of western Ireland and mulated tradition endures, as linked to the land through the Scotland, and a similar sys- the various contributions in long farming tradition and to tem persists in Transylvania this fascinating Atlas confirm. the sea through fishing. The in Romania. In the early 19th Donegal is a microcosm of diversity of biological century, overcrowding, pres- modern Ireland, retaining resources helped create pros- sure from landlords and the ancient memories and a sense perous societies from the march of modern agriculture of place in the face of modern Bronze Age through to the overwhelmed this ancient life. Fortunately, the magnifi- end of old Gaelic Ireland with system in Donegal and the cent scenery and much of the the Flight of the Earls from open fields were enclosed – wealth of biodiversity have Lough Swilly in September creating the apparently ‘old’ persisted. 1607. This last momentous countryside we see today, of * An historical, environmental event has its own chapter. hedgerows and dispersed and cultural Atlas of County There is much too within farms. Small subsistence Donegal. Jim MacLaughlin & these pages to interest the farms survived into the 1960s, Sean Beattie (eds). landscape historian, ecologist after which larger dairy and Cork University Press. 2013. or naturalist, but particularly beef farms replaced tradi- Price: €59. pp 638. Chapter 21 on the decline of tional mixed agriculture and ISBN: 978-185918-494-3 rundale or communal open- tillage. Forestry plantations field farming, and Chapters now cover much wet and mar- John Akeroyd is a botanist, 44 and 45 on changes brought ginal land that small farmers conservationist and writer about by the modernisation of cleared in the 19th century. who has visited Ireland for agriculture. Donegal political activist more than 30 years and is The life of farming com- and author Peadar O’Donnell author of A beginners guide munities in Donegal was one (Chapter 67) wrote of the to Ireland’s Wild Flowers of the aspects of the county modern county: “It’s a better that attracted researchers. Donegal. But it’s not my (2008). Rundale (roinn daíl) involved Donegal.” Today, after the SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______21 The Status of Bass in Ireland

is the case with many ecologi- Europe which generates a sig- By Ciaran Byrne cal theories, some species will nificant economic return. The fit perfectly with the theory management measures BEFORE one considers the and others will not. adopted in Ireland are much status of bass, an iconic Armed with this theoretical lauded in other jurisdictions marine sportfish species, it is ecology information one can and add substantially to the worth thinking a little bit consider bass and compare marketability of the bass about one recent theory in some of its life history charac- angling resource here. ecology originally developed teristics to those of herring for Although widely distrib- by the eminent ecologists example. In Irish waters bass uted bass are more common Robert MacArthur and E.O. live for a long time and it is along the east, south-east, Wilson, based on their work not unusual to have fish live southern and south-western on island biogeography. The as long as 20 years; they first coastline. Effectively the theory in question is the r/K achieve maturity at between angling fishery extends south selection theory and in its sim- four and seven years, and they of a line extending from Gal- plest form it divides fish can reach weights of up to 8kg way on the west coast to species based on their parental and the specimen angling Dundalk on the east coast; investment; r-selection species weight is 4.5kg. By contrast however with warming oceans spread parental investment herring achieve maturity at we are beginning to see the across many offspring two to four years old, they can natural range of bass extend- whereas K-selected species live as long as 12 years and ing further northwards. focus theirs on a few offspring. reach weights of up to 700g. Targeted angling for bass is When fisheries ecologists Yes, bass is a K-selected generally concentrated on Inland Fisheries Ireland has established a National Bass Programme to collect data on bass in order to compared theoretical life his- species and herring is a r- venues within these confines. provide scientific advice to support management and conservation of Ireland’s bass resource. tory patterns in terms of r and selected species and The majority of the known (Image courtesy of Henry Gilbey/www.fisheriesireland.ie) K selected species to actual theoretical ecology shows that bass angling marks or ‘hot large extent a catch and overseas anglers also targeted mated at up to €28 million life history patterns of fish K-selected species are highly spots’ are located in the south release fishery and in this con- bass. Unfortunately it is annually in the Irish economy they found significant agree- susceptible to overfishing of the country with >72% text could be considered the impossible to place an overall (a maximum if they targeted ment between the theory and and take a long time to being located in four coun- most sustainable method of value on bass angling due to no other species during their observed patterns. Thus recover, if ever. ties – Wexford, Waterford, generating a positive return multiple species targeting by visit). So the message is that unsurprisingly some fish Following extensive over- Cork & Kerry. from the resource without the majority of anglers. Find- for rural coastal communities species adopt r-selection fishing in the 1970’s and Inland Fisheries Ireland is impacting on its conservation ings from the survey indicated on the Southern coast bass strategies and others adopt K- 1980’s the 1990 Bass Conser- firmly of the view that in the status. Bass angling generates that each domestic bass angler anglers are high net worth selection strategies. What’s vation Order was put in place case of bass the biological and millions of euro each year to spends €2,685 annually on individuals. They stay, they interesting is when you look at to provide for the recovery of economic realities must not be diverse sections of the rural their sport, while other species spend and they come again the broad characteristics of the the stock. From that point for- ignored. Bass is a long lived community including guest anglers that target bass would and again and again but only two life history patterns – r- ward bass has been managed slow growing species which house providers, hotels, tackle have a proportion of their if we keep to our side of the selected fish species have: i) as a recreational angling has previously been over- shops, pubs and restaurants. spend on bass also. The sur- bargain and protect the stock. low age at first maturity; ii) species and there has been no fished and is only now The recent socio-economic vey also identified that tourist rapid growth rates; iii) small showing signs of a partial commercial fishery. Bass is survey of recreational anglers bass anglers recorded amongst Dr Ciaran Byrne, Chief body size; iv) high rates of the only marine species to be recovery almost a quarter of a in Ireland produced by IFI the highest average expendi- Executive Officer, Inland mortality and v) shorter life managed for angling in Ire- century later, although very reported that between 33,000 ture per trip of angling Fisheries Ireland, Swords span. By corollary K-Selected land. It has taken almost 25 recent anecdotal evidence to 44,000 domestic anglers category. Spending up to €576 Business Campus, Swords, species have: i) high age at years to get to a point where suggests recreational catches would target bass. A further per individual per trip, exclud- first maturity; ii) slow growth the stock has had only a par- have declined again. The 4000 trips from Northern Ire- ing flights and ferries, the Co. Dublin, Ireland. rates; iii) longer life spans and tial recovery to a fraction of recreational fishery is to a land and 28,000 trips by total spend could be esti- www.fisheriesireland.ie iv) larger body size – this its former abundance level. means that K-Selected species Yet this partial recovery in are highly susceptible to over- abundance has allowed a fishing and once depleted viable recreational angling recovery could take a long industry to develop, and Ire- time if it occurs at all. It is land now has one of the best important to note however, as recreational bass fisheries in

Please support Sherkin Island Marine Station’s publications, which help to fund its work. (see page 29) 22 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 Sturgeon; Siberian x Amur Sturgeon; and “Bester Hybrid”]. Sturgeon in STURGEONS NW European Waters Only two native species of sturgeon have been defini- tively recorded from the NW (Family: Acipenseridae) European waters: the Euro- pean Sturgeon (A. sturio), and the closely related Atlantic in Irish & NW European Waters Sturgeon (A. oxyrinchus), which is indigenous to the NW Atlantic (USA & By Declan T. Quigley Canada). However, at least 7 more species have been STURGEONS belong to a recorded from various parts of small family (Acipenseridae) southern Europe and Eurasia, of anadromous and potadro- including the Mediterranean, mous fishes, currently Black and Caspian Seas. Nev- represented by 4 genera and at ertheless, recent research has least 25 species, which are all shown that two of the latter confined to temperate and species, the Adriatic Sturgeon sub-tropical regions of the (A. naccarii) and Beluga may have inhabited the northern hemisphere (Table Beluga (Huso huso) Photo courtesy of www.FishBase.com 1). Extant sturgeons are con- Guadalquivir River in the sidered as “living fossils” southern Spain and possibly because they belong to an females only reproduce every by aquaculture units, anglers the Tagus in Portugal during ancient order of bony fishes 4-5 years. Fortunately, how- and, when they inevitably historical times. Indeed, it is ever, the age of maturity and out-grow their aquaria, by pet (Chondrostei) which also interesting to note that spawning intervals can be sig- fish owners, may pose further includes the related Paddle- although the European Stur- nificantly reduced under risks to the survival of already fishes (Polyodontidae), dating geon is generally considered captive breeding programmes. critically endangered wild from the Jurassic Period, 201- to be the only species of stur- Due to centuries of over- stocks through possible inter- 145 million years ago. Living geon known to have occurred exploitation and habitat specific competition, sturgeons have retained some in Irish waters, there are two degradation, all species of hybridization and disease unique primitive morphologi- unconfirmed anecdotal records sturgeon are currently consid- transfer. Since 1993, large cal features which are also of Beluga dating from 1845 ered to be vulnerable. Indeed, numbers of non-native evident in fossil specimens: (1.6 km off Cork City) and the vast majority of species species of sturgeon and vari- most of the endocranium is 1847 (River Bride, Carrigeen, confined to this region until earlier (c.5000 years ago), and are now either endangered or ous hybrids have been cartilaginous, the notochord is near Curriglass, Co. Cork). the 1960s. However, recent had had a much wider distri- critically endangered. Despite reported in the wild in many retained in the adult stage, Recent research also suggests genetic research on sturgeon, bution than previously the fact that all sturgeons are areas of NW Europe e.g. Bel- they have a heterocercal tail, the possibility that the Atlantic previously considered to be thought, extending from the protected under a plethora of uga, Siberian Sturgeon, Sturgeon may also have fre- and the body is armed with European Sturgeon, housed in Baltic as far south as the Bay national and international Sterlet (A. ruthenus), Russian quented Irish waters too. five rows of bony scutes. As a Polish, French and British of Biscay where it continued conservation laws and con- Sturgeon (A. gueldenstaedtii), For many years it was group, Chondrosteans also museums, as well as sturgeon to exist until at least the mid- ventions (e.g. IUCN, CITES, White Sturgeon (A. transmon- hypothesized that North remains recovered from sev- 19th century. Indeed, two share a few unusual genetic EU Habitats Directives), tanus), Beluga x Sterlet characteristics which allow sturgeon specimens from the several species are currently Hybrid [“Bester Hybrid”], River Seine dating from 1823 them to hybridize easily. on the brink of extinction and Siberian x Sterlet Hybrid. and 1858 were found to be Indeed, many interspecific and some may already be From a peak of 32,078 hybrids between Atlantic and and even intergeneric fertile extinct. In 2003, the World tonnes in 1977, global pro- European Sturgeons, provid- hybrids have been found in Sturgeon Conservation Soci- duction of wild sturgeon ing clear evidence of nature (and artificially pro- ety (www.wscs.info) was fisheries catastrophically col- sympatry (co-existence) in duced in fish farms) which all established in order to help lapsed to only 408 tonnes in NW European waters up until adds to an already confusing co-ordinate urgent joint inter- 2011 (Figure 1). The follow- the mid-19th century. Since situation regarding species European Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) national conservation efforts. ing countries contributed to Photo courtesy of Richard Lord, RL Lord@Sustainable Guernsey both of these species of stur- identification. total wild fisheries produc- geon are difficult to tell apart Many species of sturgeon, Wild Fisheries & tion during 2011: Canada American migrants of the eral archaeological sites, on the basis of external mor- such as the Beluga (Huso Aquaculture (31%); USA (27%), Iran Atlantic Sturgeon naturally revealed that some of these phological and meristic huso), can reach an enormous (20%); Russian Federation colonised the Baltic Sea (and Sturgeons have been specimens were actually characters, the results of the size (>2 tonnes & 5m in (14%); Serbia (5%); Hungry also formed land-locked pop- exploited since pre-historic Atlantic Sturgeon. Further- recent genetic research calls length) and live to a great age (1%); Turkmenistan (1%); ulations in Lake Ladoga & times, primarily for food (e.g. more, it was discovered that into question the true identity (118 years), while others are and Kazakhstan (1%). Dur- Onega) as recently as c.1200 flesh and caviar). High qual- the Atlantic Sturgeon had col- of all “European” sturgeons relatively tiny and short- ing 2011 wild fisheries years ago and were apparently onized European waters much currently housed in NW Euro- lived. For example, the ity wild Beluga caviar accounted for <1% of total Dwarf Sturgeon (Pseu- currently retails at up to global production. doscaphirhynchus hermanni), €10,000/kg. The dried swim Since the mid-1980s, global which is endemic to Amu bladder or isinglass (a form of aquaculture production of Darya & Syr Darya rivers collagen) has also been uti- sturgeon has continued to (both tributaries of the Aral lized since the middle ages for increase exponentially, from Sea, USSR), only attains a the clarification of beer and 150 tonnes in 1984 to 52,049 maximum size and age of 55 wine and also as specialized tonnes in 2011, with China g (27.5cm) and 6 years glue. More recently, sturgeon currently accounting for 85% respectively. Many species by-products have been devel- of the production. At least 14 are extremely slow-growing oped for medicinal health individual species along with and late maturing with long products, cosmetics and several interspecific and inter- intervals between spawnings leather. There is also an generic hybrids are farmed which can be a major obsta- increasing trade in live stur- worldwide. Chinese aquacul- cle in managing wild geon for stocking angling ture production is primarily populations. For example, in waters and as ornamental based on Siberian Sturgeon the wild, Siberian Sturgeon pets. Indeed, the legal and [42%], Amur Sturgeon (A. (Acipenser baerii) males illegal release and/or acciden- schrenckii) [15%], and vari- mature at 20-24 years and tal escape of allochthonous ous hybrids (38%) [e.g. females at 25-30 years and sturgeon species into the wild Kaluga (H. dauricus) x Amur SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______23

pean museums, as well as the Sturgeons are known to Rehoboam, sought the coun- Rules’ with regard to the legal authenticity of many histori- spawn over an extended sel of his chiefs. As it beneficiary of Irish sturgeons. cal and anecdotal references. period (March – August) happened, a remarkably fine For example, in October when water temperatures rise Sturgeon had just been caught 1929, General Risteard Mulc- Sturgeon in Irish Waters above 13oC. It also is interest- (presumably near Inishowen) ahy (Acting Lord Lieutenant For many years it was ing to note that the condition and Sir Cahir was advised by of Ireland & Minister for thought that Sturgeons were factor of Irish sturgeons grad- the elder and more peacefully Local Government and Public rare in Irish waters and that ually increased during spring disposed of his chiefs to send Health in the newly formed the only species recorded here and reached a peak during the it as a peace offering to the Saorstát Eireann) was pre- was the European Sturgeon. summer and autumn (May to Governor of Derry. This Sir sented with a sturgeon which This assumption was based on October) before declining Cahir did and it is obvious was captured at Castlemaine, a paucity of records within the again during the winter from the nature of the transac- Co. Kerry. However, the fol- scientific literature. However, months (Figure 3). During tion that the Sturgeon was lowing month (November a recent review of Irish news- June 1865, a female sturgeon considered to be not only of 1929), King George V was paper archives dating from weighing 114 kg was cap- high status, but also an emi- presented with a sturgeon 1738 yielded no less than 243 tured in the River Suir near nently suitable political gift. captured off SW Ireland, individual reports. It was Mount Congreve, Co. Water- However, soon after the Stur- albeit probably because it was clear from these reports that ford. It was reported that ‘The geon was delivered, Sir Cahir captured by a UK-registered the landing of a sturgeon, par- amount of pea found in her sacked Derry and killed Sir vessel and landed at Swansea. ticularly specimens of was considered sufficient to Pawlett. Shortly after- Following the establishment exceptional size, was consid- populate the whole River Suir wards, Sir Cahir was killed of the Republic of Ireland ered to be a relatively rare from its source to its mouth near Kilmacrennan by a (Eire) in 1937, ‘Royal Rule’ event that generated media with sturgeon’. During April counter attack under Lord continued to be adapted and a attention. Many of the reports 1944, a juvenile sturgeon Powerscourt. small number of sturgeons were published by Dublin weighing 0.5 kg was captured In keeping with the spirit were subsequently presented fishmongers who frequently and released alive off and tradition of King Edward to several Irish Presidents claimed to be official purvey- Malahide, Co. Dublin. During II’s edict, a number of Irish- (e.g. Sean T O’Kelly, Eamonn ors of this exclusive product the summer of 1955, an unau- caught sturgeon were de Valera, Erskine Childers & to the reigning monarchs thenticated juvenile sturgeon presented to various nobility Cearbhaill O’Dalaigh). How- and associated nobility (i.e. was captured (and released during the period when Ire- ever, in most cases, and in those who could afford to alive) in an upstream tributary land was under UK Rule, order to assuage any quasi buy sturgeon), but they also of the River Lee (near Lough including Monarchs (e.g. Anglo-Irish scandal, the Pres- invited the general public to Allua), Co. Cork. It is worth Queen Victoria, King Edward ident usually discretely and gawk at the specimens in noting that the later specimen VII & King George V), Peers generously donated the fish their premises. was captured during the (e.g. Sir Richard Boyle, 1st as a ‘top-up’ to some deserv- Although the vast majority period (1952-57) when two Earl of Cork), MPs (e.g. ing charity. of sturgeon records from Irish hydro-electric dams were Daniel O’Connell, Charles Despite its royal status, the waters date between 1840 and being constructed on the Stuart Parnell & William European Sturgeon is now 1970, there is no reason to River Lee. Gladstone), Lord Lieutenants considered to be critically of Ireland (e.g. Archibald endangered with only one doubt that the species was just Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) as frequent (if not more fre- Ireland’s “Royal Sturgeon” Montgomerie, 13th Earl of small self-sustaining wild Photo courtesy of the Swedish Museum of Natural History. quent) in its occurrence Sturgeons have long been Eglington), and Governors of population left in Europe: during previous centuries i.e. regarded as valuable fish with Northern Ireland (e.g. Earl of River Gironde (France). Since recorded from Irish waters, up by ‘Whites on the Green’ prior to the general availabil- noble status. Sturgeons are Granville, Lord Wakehurst & the early 1990s, various inter- weighing 10.5 kg, was cap- (Dublin) to the last vestiges of ity of newspapers, journals depicted on coins dating from Lord Erskine of Rerrick). national laws and conventions tured off the Kish Lighthouse, Irish nobility and burgeoning and/or other popular maga- 600 BC in Karthago However, despite having have undoubtedly taken Co. Dublin during April 1987 Nuevo Hiberno-Gastronomes. zines (Figure 2). The average (Tunisia). Aristotle (384-322 finally rid itself of UK Rule precedence over King Edward and sold on the Dublin whole- weight of sturgeon increased BC) mentions the use of isin- after the formation of the Irish II’s 14th century decree, and sale market for €112/kg. significantly throughout the glass for wine clearing. Ovid Free State (Saorstát Eireann) any sturgeon captured are Declan T. Quigley, Dingle Although a “kingly bite” was 19th century, from 67 kg dur- (43 BC – 18 AD) refers to in 1922, it is clear that some now required to be returned Oceanworld (Mara Beo Teo), apparently offered to the Pres- ing the period 1800-10 to a sturgeons as noble fish in his dithering elements within the alive and unharmed to the The Wood, Dingle, Co Kerry. ident, this unique ‘living peak of 156 kg during the ‘Halieuticon’. Pliny the Elder newly fledged government waters where they were taken. Mobile: 087-6458485 Email: fossil’ was eventually served early part of the 20th century (23-79 AD) pointed out their continued to adopt ‘Royal The last known sturgeon [email protected] (1900-20). Although a rea- importance in his ‘Naturalis sonable number of sturgeons Historia’. The need for sus- continued to be recorded in tainable management of Irish waters up until the late sturgeon stocks was recog- 1960s, the average weight of nised during Roman times by sturgeons catastrophically limiting the minimum legal collapsed to 37 kg during the size as indicated by a marble 1930s and continued to plate of the fish located at the decline thereafter to an aver- ‘Forum Piscarium’ (fish mar- age of only 11.5 kg during ket) in Rome. An Act of King the 1980s. Edward II (1307-1327) stated, The vast majority (73%) of inter alia, that “the King shall sturgeons were recorded have the wreck of the sea from Irish coastal waters, throughout the realm, whales particularly from the Irish and great sturgeons” taken in Sea [45%] (Table 2). River- the sea and elsewhere. ine specimens (27%) were It is interesting to note the mainly found in estuarine significant role which stur- waters. The Rivers Shannon geon have played in Irish and Barrow / Nore / Suir political history. For example, accounted for almost 50% of during 1608, the last heredi- the riverine specimens. tary native chief of Although there is no direct Inishowen, Sir Cahir O’Do- evidence of sturgeon spawn- herty (1587-1608), was ing in Irish rivers, there is insulted one day in a most some circumstantial evidence open and wanton manner in that they may have. Sturgeons the streets of Derry by the have been reported from Irish Governor of Derry, Sir waters during each month of George Pawlett (1553-1608). the year, but the vast majority Incensed and outraged, Sir (75%) between April and Cahir returned to his native August (Figure 3). Atlantic wilds and after the manner of 24 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 How Irish Scientists Changed the World By Seán Duke Londubh Books www.londubh.ie ISBN: 978-1-907535-25-3 Publications of Interest Price: €14.99/2013 ered up to the 19th century. on the wonderful bridge heritage favourites of the yews. In the 18th minded me of Michael Carney's evidence of human presence in the Ireland is This is a fascinating book, with of Cork County. Perhaps they century Lord Gormanstown wonderful book "From the Great area at that time. A copper mine at famed for its gripping accounts of these seven- could encourage primary schools planted the yew walk. This was to Blasket to America, the last mem- Lick Hill, 1 km from the lake, writers, musi- teen scientists. I would love to see children and transition year stu- represent the cloisters of a oirs by an Islander" and how on a though not been dated, is consis- cians and ac- young students reading it. I have dents to document the bridges in monastery and a beehive-shaped trip to the mainland a cow put its tent with the type of fire-setting tors, yet the no doubt it would inspire some to their own localities. What a legacy cell for contemplation. Read the horn through the side of a mining methods used in the huge impact follow their dream whether in sci- that would be for future genera- text for the reason why he planted naomhóg. Luckily they were Bronze Age. The number of sites of its scien- ence or business. To a parent or tions. The final sentence sums up them! The most unusual photo- saved by one of the boatmen put- of a ritual or religious nature tists from the grandparent put this book on your the subject of the book beautifully: graph is a hawthorn - St. Kieran's ting his cap in the hole to stop within the 11 townlands around 17th century present list for a birthday or “Bridges are history and art, archi- Bush at Clareen, Co. Offaly. It is water coming in. The conditions the lake are particularly high. right up to Christmas. tecture and recreation, society and considered a sacred tree and is fes- the islanders had to endure were These include cupmarked stones today remains a largely untold home, all in one.” tooned with offerings and pieces of dreadful. There are photographs of and cairns of the Bronze Age, an story. This book brings to life the cloth tied to its branches. I cannot the pathway to the so-called har- Early Christian ecclesiastical cen- lives and works of seventeen sci- Heritage Bridges of finish without mentioning the bour, with its little slip. At times it tre, holy wells, mass rock and a entists “whose brilliance changed Heritage Trees of Ireland County Cork Golden Cypress at Church Cross, must often have been a difficult or medieval church. An archaeologi- the world”. It is written in a very Skibbereen, Co. Cork. This is a tree impossible place to land. There it Heritage Unit of Cork County By Aubrey Fennell cal find places a Viking presence accessible way, immediately giv- I have passed many times in the no doubt the State just paid lip Council between 11th and 13th century. ing the reader a sense of time and Collins Press past 40 years and one that I have al- service to improving conditions place in relation to each scientist. Chapter Two focuses on The www.skibbheritage.com/Shop www.collinspress.ie ways found fascinating. I am de- for the islanders and had little or O’Driscolls. Between the 6th and The book has four parts: Part 1: .htm lighted to see it featured in this no interest in their wellbeing. Maps, Earthquakes, Electricity ISBN: 978-1-84889-159-3 17th century they were one of the ISBN: 978-0-9525869-6-8 book. Put simply, it was hard to put There are over 200 photographs in chief families of the region. We and Climate; Part 2: Telegraph, Price: €29.99/2013 this book down! An ideal present. this breathtaking book, with in- Steamships, Submarines and € read of their rise in power and Price: 14.00 /2013 The author formative short text in both Eng- Space; Part 3: Atoms, Radio, Pul- their spectacular fall in the 17th Bridges are an integral part of our of this book, lish and Irish. Peig Sayers, Tomas sars and Spiral Galaxies; Part 4: century. The next chapter on Pre- landscape and our daily lives. This Aubrey Fen- The Great Blasket O Croimhthain, Muiris Ó Súilleab- Experiments, Evolution, Life and Famine Lough Hyne sets the scene publication on Heritage Bridges of nell, is a tree (An Blascaod Mór) háin and Michael Carney, whose Logic. The first we are introduced for the most intriguing chapter in County Cork sets out to convey to surgeon who books are classics of life on the is- to in Part 1 is Francis Beaufort A Photographic Portrait the book “The Great Famine at the reader the importance of grew up sur- land, feature in a number of them. (1774-1857) who became Chief Lough Hyne”. The devastation bridges in the development of rounded by By Dáithí de Mórdha Schoolchildren outside their little Hydrographer (marine map that the famine brought is shown places from the earliest times, trees in the & Micheál de Mórdha school and portraits of many is- maker) to the British Admiralty. in the population figures for the right down through the century. It corner of an landers show strong determined Under his leadership their Hydro- The Collins Press townlands from 1841-1911. In discusses the general history, old estate in Co. Carlow where his people. We see also throughout graphic Office was built up into 1841 it was 1049 persons, by 1851 physical development, and envi- family had a farm guesthouse. A www.collinspress.ie photographs of many of the is- the world’s leading marine map- it had halved to 578 and by 1911 ronmental settings of bridges in visit to Mount Usher Gardens in ISBN: 978-184889-1753 landers who emigrated to the USA. making and meteorology centre. the population had dropped to 260. Cork and then goes on to look at Co Wicklow awakened his life- How they have adopted American Today his name is linked with the Price: €24.99/2013 We read of the famine relief re- specific examples in more detail. long interest in naming and plant- style is fascinating - showing a to- Beaufort Wind Scale, a means of sponse in 1845 and 1846 within Some of the basic characteristics ing unusual trees. In 1997 he What a wonderful insight this pho- tally contrasting way of life. Peig accessing wind speed, which is the Skibbereen Union. In respond- of these 30 bridges are outlined became aware of the Irish Tree So- tographic book gives of the people Sayers' beautiful daughter Neilí, still in use. In Part 2, one of the ing, Charles Trevelyan, Head of and the way they have changed ciety and their shared passion. It that lived on the Great Blasket Is- born on the island and then emi- scientists we meet is John Holland Treasury in London, refused aid through time and evolved to meet was to be the beginning of a fif- land. It has been written by Dáithí grated, looked so elegant in one of (1841-1914) from Co. Clare. We for the famine-struck country be- changing demand has been exam- teen-year quest to try to hunt down de Mórdha and Micheál de those photos. Yes, this book owes meet him in 1878 on the banks of cause he believed that the poor ined. The first to be highlighted and record the important trees in Mórdha from Dunquin, Co. Kerry, so much to the photographers that the Upper Passaic River, New Jer- state of Irish society was a result are the two simple Ballingeary Ireland. Supported by the Society, where the islanders settled after recorded moments in the lives of sey, as he launches his new inven- of the moral failings of its people Clapper Bridges in West Cork. the Tree Council of Ireland and the evacua- these resilient people. tion - the submarine. Holland went and that the Famine had therefore Constructed National Botanic Gardens, he be- tion in 1953. on to design the world’s first com- been sent by God. Some of the de- from lime- came a champion tree hunter and They devel- bat submarine for the US Navy scriptions of what the poor people stone slabs, authoritative voice on behalf of oped a photo- Lough Hyne in1900, sold Holland class designs in the Skibbereen Union (includ- the foot- the trees. During this time, he graphic to the British Navy and even built From Prehistory ing Lough Hyne) suffered were bridges recorded over 10,000 champion archive at the submarines in 1904 for the Japan- horrendous. A soup kitchen was cross a trees in Ireland for the Tree Regis- Great Blasket to the Present ese Navy. silted up ter of Ireland's database at the Na- Centre as an established in Skibbereen and by In Part 3 we meet one of the By Terri Kearney meander in tional Botanic Gardens. Now 150 integral part early 1847 8,600 people per day more well-known scientist, The the River of these remarkable trees are pre- of the social and cultural record of www.skibbheritage.com were supplied with relief. News- Wireless Wizard Guglielmo Mar- paper headings at the time include Lee. My sented in this book, each pho- the lives of the islanders. A visitor ISBN: 978-0992624200 coni (1874-1937). Half Irish (his favourite tographed and with descriptive Charles R. Browne took the first “Awful State of Skibbereen Dis- mother) and half Italian (his fa- Price €37.00/2013 bridges must be the ones at Lom- text - their historical background, photographic record of the Blasket trict - Destruction of the People - ther), Marconi is considered the bardstown, Mallow, under which I measurement, location and acces- people in 1892. It was of three Lough Hyne is a saltwater lake Famine, Disease and Death, “The father of radio and was the first to canoed in the 50s and 60s. The sibility. The book is divided into men, one of whom was Tomás Ó situated 5km south west of Skib- Deaths from Starvation at Skib- transmit a wireless signal across most spectacular is the Ballydehob 12 sections including: Great Oaks, Criomhthain, then in his 40s. He bereen in West Cork. This is the bereen”. Evictions were every- the Atlantic. He was a joint winner viaduct, a 12-arch bridge that The Europeans, Scared Trees and was author of "The Islandman" author’s second book on the where. Just one townland alone in of the 1909 Nobel Prize in crosses the mouth of Bawna- American Giants. In the Great Oak which was his account of growing Lough, her first was a fascinating Lough Hyne - Highfield - saw 21 Physics. In Part 4, among those knockane River where it enters section he has the Squire's Walk- up on the island and its way of life, photographic book documenting evictions totalling one hundred featured is John Tyndall (1627- Roaringwater Bay. Beautifully il- ing Stick at Tullynally Castle, Co much of which centred on the sea. the history of the Lough’s scien- people. Yes, the Great Famine was 91), who was born in Leighlin- lustrated, the book has numerous Westmeath, the Turkey Oak of There are many photographs of tific research, which in 1981 be- a terrible period in Ireland’s his- bridge, Co. Carlow. He is pictures, all showing the magnifi- Ballymenoch, Holywood, Co the naomhóg (Currach), con- came Europe’s first Marine Nature tory and it is a credit to the author considered the father of meteorol- cent workmanship of the bridges, Down, the Pumpkin Oak at Mote structed of wooden ribs and cov- Reserve. Her latest book covers that she has documented this his- ogy and climate science as he dis- some over 200 years old. Space Park, Co. Roscommon and the ered with black canvas, and an the Pre-history to the Present of tory for the Lough Hyne area so covered the presence of made it impossible to feature all twisted trunk of the Hanging Oak integral part of the islanders' lives. the lake and that it will never be forgotten. greenhouse gases in the earth’s at- the bridges in the county but we of Shane's Castle, Co. Antrim, This was the only way the is- the surround- Other chapters in the book include mosphere. He helped establish sci- get a pictorial record of an addi- which may be 400 years old. The landers could travel to and from ing town- the Ecology of Lough Hyne and ence as a profession rather than a tional 34 bridges at the end of the Gormanstown Yew Cloister, Gor- the mainland - for transporting lands. Chapter its Marine Research there, as well hobby for wealthy amateurs and book. The Heritage Unit of Cork manstown College, Gormanstown, their animals, going to Mass, col- one brings as a Miscellany of stories from churchmen, as it had been consid- County Council has put a spotlight Co Meath, must be one of my lecting the doctor, the priest, a cof- one through Lough Hyne, including its forma- fin when someone died - and the Stone, tion, set dancing, Lough Hyne above all they were used for fish- Bronze and schools and more. This book I so ing - their livelihood. A series of Iron Ages. We learn that around recommend if only to read about photographs show islanders 2000 BC the lake change from a the effects of the Great Famine in preparing to lift a cow into a freshwater to a saltwater lake. the area, which is a micro for the naomhóg to bring her to the main- From analysis of pollen taken country at large. land. The cow had horns and it re- from the lake itself, there is clear

Download a free and exciting newsletter for children, featuring interesting and informative news on nature and Please support the environment. Sherkin Island Marine Station’s Produced by Sherkin Island Marine Station publications, which help to fund its work (see page 27) SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______25 A review by • Each year determine the cost to produce a harvested Matt Murphy fish from each hatchery SALMON, PEOPLE AND PLACE program and provide that IN 1990 we at Sherkin Island information in a form Marine Station organised a accessible to the public. three-day international work- A Biologist’s Search for Salmon Recovery • Adopt a stock transfer shop, inviting ten fish policy that prohibits biologists from Ireland and moving fish and eggs overseas to discuss “The between watersheds. Effects of Stocked Salmon • Use the latest scientific and Cage Escapees on Resi- information regarding

dent Wild Salmon Stocks”. Images by Matt Murphy hatchery impacts on wild We published the concerns salmon to develop a set of and recommendations from standards for hatchery the workshop and 23 years on operations. Those hatcheries they are still relevant. One of that cannot meet the the invited biologists was Jim standards within three to Lichatowich, a habitat fish five years should be biologist for the Jamestown closed. The standards S’Klallam Tribe, a Native should be peer reviewed American tribe from the Salmon, People and Place before implementation.” Olympic Peninsula in Wash- A Biologist’s Search for All those that have an ington State, USA. His then Salmon Recovery interest in the well-being of job was to check on logging Price: US$22.95 wild salmon must read this ISBN: 978-0-87071-724-6 operations across the northern Jim Lichatowich in 1993. A stream near Jim’s former home on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. book. It is hoped that by Olympic Peninsula as part of www.osupress.oregonstate.edu doing so they will take an Washington State’s Timber, the permission to do such a salmon recovery. that each new plan must approaching river, but the river objective look at where they Fish and Wildlife Program. clear fell. Near Jim’s house, The book draws on his expe- answer. Did the author: is not where it should be. They stand in their work with wild He, along with other Tribal outside the city of Sequim, the riences throughout his career. • demonstrate that they arrive at the Water Centre and salmon. Many will have to and State biologists, reviewed forest was untouched. There Scientists and bureaucrats will understand what actions then when they enter the main change their thinking if the proposed timber harvests and old trees abounded and to just find his commonsense hard to were proposed in the buildings with its series of dis- wild salmon is firstly to sur- recommend measures to pro- touch them was a miracle in take. In his chapter on The earlier recovery plans for plays and brief film they learn vive and then prosper. That tect stream habitats. itself. During that visit I Meeting, he talks of attending the same or similar salmon the river and other rivers do could be the hardest chal- In informal chats during learned more and more about a meeting concerning the populations and watersheds? not exist. They were replaced lenge as so often scientists, Jim’s stay at the Marine Sta- this extraordinary man who salmon on the Columbia River. • explain why the earlier by “an efficient, engineered administrators and anglers tion, he told me of the damage from his earliest days as a He said “I’ve been listening for recovery actions either water capture and delivery believe they will lose face if done by clear cut logging of biologist has dedicated his life forty five minutes and the succeeded or failed? system”. The full story makes they change their viewpoint. vast forest areas in the Penin- to protecting the Pacific word salmon is not among • describe how their plan stark reading. Will it happen? If they do not then Jim’s sula by multi-national salmon. those being carefully released will avoid the mistakes and More probable than possible chapter “A Look at the Year companies and how it had Jim has written two books into the room. The talk is about failures of the past?” with man’s lust for water. 2150” will become a reality. destroyed the salmon habitats This is an incredibly impor- on the subject: the first in 1999 budgets, authorities, future • show that the agency has Then ask yourself could a sim- in many streams. I soon tant book; it is a classic and Salmon without Rivers – A His- funding, and who should have an organisation structure ilar centre evolve here in learned that Jim had no hidden will become the reference on tory of the Pacific Salmon a seat at the table. Those sub- capable of implementing all Ireland in the year 2150? agenda, his only concern was wild salmon for many Crisis. It includes the evolu- jects are important to the the elements of the plan? Jim is very critical of hatch- the future of the Pacific decades to come. tionary history of the salmon, institutions these men and • describe who is responsible eries. He calls them fish Salmon. Over the next few Jim Lichatowich is a unique the destruction of the salmon’s women represent and they for carrying out all task and factories and states that “the years we published 17 wonder- fish biologist. Above all he is habitat, the development of the must believe they are also how their workloads would ecological costs for each ful articles written by Jim on a naturalist and follows in the commercial fishery, the salmon important to the salmon, but I be shifted to accommodate hatchery should be assessed the Pacific salmon and trout, footsteps of Aldo Leopold canning industry and the His- have my doubts.” the new duties? using information currently in with such titles as “The Value whom he describes as “one of tory of the Salmon hatcheries. He addresses recovery The chapter “A Look at the the literature, applying it to of a Single World Fish”, “It’s the most influential The latest book Salmon, Peo- plans for the salmon. About Year 2150” he takes an imagi- specific hatcheries with con- the Economics, Mr. President”, spokespersons for conserva- ple and Place – A Biologist’s ninety years ago the first plan nary journey forward a servative assumptions and “A Question of Values”. tion”. Leopold’s book “A Search for Salmon Recovery for Pacific Northwest was hundred years in time and analysis. This should include In 1993 I was privileged to Sandy County Almanac” has recently been published in produced. Ever since a thinking about what he might some of the following steps: visit this remarkable man and (1966) has inspired Jim Licha- the US by Oregon State Uni- recovery plan has been part find. His fishing companion is • Quantify risks to wild his beloved wife Paulette in towich throughout his career. versity Press. The story of this of salmon management. He Charlie, his great, great, populations for all the Olympic Peninsula. There Finally let us ponder on new book is in two parts: Part suggests that given the num- great... grandson and they set hatcheries. Describe the I saw for myself the horren- these words from his book: 1 has four chapters that ber of recovery plans out to visit the Ben Franklin acceptable tradeoffs in dous damage done by clear “We enthusiastically accept describe the Pacific salmon’s produced one could conclude Regional Water Centre on the natural production and the cut logging. One day we stood the gift of salmon, but failed problem, what is preventing that the Pacific Salmon is the river Columbia as he is really monitoring program that on high ground and for miles to treat it with the respect it salmon recovery and why the most restored species group anxious to see the river. It was will ensure the tradeoffs around us we saw vast areas deserves. We failed to meet billions of dollars spent on in the world. Obviously he a special part of his entire life, will not be exceeded. of desolate hillside divested of our obligation to return the wild salmon restoration pro- says most of these recovery it was a friend and a refuge • The impacts of hatchery trees. I wondered then who gift in the way that only grammes have not been plans failed to achieve their where solitude and contempla- programs should be was more in the wrong, the humans can. We failed to effective. Part 2 describes goal. From his experience of tion came easy. As they drive reported as life stage logging company or the State return the gift of salmon with what needs to be done to reading past and present he sees familiar signs in the survival rates of affected of Washington that gave them the gift of stewardship.” remove the impediments to plans he asks five questions landscape that signal the wild populations.

Matt Murphy in 1993 showing the girth of one of the magnificent The vast forest landscape of the Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Clear cut logging in 1993 on the Peninsula, a practice which had trees in the Olympic Peninsula. destroyed the salmon habitats in many streams. 26 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 JUNIOR PAGES

Major Reductions in Seafloor Life Predicted

Marine life living on the sea floor of the Atlantic could decline by as much as 38% over the next hundred years, according to a new international marine study, carried out by the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton, UK and other partners. The study suggests that this reduction could be driven by the effects of climate change, including reduced ocean circulation and the creation of a warmer, less salty layer of seawater near the surface. This would reduce the number of animals and plants that live in shallower waters, which would also reduce the amount of food reaching the animals at the bottom. Dr. Daniel Jones, who led the study said, "We were expecting some negative changes around the world, but the extent of changes, particularly in the North Atlantic, were staggering. Globally we are talking about losses of marine life weighing more than every person on the planet put together." Changes such as these may not take place all over the world, but most oceans will be affected in some way. It is estimated that all key marine habitats - from coldwater coral reefs, to seamounts and submarine canyons - will experience losses in the numbers of animals and plants living there. The research also predicts that marine animals living on the bottom of the sea will become smaller due to lack of food. This will have an impact on seabed fisheries and marine ecosystems as a whole. The study was carried out as part of the Marine Environmental Mapping Programme (MAREMAP) and involved researchers from the National Oceanography Centre, the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, the University of Tasmania, and the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environment, France. For detailed information see: http://noc.ac.uk/news/major-reductions- seafloor-marine-life-from-climate-change-2100

by John Joyce For more Fun Facts check out www.spindriftpress.com

Mesolithic Marine Tours?

Evidence that humans undertook sea voyages of up to 40 miles as long ago as 700,000 years ago has been discovered on the island of Crete, off the Greek mainland in the Mediterranean. While Crete has been separated from mainland Europe for about five million years, stone axes and other tools dating back to between 130,000 and 700,000 years have been discovered close to shelters on the island's south coast. Previous evidence of open-sea travel in Greece dates back 11,000 years and, worldwide, to around 60,000 years, although these figures have been disputed. Meanwhile, the world's oldest surviving sea-going boat was discov- ered in Dover, UK, in 1992 and is estimated to be some 3,500 years old - when Stonehenge was still in use and when Tutankhamen was still the ruler of Egypt. A team of workers are currently building a half-size replica of the oaken boat and plan to demonstrate how it could have been used to cross the English Channel. Copyright of images John Joyce SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______27 OYSTERCATCHERS

One oystercatcher to look at and one to colour! Sketch by Audrey Murphy Audrey Sketch by

Scientific Name: Haematopus ostralegus Irish: Roilleach DO OYSTERCATCHERS Fact File CATCH OYSTERS? The oystercatcher is a wading bird that usually gathers in Colour: Black and white With such a name, you would think that large, often noisey flocks on rocky and sandy shores and on plumage, pink legs, long oystercatchers are eating oysters all day, mudflats. Resident in Ireland all year round, it is also a orange bill, red eyes with everyday. But that is not so. Oysters do not winter visitor from Iceland and the Faeroes. Its black and an orange ring around them. normally form a white plumage, orange beak and reddish-pink legs make it Length: 39-44 cm large part of very easy to identify. The strong bill digs deep for worms Diet: Worms and shellfish their diet as the and it is able to open shells, either by hammering them or prising them open. such as mussels. Habitat: Flat beaches, oyster’s shell is To build a nest the female oystercatcher lines a scrape in the sand, gravel estuaries, coastal farms extremely or grass with shells and pebbles. If danger approaches the nest and young, and fields. difficult to the oystercatcher flies around drawing attention to its self by calling loudly No. of eggs: 2-3 prise open. to distract the predator away. Photos courtesy of Robbie Murphy

Large numbers of oystercatchers can be seen in Ireland from September to March, on all coastal habitats. 28 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 How much do you know about...

How much do you know about flowers? Find out with this fun quiz. Choose one of the answers and see how many you can answer correctly. Flowers 1. When is the snowdrop 8. Pick a tree that has beautiful 15. What is a person that most likely to appear? flowers in spring: studies flowers known as? a. In Winter a. Apple a. Carpenter b. In late Spring b. Sycamore b. Artist c. In Summer c. Oak c. Botanist

2. Which flower has five 9. Which of these flowers 16. Which one of these yellow petals? belongs to the pea family? flowers has spiny leaves? a. Buttercup a. Water Lily a. Buttercup b. Daisy b. Sweet Pea b. Thistle c. Heather c. Bluebell c. Daffodil

3. The seedhead of which flower 10. What liquid in flowers 17. Which flower is also is thought to tell the time? attracts bees? part of your eye? a. Primrose a. Nectar a. Iris b. Dandelion b. Water b. Lily c. Rose c. Milk c. Tulip

4. The thistle is the symbol 11. Which flower grows 18. What is the flower in of which country? the tallest? the picture called: a. Ireland a. Primrose a. Sweet pea b. England b. Bluebell b. Tulip c. Scotland c. Foxglove c. Heather

5. Which of these flowers 12. Which one of these flowers 19. What would help a grows from a bulb? prefers to grow near the sea? wild flower last longer: a. Daisy a. Sea Holly a. Trampling on it b. Daffodil b. Wood Avens b. Picking it c. Honeysuckle c. Marsh Marigold c. Photographing it

6. What flower is named 13. Which animal does not 20. Which flower name is after the German botanist feed on flowers? used as a girl’s name: Leonard Fuchs? a. Butterfly a. Foxglove a. Forget-me-not b. Crocodile b. Dandelion b. Fuchsia c. Bee c. Rose c. Foxglove

7. What flower is usually 14. How many petals has the given as a symbol of daisy flower? love? a. Four a. Nettle b. More than 10 b. Dandelion c. Two c. Rose Answers on page 31. SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______29

All the flowers below are mentioned in the quiz on page 28. Can you find them in the wordsearch? Sweet Blooms Answers on page 31.

Bluebell Buttercup Clover Daisy

Dandelion Forget-me-not Foxglove Fuchsia

Heather Herb Robert Honeysuckle Primrose

Free of €50.00postag or more! eo n or der Sherkin Island Marine Station PUBLICATIONS s

A Beginner’s Guide to Colour Books The Wild Plants of Bere, Ireland’s Wild Flowers A5 (softback) 32pp Dursey, Whiddy and other ISBN-13: 978-1-870492-23-2 SB. 140mm x 100mm (208pp). €1.95 per book (plus p&p .60c) Islands in Bantry Bay 7.50 (plus p&p €1.00) ISBN: 978-1-870492-48-5 SB 170 x 245 mm (240 pp) € €12.00 for set of 8 (plus p&p €2.00) €19.99 (plus p&p €3.00) A Beginner’s Guide to Ireland’s Seashore Ireland’s Bird Life Ireland’s Hidden Depths ISBN-13: 978-1-870492-96-6 SB 140mm x 100mm (208pp). ISBN-13: 978-1-870492-80-5 SB A4 (160pp). ISBN: 978-1-870492-53-9. SB 7.00 (plus p&p €1.00) 277 x 227 mm (160 pp). € €14.00 (plus p&p €3.00) Special Offer: €10.00 (was €17.99) The Natural History of Sherkin Island, (plus p&p €3.00) West Cork – An Introduction ISBN-13: 978-1-870492-38-6 SB 208 mm x 98 mm (72 pp). The Wild Plants of Sherkin, Sherkin Comment €2.00 (plus p&p €1.35) Cape Clear and adjacent ISSN: 0791-2447 Islands of West Cork Subscription €7.50 ISBN: 1 870492 86 2 SB (206 pp) On the Water’s Edge (4 issues per sub – p&p included) €6.00Special Offer (plus p&p €3.00) €6.00 Special Offer (plus p&p €1.30)

NEW Books can be ordered through Paypal or by cheque or postal order from An A to Z of Geology Supplement the Station’s website ISBN: 978-1-870492-33-1 A4 SB 24pp ISBN: 978-1-870492-58-4 SB 246mm x 170mm (36pp). www.sherkinmarine.ie €5.99 (plus p&p €1.00) €5.00 (post free) or contact us at Sherkin Island Marine Station, Sherkin Island, Co Cork. Tel: 028-20187 Email: [email protected] 30 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 GAISCE – the President s Award and Brú Youth Service can tailor a programme to people are more open to tors and community sports fit the group that you are doing it, if they feel that it officers to aid you in working with and their also goes toward a personal developing elements of the needs. ‘Gaisce’ within a achievement like the Gaisce. programme. youth service is often run Many youth services are I personally could not differently than how a worried that the Gaisce is praise the award enough in school might approach it. In too time consuming, chal- setting challenges for the a school the young person lenging and will mean having young people. Also, many of may go away and individually to make a programme fit the young people we work complete the various the young people, thus not with could not afford finan- aspects of the award. How- meeting their needs. How- cially to go off and pay for ever, in a youth service we ever, the beauty of Gaisce the various elements of the award if they were doing it pitch our programmes at to a youth service is the individually, such as ‘guitar groups of young people. In flexibility of the pro- lessons’ in the personal ele- working on the projects in a gramme. Youth workers are ment or the overnight hike. group the young people have very skilled in developing However, doing the award as peer support and the sup- new and unique programmes a group allows young people port of a youth worker to for their young people. For to do the award without any fulfil the aspects. We meet each group they can tailor financial barriers or worries with these young people make the programme to fit to participation. typically twice- three times into the above categories, Images courtesy of Gaisce – the President’s Award Images courtesy of Gaisce – the President’s a week to fulfil aspects of such as the ‘personal devel- Jody Garry, Youth Worker in being involved in worthwhile the categories below. It opment group’ as outlined the Brú Youth Service, allows the youth worker to above. The programme can and interesting programmes. Crumlin, Dublin. challenge the young people also help you strengthen your Now, in 2014 we have had For information on Gaisce - to take on a project that relationships in the commu- our biggest achievements to The President’s Award see date, the first three young they may have been reluc- nity as you can approach www.gaisce.ie people who set out to get tant to join in on. Young volunteers, artists, film edi- their Gaisce Bronze in 2008, this year, completed ‘Gaisce Gold’, which is the highest award that can be awarded to any person in the country. This award was presented to our three young people by President Higgins on the 11th of Feb- President Michael D. Higgins presented the first three youth members of the Brú Youth Service with their “Gaisce Gold” awards on ruary 2014 in Dublin Castle. 11th February 2014. All three young people are currently in third level edu- comes came from the cation, are extremely active By Jody Garry process, such as something in the community through positive to put on the CV and sports coaching and the vol- IN 2008, when the Brú young people completing a unteering in the Brú Youth first opened and new groups full programme. However, it Service. They are a credit were being established, we was the unintended out- to themselves and are lead- had three young people who comes that were quite ers in our community rather were pro-active, committed astounding. The three young than followers – it is a fan- and showed great potential people, through the Gaisce tastic thing to role model to to be young leaders in our Award became really many vulnerable young peo- developing youth service. involved and present in the ple who attend the Brú The group decided to take youth service. Their level of Youth Service. Anything can on the challenge of doing commitment to the award, be achieved with hard work ‘Gaisce - The President’s the shape they helped to and commitment. The level Award - Bronze Level.’ The put on our new youth service of reflection that has young people needed to and the leadership they dis- developed by the young peo- commit time to a ‘personal played to other young people ple which was displayed in challenge, community involve- that attended the youth their portfolios for Gaisce ment and physical activity’ as service was incredible. The Gold was incredible. well as completing a 25km achievement and pride that To date we have had 32 hike. The young people and both young people and youth young people complete the youth worker took on the worker felt at the comple- Gaisce Bronze Award, 7 challenge. There was no cer- tion of the project was young people achieve their tainty from youth workers infectious. It led the three Gaisce Silver Award and whether we would run the young people going on to sign have over 20 young people programme again, it was quite up for Gaisce Silver and left who are currently signed up simply a challenge which we other young people in the at various levels of the decided to give a go. Brú asking ‘When can I sign award. Some of the activi- What emerged from that up to do my Gaisce.’ Being ties we have worked on programme surpassed any involved in this programme across the categories are expectation that the youth became equated with being included in the table (right). worker could have had. A respected within the youth What the above displays, number of intended out- service, a young leader and is that in youth work, you Some activities worked on across the categories SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 ______31 Stamp Collecting

By Matt Murphy

IN Ireland today you rarely hear of FREE Stamps for Young anyone collecting stamps. I started to collect them when I was a young Collectors teenager. I had become curious I get great enjoyment from the wonderful hobby of about them when my Mum told me stamp collecting and would love to see young people that her father was a collector when become collectors. Padraig O’Shea of Raven Stamps he was young. Unfortunately my in Cork City (www.ravenstamps.com), the largest grandfather’s collection was lost stamp dealer in Ireland, has kindly given Sherkin Comment 10 sets of when he moved house but I soon 200 different world stamps so that you can start your new hobby. The began to build my own collection. It first 10 requests by postcard, letter or email will receive a set (limit started when I got presents of a few of one request per family). pence. I would visit Woolworths in Patrick Street in Cork City, which had part of a counter devoted to also continued to save what money I about each one. The web is a great stamps. Having purchased packets of could and bought more stamps. My place to learn about stamp collecting tries or territories have had their 25 or 50 different stamps from great joy was when I won a beautiful (the official name is Philately) and names changed or have merged with around the world, I couldn’t wait to stamp album as a prize. I got it for about the various themes they fea- other countries e.g. Newfoundland, get home to look through them. Of having collected the largest amount ture. Every year An Post issues a New South Wales, Zanzibar, Tran- course they were of little value but I of money for the Christians College number of commemorate stamps on sylvania. Though I still collect Irish Newboy’s Club annual flag day one some person or event. This year they stamps only, I cherish the stamp Saturday in Cork City. I continued to will include the poet Seamus Heaney, collection of my teens and early collect into my early 20s, which by Viking Heritage and World War I 20s. It is a hobby I never regret then the stamps fitted into a num- (1914-18). having started and if you start one, ber of albums and to this day, at I found stamp collecting taught me it will give you a lifelong interest nearly 80 years of age, I still have a lot about geography. Collecting every time you see a letter arrive in my collection. stamps from each country made me the post! What people might not realise is keen to learn where in the world that over 20 million people collect these countries were located. Every Matt Murphy, Director, Sherkin stamps. It is one of the most popular now and then I take out my stamp Island Marine Station, Sherkin hobbies in the world. Some collect a collection and see that many coun- Island, Co Cork. single country such as Ireland, Great Britain, USA or Australia. Others collect stamps with themes: you can collect the flora and fauna of the world on stamps, or even flags, islands or railways. Some collect Irish First Day of Issue Covers Some Canadian stamps I collected in my youth. (these specially produced for collec- got great satisfaction separating the tors by An Post on the first day a stamps into different countries. I stamp is shown to the public). If you would then carefully mount each visit An Post’s website www.anpost.ie stamp with a special stamp hinge and you can see the various types of place into a small album. Each page in stamps they produce and various the album was devoted to three or items produced especially for stamp four countries. As an altar boy at the collectors. You don’t have to spend a nearby Dominican church, I began to lot of money collecting stamps. Ask ask some of the priests to help me family and friends to keep unusual collect foreign stamps from the let- stamps they receive on letters. An ters they received from fellow Post produce beautiful stamps that priests in foreign countries, espe- can be purchased at the post office. cially Trinidad and Tobago. This You could then research the subject helped to build up my collection. I of the stamp and write a short note

ANSWERS FROM PAGES 28 & 29: 95,7,E); Primrose (1,15,E). Primrose 95,7,E);

Foxglove (1,13,N); Fuchsia (3,9,SE); Heather (15,2,S); Herb Robert (1,5,S); Honeysuckle (1,5,S); Robert Herb (15,2,S); Heather (3,9,SE); Fuchsia (1,13,N); Foxglove

Clover (9,1,SW); Daisy (13,12,W); Dandelion (15,9,W); Forget-me-not (4,11,NE); Forget-me-not (15,9,W); Dandelion (13,12,W); Daisy (9,1,SW); Clover

(Over, Down, Direction) Bluebell (11,10,NW); Buttercup (2,2,S); Buttercup (11,10,NW); Bluebell Direction) Down, (Over, BLOOMS: SWEET

Photographing it; (20) c. Rose. c. (20) it; Photographing

b. More than 10; (15) c. Botanist; (16) b. Thistle; (17) a. Iris; (18) b. Tulip; (19) c. (19) Tulip; b. (18) Iris; a. (17) Thistle; b. (16) Botanist; c. (15) 10; than More b.

(9) b. Sweet Pea; (10) a. Nectar; (11) c. Foxglove; (12) a. Sea Holly; (13) b. Crocodile; (14) Crocodile; b. (13) Holly; Sea a. (12) Foxglove; c. (11) Nectar; a. (10) Pea; Sweet b. (9)

(3) b. Dandelion; (4) c. Scotland; (5) b. Daffodil; (6) b. Fuchsia; (7) c. Rose; (8) a. Apple; a. (8) Rose; c. (7) Fuchsia; b. (6) Daffodil; b. (5) Scotland; c. (4) Dandelion; b. (3)

(1) a. In Winter; (2) a. Buttercup; a. (2) Winter; In a. (1) FLOWERS: ABOUT KNOW YOU DO MUCH HOW 32 ______SHERKIN COMMENT 2014 Issue No 57 Giving Rivers Back to Nature

these removals are almost as plentiful as the part of a very successful effort to bring regular By Mike Ludwig dams themselves. They include removal of out- flooding under control and ensure use of dated and unsafe dams; restoration of access to important farm land on the river’s floodplains. IN an age when possessing renewable energy

former spawning and nursery grounds; restora- Another benefit of the TVA dams was the use Image courtesy of NOAA generation sources such as hydroelectric are tion of natural sediment transport to replenish of the captured water to generate electric desirable and suitable sites are in demand, the sand on coastal beaches and reduce beach ero- power for rural Americans living in the catch- US is undertaking the most extensive dam sion; improving habitat below the dam; and ment area. removal program ever attempted. Why? improve habitats for wildlife in general. Invok- Our dams have cumulatively degraded thou- Because in most instances dams create adverse ing these objectives is a critical component in sands of miles of natural riverine habitat. Many impacts to riverine systems and aquatic the negotiations leading up to a dam removal. think it is time to release these captured rivers resources not only obstructing fish movements If the benefits of removal are undefined there is and return them to their natural conditions (per- but altering habitat in their pools and the natu- less interest in removing a dam. haps not exactly like they were originally, but ral channels above and far below their location. The history of dam construction in the US is in a close approximation and with some neces- Many of the dams along our nation’s water- one in which the environmental consequences sary constraints). For instance, on the east ways no longer serve the purposes they were of the installation were often ignored or mini- coast, the removal of the Great Works dam will San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River, California, USA. built to provide. Anadromous fish and catadro- mized for the sake of the “greater good” of the kick off a larger effort to improve aquatic mous eels are the most obvious benefactors on community or owner. The earliest dam installa- resource and recreational access to nearly million cubic yards of sediment behind the dam removal but we are finding entire water- tions were often driven by the simple and 1,000 miles of Penobscot River system habitat structure. That sediment would be of immense ways as well as their surrounding uplands single fact that the site possessed attributes that in Maine. On the west coast, the 106-foot high value to the eroding beaches at the mouth of the (catchment area) benefit from a naturally flow- colonial technology could capture and use for San Clemente Dam removal and Carmel River Carmel River but relocating it from the former ing system. Yes, some of the dams being its benefits. As a result the anadromous Atlantic Reroute Project is the largest restoration dam pool is impractical. However, in the removed are safety risks due to their age and salmon spawning in the Connecticut River was projects on the West Coast. When complete, future, sediment in Rivers like the Carmel and condition, others are simply not profitable to ended by poorly considered dams placed at the dam will be gone and twenty-five miles of Penobscot will be transported again to sand run for hydroelectric generation, and others Hartford, Connecticut. However, not all of the watershed restoration should restore life within starved coastal beaches after supporting have been abandoned by industries that have Colonist’s dam sites were environmentally and along the Carmel River. aquatic life in the waterway. closed or relocated. Other dams have had their destructive. In coastal New England, especially With any dam removal project one of the Dam removal has many restoration attributes operations diminished by sediment filling the where tides are large, we can still see the rem- most difficult issues is determining what to do for natural systems long disrupted for reasons storage pool and their power generation limited nants of tidal power projects where the with the sediment which has accumulated that may no longer be valid. to the flowing water. But, some dams are just incoming tide was captured and allowed to behind the dam. Not all of the choices have not “right” for the site and their impacts are flow out through a mill. These systems allowed been wise. Much of the Polychlorinated potentially reversible. finfish and shellfish to flourish in the dammed biphenyls (PCB) problem in the Hudson River Mike Ludwig, Ocean and Coastal Today we are revisiting some of the dams tidal waters creating early forms of aquacul- came about as the result of a poorly considered Consultants, Inc., 35 Corporate Drive, Suite that are not contributing to our energy, water ture. For the Tennessee Valley Authority dam removal decision by its owner and not 1200, Trumbull, CT 06611, USA. supply or flood protection and removing the (TVA), created in 1933, their dams on the Ten- involved in the pollution problems. At the San www.ocean-coastal.com destructive and unnecessary ones. The goals of nessee River in Tennessee and Kentucky are a Clemente dam it is estimated that there are 2.5