SHERKIN COMMENT

Issue No. 27 Environmental Quarterly of Sherkin Island Marine Station 2001 Price 75p

INSIDE

Centre pages: Aran Islands - Exploring their Depths

Editorial: Fisheries & Conservation

Sherkin Island’s Horseshoe Harbour

Non-Indigenous Species Introductions

The Transformation of the Moy

Special Areas of Conservation in Ireland

Nursing the Environment in a Desert Land

Some Special Flowers of the Seaside

Monster Conger Eels in Irish Waters

Fish Farming & the Environment

Ireland’s Seabed Survey

Can Ireland meet its emission targets?

A crayfish emerging from a crevice (see centre pages)

Photographer: Paul Kay Page 2...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Contents Editorial Editorial - Fisheries and Conservation ...... 2 A look at the urgent need for fisheries' conservation in Ireland. Sherkin Island’s Horseshoe Harbour ...... 3 Fisheries and Conservation Discover the wonders of the harbour, with its vast array of flora and fauna.. collapsed completely it might never return. Signs of collapse could Non-Indigenous Species Introductions ...... 4 By Matt Murphy not be ignored - the situation had to be acknowledged and acted A look at how “foreign” species are introduced to FISH stocks in Irish waters have been under constant threat for upon to prevent massive and costly disruption of communities. countries. many years. In the main Spanish, French and British flags of In 1995 Minister Tobin shocked the EU community by arrest- Colours of the Countryside ...... 5 convenience trawlers are the main culprits. The EU fisheries ing the Spanish trawler “Estai” outside Canada’s 200 miles limit. A scientific view of the changing colour of plants. commissioner in Brussels annually announces the need for major The Spaniards had 350 tonnes of juvenile turbot on board. None The Transformation of the Moy ...... 6 cuts in catches for the various species. A few days each Decem- of the fish were capable of reproduction. Two sets of log books The management of the salmon and trout fisheries ber “horse-trading” and brinkmanship is the order of the day. were found on inspection of the vessel. One - the actual - the of the Moy catchment. The deals are done and fisheries Ministers from each country put other contained information to disguise the amount and compo- a gloss on the results for home consumption. However if one is sition of the catch. The EU condemned the arrest instead of Next Door to Nature ...... 7 honest, the day of reckoning for an effective conservation pro- condemning the appalling fishing tactics of EU vessels. Tobin Daphne Pochin Mould’s look at Reykjavik. gramme has been put off until “tomorrow” because the French held his nerve and Canada introduced 100% observer control on Special Areas of Conservation in Ireland ...... 8 and Spaniards get their way. all foreign vessels fishing in the North Atlantic zone - as Tobin Details about SACs and what they are. One must accept that Ireland does not have the same clout at has said prior to and up to 1995 the fishing practices of Spain off Nursing the Environment in a Desert Land...... 9 the EU fisheries table as the French or Spaniards. These two Canada were atrocious. Now with the new enforcement pro- Fr. James Good talks about the harsh realities of the countries have failed totally to police their own trawlers when gramme those practices have been improved. Turkana Desert in Kenya. landing fish. They, with the British flags of convenience vessels, Ireland must as a nation bombard the EU Commission to Some Special Flowers of the Seaside ...... 10 have and are still raping what is left of Ireland’s fishing stocks of accept observers on boats. In April 2000 our present fisheries John Akeroyd tells us about some special plants that hake, cod, whiting and monkfish, which are nearing extinction. Minster Mr. Frank Fahey “asked Commissioner Fischler to expe- have adapted to life by the sea. The size of fish being caught is dropping dramatically. In whit- dite practical progress on this issue in the EU and secured his ing alone there is now a 80% discard in the Irish sea - in simple agreement that the Commission will convene an early meeting of Monster Conger Eels in Irish Waters ...... 12 terms for every 100 fish caught only 20 are brought ashore for the Member States concerned to advance a pilot project.” A pilot A look at what sea anglers regard as one of the sale. In the major hake fishery 45 miles south of Castletownbere project is rubbish, Ireland’s fish stocks need urgent surgery - strongest and tenacious fish found around our coast. the large fish are gone and much of what remains are not suitable pilots projects are, in reality, stonewalling. ESB Report Highlights Water Quality as Major for landing - yet the EU has not said stop. At the time of his retirement, Joey Murrin, former Chief Exec- Problem for Fisheries Management...... 13 Fish conservation is vital for the marine environment as a utive of the Killybegs Fisherman’s Organisation, in an interview Fish Farming & the Environment ...... 14 whole. When large fish species reach low levels there is little with Fishing News, the UK fishing weekly newspaper, stated: “I Eric Twelves, who with his wife Jane runs a salmon spawning stock biomass. Then small fish species which have no am sick and tired of listening to fishermen saying: if we have farm on South Uist, looks at the effects of fish commercial value will take their place and feed on the eggs and 110mm mesh nets we’re going to go out of business; if we hve farming on the environment. larvae of the few remaining large fish that spawn - thus the larger square mesh panels we’re going to go out of business; if we have Aran Islands - Exploring their Depths ...... 15, 16, 17 species cannot recover. closed areas we’re going to go out of business. I pose the ques- There are only four ways to conserve fish stocks and each one tion and nobody can answer it to me: if we keep on going the way The many wonders of sea life are explored by Paul is vital: we are going are we not going to go out of business anyway? Kay in the waters off the Aran Islands. i) Close spawning grounds This is a slow death.” Ireland’s Seabed Survey ...... 18 ii) Close nursery areas An underwater survey of the Irish Seabed has iii) Technical conservation measures - particularly increased recently begun. net mesh sizes and square mesh panels in the net, which allow The Power of the Amateur Tradition...... 19 under-sized fish to escape Maura Scannell writes about an extraordinary iv) Observers on board large fishing vessels. This is equally woman and environmentalist, Evelyn Mary Booth. as important as closing areas. The Canadian and US govern- Can Ireland meet its emission targets? ...... 20 ments use observers on board so that the type, size and quality A report on the National Climate Change Strategy of fish caught can be independently recorded. which was agreed by Government. We must never forget what happened to the cod stocks off New- foundland, Canada, which failed in 1992. Over 55,000 fishermen Publications of Interest ...... 21 and women lost their jobs over the period 1992-95 - eight years on, Making a Wildlife Garden ...... 22 the cod the stocks have not recovered and many people are still Enfo gives details on how to plan a wildlife garden. without jobs. It is difficult to understand that in 1962 the cod Figure 1: Northern cod spawning Biomass age 7 or over - Bray Head Seabirds ...... 23 spawning biomass was 1,600,000 tonnes (Figure 1) - in 1992 they from 1962-1994 Oscar Merne looks at the colonies of seabirds were close to zero. Every year from 1970 to 1992 official reports inhabiting Bray Head. highlighted the need to conserve and manage Canada’s fisheries but The marine ecosystem must be protected. It is in the interests Monuments to Early Underground Resistance...... 24 common sense was forgotten for short-term political gain. Minis- of everyone that it is, especially for fishermen, and if compensa- The engineering masterpieces of the Souterrain - ter Brian Tobin, Canada’s Fisheries Minister in 1995 and now tion has to be paid to them to stop fishing in certain areas, then underground man-made tunnels and chambers. Premier of Newfoundland, on a visit in 2000 to the United King- so be it. No one at present knows the real damaged that has and dom warned UK fishermen and the authorities that if a fishery is being done. No doubt in two to three years we will. JUNIOR PAGES Captain Cockle and the Loch Ness Monster ...... 26 Captain Cockle with the first of a four-part story called “The Attack!” SUBSCRIPTION FORM Your World - Your Choice ...... 27 SHERKIN COMMENT is a quarterly publication of Sherkin I enclose cheque/postal order to the sum of IR£...... YOUR help needed to protect the environment! Island Marine Station aiming to promote the awareness of our Monkfish set on Risotto & Wilted Baby Spinach ....28 natural resources, their use and protection. Name ...... A recipe from BIM SUBSCRIPTION: to receive a year’s subscription to Address ...... Watch the Wind...... 28 “Sherkin Comment”, please send a cheque or money order A story from the RNLI for IR£4.50 for Ireland and IR£5.60 for the U.K. (postage ...... Puzzle Page ...... 29 included); send IR£7.40 for Europe and IR£8.40 for the rest ...... Expedition to Mongolia ...... 30 of the world (surface postage) - payable to Matt Murphy, Signature ...... Date ...... Julie Hannon’s trip to Mongolia as part of her Sherkin Island Marine Station, Sherkin Island, Co. Cork. Ire- “President’s Award - Gaisce” challenge. land. Tel: 028-20187 Fax:028-20407 STAFF: Publisher, Matt Murphy; Editor, Matt Murphy; Editorial E-mail: [email protected] Assistant, Susan Murphy Wickens; Typesetting, Susan Murphy Wick- Environmental Competition for Primary School ens. ISSN 0791-2447 © 2001 Children in Munster 2000 ...... 31 Please send a 1 year subscription - beginning with Issue No...... Sherkin Island Marine Station 1975-2000...... 32 Please send a 2 year subscription - beginning with Issue Sherkin Island Marine Station website: The Station’s Silver Jubilee celebrations. http://homepage.eircom.net/~sherkinmarine No...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 3 Sherkin Island’s Horseshoe Harbour Photo: © Ian Watts Photo: © Ian

Horseshoe Harbour, Sherkin Island

Whether walking at low rocks contain enough to keep tide, snorkelling or diving you interested for hours. Red By Renata there is more than enough to seaweeds abound here includ- see along the fringe of the har- ing those that are encrusting, bour, but to discover a little covering the rocks, and the Kowalik more, the diver can descend a brittle coral weed that has a little further. It may be that chalk skeleton. HORSESHOE is a pictur- only a few metres down a pair Moving deeper, the kelp esque, natural harbour situated of lesser spotted dogfish are gives way to eel grass, a flow- on the south east side of swimming between the kelp ering plant known as seagrass, Sherkin Island. It forms a nat- stipes or resting on the bottom. not a true seaweed. It can ural amphitheatre surrounding A white encrustation covers grow up to a metre in height the water below, with the nar- many of the kelp blades, this is and is conspicuously green row mouth acting as a the sea mat, it has a distinctive against the silt bed. The breakwater calming the often lacy pattern and is a bryozoan. greater pipefish, a close rela- turbulent sea outside. It is a It is not a single animal but a tive of the seahorse, is often fairly shallow harbour, only collection of hundreds of small found here, with its long slen- ten metres deep near der body and long the mouth, covering snout. Sea whips the area of a small “With over a hundred species of attach themselves to stadium. On entering seaweed and more than sixty recorded any loose stone or the harbour from the species of animals, the harbour is shell. Growing up to mouth, it opens out, four and a half with a disused quarry diverse and rich with life.” metres in length they Photo: © Paul Kay lying to the right and have a slimy texture Unlike other anemones, the Snakelocks Anemone cannot draw its tentacles into its body when a small square cove with whip like disturbed or when the tide goes out, so it lives in rockpools and on the lower shore where it can opposite. The rest of the har- animals living in a colony. stems. Beyond the seagrass remain covered with water. bour then curves around Hiding amongst the seaweed beds the bright green sea let- ing the day, coming out to feed amongst the maidens hair sea- above the sediment, waving it smoothly with only a few cuckoo wrasse can often be tuce floats just above the only at night. It has long weed, and if you are lucky you gently to catch food particles. rocky outcrops breaking the seen, the male with his bright bottom, shifting with the antennae that are held together might find a smooth, all white, The great scallop nestles in the line. blue head and orange and blue movement of the water giving and used as a pipe to allow burrowing nudibranch just sediment and if disturbed will With over a hundred species stripes along the body. The cover to hermit crabs and water to reach the gills when it pushing beneath the surface. snap its shell closed with a of seaweed and more than female is a plain reddish small swimming crabs. Ani- buries itself. Most marine worms are hid- puff of the surrounding sand. It sixty recorded species of ani- colour in comparison, and mals unafraid, like the slightly Towards the centre of the den from view, burrowing into is an active swimmer and in mals, the harbour is diverse hard to see in the shadow of aggressive velvet swimming harbour at six or seven metres the sediment or tube dwelling. some cases when it is dis- and rich with life. At low tide the seaweed. They are usually crab, walk boldly across the below the surface, there is a Some of the burrowing worms turbed can move rapidly over where the rocky shoreline seen together during spring sediment. Unusually the soft muddy bottom that at first are given away by their elabo- many metres. meets the water, a dense bed of and early summer when they masked crab can be seen dur- appears barren but on closer rate homes such as the sand Horseshoe Harbour is a kelp and thongweed can be lay eggs in a nest on the sand ing the day walking on the inspection contains hidden mason and parchment worm. small world, isolated from the seen resting their blades on the and gravel. For those inter- surface, it would normally life. Small and delicate, the Burrowing brittlestars reveal Atlantic Ocean outside its surface of the water. Above ested in marine plant life the bury itself in the sediment dur- long-legged spider crabs hide themselves by keeping one leg mouth. When the sky is cloud- this, where the water has less, the sun shines through the receded, every square metre kelp and the water is warm, has thousands of barnacles and you need a good reason to drag periwinkles covering the yourself from the depths back rocks. Beadlet anemones to the heavy land-based world. flourish in the rock pools and It is a peaceful place that can crevices with their tentacles allow for quiet contemplation, drawn in waiting for the tide to a small haven worthy of a visit return, interspersed are snake- from anyone who has a pas- locks anemones waving their sion for nature with all it has to stinging, purple tipped tenta- offer here. cles, unable to retract them completely. This intertidal Renata Kowalik - formerly a area is rich with marine plants volunteer biologist at Sherkin and animals that take advan- Photo: © Paul Kay Photo: © Terry Farnell Terry Photo: © Island Marine Station. tage of the protection that the The delicate and sticky tentacles of the sandmason worm wave The Edible Periwinkle is one of the most familiar sea snails on rocky shore offers. about inthe water, trapping tiny food particles that are present. the seashore and is the largest of the winkle family. Page 4...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Non-Indigenous Species Introductions

many NIS introductions viduals could survive the profile. It used to be rock and enough to fend for them- water in Delaware Bay dis- By Michael around the world that we are weeks it would take to cross many streets are paved with selves. Another technique is charge ballast water to reduce now seeing introduced an ocean. Species such as the the discarded cobblestones to produce large numbers of their draft for the trip to the Ludwig species being displaced by Norway rat found food on made for ballast. Today, eggs with a slow growth rate berths along the New Jersey newer introductions. As a ships, survived and even water has replaced other bal- and release them in locations and Pennsylvania coastline. IMAGINE an American result of these NIS introduc- where they will be quickly The environment is similar to Cowboy movie where the tions, the global ecology is and widely dispersed. This that found in the crab’s home- good guys and the bad guys experiencing a remarkable method limits the likelihood land of Japan and its that all the offspring will be preferred habitat is close to don’t ride into town on and potentially disastrous eaten. The Asiatic shore crab the channel. If a pair of horses. Silly? No, it isn’t. shake up. uses this last technique. It organisms can survive to There were no horses on the How did we get in this sit- seems ideally suited for bal- maturity and then find each North American Continent uation? Simply, no one last water dispersal; its larval other, an unintentional intro- when Columbus and the thought about the conse- stages require about one duction will occur. This Vikings landed. It would take quences of moving things month to complete. Dispersal occurred in at least one Europeans transporting around the world without and population increases are instance and a population was horses across the ocean and checking to see exactly what aided by a reproductive rate established in the rocky inter- was being moved. In fact, losing a few during their trav- which allows production of tidal zone of southern New most of the NIS invasions els in the New World to create two broods per season, at Jersey. Although Hemigrap- have been facilitated by the view of horses we all take The Asiatic shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) is a relatively least. sus has a profligate human activities. Improving small crab, with its carapace (or shell) about 2 inches across. for granted. Horses were the Thought to have been a reproduction rate, the New transportation is the most fre- first non-indigenous species thrived wherever they went last materials. Taken on in successful traveller in the bal- Jersey introduction may not (NIS) introduction we can quent villain. Transportation ashore. Other species were one harbour, ballast water is last water of a ship carrying have been the only one. trace. It certainly hasn’t been speed continues to improve not as successful, particularly disposed of when no longer cars or sneakers or other However, by 1997, the crab the last. And, while horse and, still, there are few con- if they had restrictive survival needed, regardless of was found from Cape introductions to the Americas trols that might limit where requirements. The new trans- where that might be. Cod Bay in Massachu- worked out pretty well, most bugs, birds and bacteria that portation systems deliver Within the ballast water “If a pair of organisms can setts to Oregon Inlet in of the others have been less start the day in one locale goods in days rather than are many of the organ- survive to maturity and then North Carolina. It is appreciated. It is estimated might end the same day. For- months. Global shipping isms that swam in the replacing the NIS that there are 50,000 NIS in tunately, the receiving uses water as ballast as part of water when it was ini- find each other, an green crab (Carcinus the United States alone and location often has an environ- their improvements. Ballast tially taken on. unintentional introduction will maenas) that invaded they are causing $138 billion ment that is hostile to the new is used to maintain the most Enter the Asiatic occur.” our shores in the nine- in damage and losses per arrivals. In the days of sailing efficient and safest sailing shore crab (Hemigrap- teenth century. We are year. There have been so ships, only the hardiest indi- sus sanguineus). concerned about the Species use a number of tech- international cargo, the crab crab because it eats almost niques to insure their was first identified on the US anything it finds and excludes continued existence. Some east coast in 1988. First col- other species. rely on production of large lected around Townsend inlet Do you know that the numbers of offspring with and Cape May harbour, New potato was brought to Europe very rapid maturation charac- Jersey, it appears that in the by the first explorers of the teristics. These species limit late 1980s, Hemigrapsus “New World?” Look around, predation during their earliest were in a ballast water dis- the ecology of the world is life stages, when they are charge that occurred at the changing thanks to inexpen- often unable to flee or hide, entrance to Delaware Bay. sive (free) transportation. Is by spending only a few hours The area possesses the perfect this a good idea? or days as eggs and weak conditions for a successful swimming larvae. Other NIS introduction of a temper- Michael Ludwig, NOAA, species produce few young ate water organism. Vessels NMFS, 212 Rogers Avenue, but protect them from preda- leaving sea water and enter- Milford, CT USA 06460 tion until they are large ing less dense, estuarine

Competition Winners The Central Fisheries Board kindly gave “Sherkin Comment” four copies of Peter O’Reilly’s book “Flyfishing in Ireland”, to give to the first four readers who wrote in giv- ing us the names of 10 freshwater fish found in Irish rivers or lakes. The winners of the books were: Tony Ellis, Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. John T. Murphy, 30 Dundela Haven, Sandycove, Dublin. Keith Shaughnessy, Loughred, Co. Galway. Pat Smith, Knockbrack, Lisnagry, Co. Limerick.

Congratulations to all our winners!

a. nest; b. eyes; c. claw; d. neck; e. beak; f. flight f. beak; e. neck; d. claw; c. eyes; b. nest; a. That?: Picture

4-e stonechat 5-b moorhen; 6-a lapwing 6-a moorhen; 5-b stonechat 4-e

1-f razorbill; 2-c yellowhammer; 3-d treecreeper; treecreeper; 3-d yellowhammer; 2-c razorbill; 1-f Wing: the On

Puffin Bird: the Name Answers to puzzles on page 29 page on puzzles to Answers Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 5 Colours of the Countryside

photosynthesis is oxygen, which is globin, the red pigment in blood, con- A, as such, is not found in plants, but start to show their colours and the released into the air. tains porphyrin molecules in which is stored in the fats of creatures that chlorophylls break down to compounds By M.A. Toole The early atmosphere of the earth the central hole is occupied by iron have eaten carotene. of equally vivid hue, giving rise to the contained no oxygen, so the first liv- rather than magnesium, while the Another variant, lycopene, is glories of autumn woodlands. WINTER is the season in which ing organisms obtained their energy blood equivalent in certain sea crea- responsible for the red colour in such Chemical activity, however, does the countryside slows down and by means of chemical reactions that tures and some insects contains fruits as tomatoes. Similar in struc- not cease. Red, blue and violet pig- appears to sleep. Then, with the first did not involve the use of this highly copper. Vitamin B12, essential to the ture to the carotenes, but with oxygen ments, called anthocyanins, shade the blink of spring, life seems to move reactive gas. It was only with the prevention of pernicious anaemia, atoms attached, are the yellow fruits that have been developing all into gear and the world’s most pro- evolution of the first green plants has a cobalt atom in the centre of the carotenoid pigments known as the summer. These can change colour lific chemical factories, the plants, that free oxygen appeared in the porphyrin molecule. xanthophylls. according to acidity. Blackberry and start cranking into production. The atmosphere. Though oxygen was If a spot of a solution containing Carotene and the carotenoids elderberry juice, for example, turn first sign of this is the almost imper- toxic to many of the early life forms, the juices of green leaves is placed on absorb ultra-violet radiation that red in acid and yellow in alkali. Beet- ceptible greening of the brown land it opened the door to the emergence some absorbent paper, and a suitable might otherwise damage chlorophyll. root and red cabbage show similar and a dusting of buds on trees and of creatures that were able to fulfil solvent allowed to soak into the They give colour to orange and yel- effects, so that these pigments may be bushes. Within a few days, green their energy needs by the more effi- paper, in a manner that carries the low lichens and also to plants that used to distinguish between acids and becomes the dominant hue, over- cient aerobic burning of foods. juices with it, the spot is seen to sep- lack chlorophyll, such as fungi. alkalis. whelming the drabness of the dead There are, in fact, two forms of arate out into a variety of colours. Insects concentrate carotenoids in Together with carotenoids, the months, to be followed, almost in an chlorophyll to be found in leaves, This technique is known as chro- their bodies from eating plants and anthocyanins have coloured the flow- instant, by the profligacy of colour both based on a similar chemical matography. It reveals that green green leaves. Birds, in turn, eat ers throughout the spring and brought by the flowers. structure. The basic unit of this leaves contain not only the two insects, with the result that summer, to attract the insects neces- The ubiquity of green is due to the structure is a pentagon-shaped mol- chlorophylls, but yellow and orange carotenoids are largely responsible sary to pollinate the seeds. They now presence of chlorophyll in the leaves ecule, consisting of four carbon pigments as well. These are the for the colours of their plumage, par- serve to attract birds and animals to of plants. This pigment absorbs light atoms joined to a nitrogen atom, carotenoids. ticularly red, orange and yellow the fruits, so that the ripened seeds radiation from the red end of the which is known as a pyrrole ring. The orange pigment, carotene, feathers. When pollution reduces can be spread around the countryside. sun’s spectrum. The energy thus Four of these rings are linked itself exists in a number of variations insect populations, the plumage of There they lie dormant through the gained is used to break carbon diox- together to form a square molecule and is responsible for the colours of many birds becomes much duller winter months, ready to begin the ide and water, taken in through the with a hole in the centre, called a carrots and oranges. One of the vari- because of a lack of carotenoids in new greening of the land with the leaves and roots, into fragments from porphyrin. In chlorophyll, the hole ants, beta-carotene, is broken down the birds’ diets. arrival of the next spring. which the plant can build up the sug- is occupied by an atom of the metal, by mammalian digestive systems into As summer comes to an end, and ars and starch which are to be its magnesium. vitamin A, each molecule of carotene decreasing sunlight means that trees M.A. Toole, 65, Cheswick Drive, stores of food, and the cellulose from Porphyrins are quite widespread in forming two molecules of the vita- lose water at a faster rate than they Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, which its tissues are constructed. The nature, hinting at an evolutionary link min. Alpha-carotene, in contrast, can convert it to sugars, production NE3 5DW, U.K. by-product of this process, called between plants and animals. Haemo- produces only half as much. Vitamin begins to slow down. The carotenoids Page 6...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 The Transformation of the Moy

estuary also continued with and to manage those valuable draft nets at six locations and resources in a way which trapping at the infamous would yield the maximum “boxes” at Ballina. Dwindling benefit for the local economy stocks, combined with grow- on an ongoing basis. ing awareness of the tourism The first step in implemen- potential of salmon angling, tation of the Moy Plan was resulted in local Fisheries taken in 1993 with a compre- Minister, Paddy O’Toole, buy- hensive survey of the system. ing out the privately owned In a huge operation, involving Moy Fishery, at Ballina, for staff from the Central and the State, in 1987. However, Regional Fisheries Boards, the netting and trapping con- under the direction of Dr. Mar- tinued, much to the tin O’Grady, as many as 246 disappointment and frustration individual sites were exam- A natural log with “spacers” underneath is put in place in stream of local angling groups and ined in detail. Dr. O’Grady’s bed to provide cover and shade for young fish. tourism interests. It was clear report found that the rivers and and drains an area of 805 to all that the huge potential of streams held good stocks of square miles in Mayo and the mighty salmon and By Vincent Sligo. The system has some Moy was not trout fry but sur- 25 tributaries and the catch- being realised “The objective of the vival to the parr Roche ment includes more than 30 and that an plan was to develop stage was gen- Regional Fisheries Board Western Photos: © North lakes the biggest of which is overall plan the salmon and trout erally Work underway on narrowing and deepening a nursery stream in the Moy catchment with Nephin mountain in the background. THIS year, the River Moy Lough Conn (12,000 acres). was needed. fisheries of the Moy disappointing. produced 6,335 salmon to the Salmon have been harvested This need was catchment to their This was attrib- over the period 1995-1999. concerns in regard to the sur- rod for about 7,500 anglers commercially on the Moy for met, in 1992, uted to poor While the habitat works vival of salmon at sea, who came from more than centuries. The 1960’s, how- with the publi- maximum potential” quality habitat were underway, the manage- everything that can be done has thirty countries. To meet the ever, saw the start of a decline cation by The resulting from ment changes set out in the been done to ensure that the increased demand for angling, in stocks. The river and its Western Regional Fisheries 1960’s drainage scheme and plan were also being imple- system produces maximum the world famous Moy has tributaries suffered from a Board, of an integrated Man- from various land use practices mented. Management of the numbers of trout and salmon on been transformed in recent drainage scheme, the onset of agement and Development which had impacted on the Moy Fishery was devolved to a sustainable basis. Unfortu- years with the implementation drift netting and an outbreak of Plan for the Moy System. The riparian zone. Dr. O’Grady the Central Fisheries Board in nately, progress in regard to of a major Management and Ulcerative Dermal Necrosis objective of the plan was to became the Regional Board’s 1994. Draft netting ceased water quality has not been Development Plan by the (UDN) disease. While drift develop the salmon and trout technical advisor for the Moy with effect from 1995 and good. Lough Conn and Lough Regional Fisheries Board. netting at sea expanded, com- fisheries of the Moy catchment Plan and, using a range of trapping ended with effect Cullin are suffering from The Moy is 63 miles long mercial fishing on the Moy to their maximum potential internationally tried tech- from 1999 when the fishery enrichment resulting from niques, he brought forward was finally transferred to the excessive discharges of phos- specific development propos- Regional Board. A new River phorous. It is hoped that Mayo als for habitat improvement. Moy Manager, Mr Declan County Council will proceed in Funding was provided under Cooke, was appointed. As the near future with proposals the EU-supported Tourism well as having direct responsi- to control the use of artificial Angling Measure and, in bility for management of phosphorous and that the prom- November, 1994, the first steps state-owned fisheries on the ised new sewage plants, at were taken in a major project Moy, Mr. Cooke also has brief several locations, will result in a that was to transform virtually in regard to management of reduction in nutrient inputs to every river and stream in the the Moy system generally. A various rivers. The Fisheries Moy catchment. A variety of computerised Geographic Board has discharged its respon- works were undertaken includ- Information System (GIS) has sibilities and it now hopes that ing the narrowing and been put in place and a sophis- all other relevant agencies will deepening of stream channels ticated salmon counter has play their part in ensuring the (to ensure sufficient depth of also been installed at Ballina. future of a great river. water during dry spells); the A comprehensive angling construction of various types guide has also been published, Vincent Roche, Chief of weirs (to provide depth and a new angling centre has been Executive Officer, North improve oxygenation); the built at the famous Ridge Pool Western Regional Fisheries placing of hundreds of logs in and facilities for disabled Board, Ardnaree House, Abbey streams (to provide cover and anglers have been provided. Street, Ballina, Co. Mayo. shade for juvenile fish) and The Moy is well positioned, extensive bank protection therefore, as we face into the 096-22788 Fax: 096-70543 work (to combat erosion and 21st century. While there are siltation). Fish passes were cut through previously impassable rock faces and pools were excavated on bigger tributaries to provide suitable habitat for adult trout. Extensive monitor- ing has been carried out to assess the effects of the works and the results have been very encouraging with significant increases in numbers of salmon and trout parr in virtu- ally all developed streams. On the main Moy channel, new angling beats were developed and hundreds of new angling A stone weir has been provided in what was formerly a spaces created. A total of £2m. featureless stream. The weir provides depth, cover and natural was invested in physical works oxygenation thus greatly improving habitat for juvenile trout and salmon. Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 7

path by present day artists. The mak- ing of this path along Reykjavik’s sea shore was an inspired development, and it is linked to a whole series of walking paths through the city to var- ious other open spaces and parks. It Next Door to Nature passes the big cemetery of Fossvogur, where Icelanders plant flowers on their graves and trees around it. So leave the path, and the seashore envi- Planting of all these trees only began ronment, and go through the gate into here c. 1960 and after. By Daphne a woodland one, with the wood thrushes singing from the branches above. We call them redwings when Pochin Mould they winter down here in Ireland, and they are shy, but in Iceland they know IT could so easily have been an they will not be harmed, and you can urban disaster. Consider the figures. walk up close to them. Beyond Fos- In 1901, Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, svogur, a new pedestrian flyover had a population of 6,682, 8.5% of bridge across a major motorway, the country’s total number of people. takes you to the “Black Forest”, part Most lived on their separate farms or Forest Association trees and part the in small coastal fishing townships. big garden centre, Blomaval’s, with Reykjavik was a small cluster of its greenhouses. It too is full of wood Reykjavik’s salmon river. mainly wooden houses, sited between thrushes and starlings - birds which the sea shore and the lake (Tjorn, our have only recently colonised Iceland. Reykjavik was one of the nine word “tarn”) - it did not even have a Reykjavik calls itself “spa city”, European cities of culture for the year proper harbour. By 1950, it had hot spring heated swimming pools 2000, and packed the year with all grown to 56,251, then 39.1% of the are numerous - every Icelandic child manner of events and developments. country’s total. In 1999, it was Best fed birds in Europe? Tjorn Lake still partially frozen in this early spring must learn to swim before leaving One was turning the little sandy 109,795, 39.4% of the country’s total photograph. school. The big 50m pool, and the beach at Nautholtsvik on the coastal population of 278,702. Or counting hotspots - choose the temperature you path into a “thermal beach”, by build- in the “capital area” - development of gleaming cars, and there’s the celebrated its 50 years of independ- like and sit there gossiping or relax- ing a breakwater and running a hot sprawling out round the city limits - a coastal path. Watch mother eider ence. Here are standing stones, one ing as long as you like - is beside the water pipe into the sea. So you can total of 171,514. ducks minding their flotillas of each from the ancient regional assem- old hotspring spot where Reykjavik now bathe in the geothermally heated But Reykjavik is proud to describe chicks whilst the lazy males sleep in bly sites of ancient Iceland and from women used to wash their clothes. ocean! itself as “next door to nature”, and a cluster, ignoring their families. the National Parliament (the world’s Close by is the Botanic Garden, dis- But it was 50 years ago, that the Icelanders, busily planting trees -lit- For Reykjavik kept its open spaces first), at Thingvellier; each suitably playing most Icelandic species and a city bought a large area of moorland, erally by the million - joke about it and continues to develop them. inscribed. And trees and seats. Most great many foreign ones. And nearby Heidmork, as an open space for the being the country’s biggest forest. Every day, crowds of Icelanders go of us have wearily tramped city is the children’s zoo, where they can people. Now, partly planted with Fly over it in summer it is a mosaic of and feed the birds of Tjorn, whooper streets; Reykjavik has an abundance get to know Icelandic animals, domes- trees by the Forestry Association, it is greenery, with the native birch and swans, mallard, tufted duck, eider, a of places to rest. And of statutes. Ice- tic and wild; and alongside a play park a beautiful area of forest walks and rowan (mountain ash), various variety of seagulls - they must be the landers like art. So Reykjavik’s with among other things, a road-lay- open trails, for both walkers, and rid- conifers, suburban hedges of willows best fed wild birds in Europe! Tjorn figures range from the very old one of out, where they can learn the rules of ers on the beautiful Icelandic horses. and thickets of roses (Rosa rugosa). and the surrounding expanse of Ingolfur Arnarsson, the first settler of the road in safety. Reykjavik calls So easily, the rapid growth of the Gone is the thick winter pall of coal grassy land, has hosted nearly 100 the country in AD 874, through the itself a child friendly city, and Ice- city could have been a disaster. But smoke that once hung over the town - species of bird, including rarities United States gift of Leif Eriksson, landic children enjoy a freedom to do Reykjavik has stayed next door to every building and home is connected and strays. The new city hall was discoverer of America in AD 1000, to their own thing, which is now denied nature, and is actively planning to to the city’s hot water system, fed built over a corner of the lake, so all sorts of creations along the coastal to ours in Ireland. stay that way. from the natural hot springs. Forget that you can sit in its cafeteria the long dark winter nights, this city (which serves the best soup I have is ablaze with light - electricity gen- ever tasted), and look out over the erated by the country’s great rivers, lake and the birds. In winter, the run and to a much lesser extent, turbines off from its hot water system keeps a driven by natural steam from the corner of Tjorn unfrozen. country’s high temperature areas. It There are big parks and sudden claims to be the only capital with a small gardens. A tiny little one, at thriving salmon river through its the back of the parliament house, and heart, where the mayor or mayoress for its use, made at the end of the 19th must catch the first fish of the season. century. One man’s creation, Jon’s Or what other big city has a garden - once out in the country but colony of arctic terns nesting in its now circled by industrial develop- midst? Leave some very modern, ment - is still carefully maintained. high tech block of offices, wait for Democracy Garden, in the heart of the lights before crossing the stream the old city, from 1974, when Iceland Photos: © Daphne Mould Icelanders enjoy the sun on the new thermal beach Page 8...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Special Areas of Conservation in Ireland

By meadow is now likely to be a Ciaran O’Keeffe well fertilised field of rye grass; what was once a marsh- & Peadar Caffrey land has now been drained and infilled and lies under roads IRELAND has a wealth of and factories on the edge of a natural areas and wildlife habi- town. New fishing techniques tat. But look at the countryside allow extra species to be har- in old photographs, TV pro- vested. And many of our grammes or family cinefilm wilder places are under pres- and you will be struck by how sure as we spread out in search much things have changed in a of new farmland, turfbanks, short while. Look at paintings aquaculture sites or just places and sketches by the likes of to spend our leisure. Paul Henry and Percy French Hence the need for laws to from a hun- protect the dred years best of our ago, and the “...our wildlife has remaining changes are habitats and greater still. not been able to keep we are doing We have pace with the change so by imple- changed our and has gone into a menting the lives and our EU Habitats environment steepening decline.” Directive. It for good rea- requires the son. Paul establishment Henry wrote of life in Achill: of a EU network of ecological The Heritage Service Photos: © Dúchas - “I have yet to see people who sites, known as the Natura Photographs from top to bottom: Blanket bog and wet heath, Glenveagh, Co. Donegal; Estuary and worked so hard for so little 2000 Network. The Network SACs. The EU Commission sand dunes, Gweebarra, Co. Donegal; Old oak woods with bird cherry; Pink Encrusting Seaweeds - Lithothamnion spp. & Lithophyllum spp. gain. It meant incessant consists of Special Areas of will assess the Irish SACs in toil…” We have gained Conservation (SACs) together September 2001 and indicate of the biodiversity recorded in relevant interests. The chal- there are encouraging exam- immeasurably in wealth, com- with Special Protection Areas whether they are satisfied. the survey. (The Biomar sur- lenge now is to find the best ples in Scotland and elsewhere fort, health and time and (SPAs) established under the Thereafter the sites will be for- vey results are available on CD, way forward for both conser- of how the designation can be opportunity for leisure. EU Birds Directive. The Habi- mally designated. £12 inc. p+p, from EcoServe, vation and socio-economic used as a quality mark for fish However, our wildlife has tats Directive was brought The most recently adver- 17 Rathfarnham Road, Dublin benefit. not been able to keep pace into Irish law as the European tised sites were mostly marine 6; or visit www.ecoserve.ie/ We also need to carry out producers and tourism opera- with the change and has gone Communities (Natural Habi- in nature. These were selected biomar.) more survey and mapping to tors, among others. into a steepening decline. We tats) Regulations, 1997. as a result of Biomar, a 4-year The marine SACs include improve our knowledge on the are losing our wildlife espe- 363 sites have been publicly survey of our shores and shal- many areas where aquaculture distribution and extent of habi- Ciaran O’Keeffe & Peadar cially because we are changing advertised in Ireland and are low waters, during which and fishing are important tats in theses underwater sites. Caffrey, Dúchas - The the places where animals and protected under law. Most of more than 900 site investiga- activities. Dúchas will develop The arrival of marine SACs plants have lived – their habi- these have been formally trans- tions were carried out. The conservation plans for these has not been entirely welcome Heritage Service, 7 Ely Place, tats. What was once a hay mitted to the EU as candidate proposed SACs contain 95% areas, in consultation with all among some interests! But Dublin 2, Ireland.

access independent arbitration if they are unhappy with license activities in SACs must assess applications in the light Further Details About SACs an offer received. of the conservation interest of the sites. The Minister for Arts, Planning and Licenses: The Directive requires Member Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands is obliged to assess activi- Appeals: Those affected by the proposals may object, on States to maintain or restore the favourable conservation sta- ties not licensed by other Ministers or Authorities. scientific grounds, to the inclusion of their lands in these sites. tus of the habitats and species listed in its annexes in the Farm Plans: Dúchas has agreed farming prescriptions for Landowners may also appeal for the inclusion of their lands in SACs. All plans or developments likely to have an adverse use in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, and for use a SAC. Initially Dúchas reviews the situation; if the impact on these sites must be assessed to determine their by farmers in SACs who do not wish to participate in the landowner is not then satisfied he may go to the SAC Appeals likely impact on their conservation interest. If the assessment Scheme, for Burren habitats, blanket bogs, heaths, upland Advisory Board. This has equal representation from the indicates significant negative impact alternative solutions grasslands, sand dune habitats and machair areas. Agreement landowner/user organisations and the non-Governmental con- must be sought. has yet to be reached on a small number of other habitats such servation organisations, and has an independent chairman. Developments requiring planning permission remain the as callow type land, turloughs and intensive grasslands and Compensation: The Government has promised fair responsibility of the Local Authorities and An Bórd Pleanála. discussions are on going with the relevant farm organisations. compensation of landowners and users who incur a finan- These bodies are required to assess the implications, of grant- Other bodies with direct responsibility for implementing cial loss as a result of restrictions arising from SACs. ing permission, on the conservation interest of the sites. It is the Directive: The Department of Agriculture, Food and Landowners are compensated either by participation in important to note that SACs do not automatically prohibit Rural Development.; The Department of the Environment and the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, which pro- development! Developments not causing significant to the Local Government; The Department of Marine and Natural vides an in-built incentive, or by the Department of Arts, conservation interest of a site may be permitted. All plans, Resources; The Office of Public Works; The Environmental Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, which will compen- including County Development Plans must be assessed. Protection Agency; The Local Authorities, An Bórd Pleanála sate for actual income losses incurred. Applicants can All public authorities and Government Ministers that and the National Roads Authority; Waterways Ireland. Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 9 ping up their priceless tusks. nearer the mark, and the great Giraffes airlifted into Fish Road is gradually disap- Turkana to form the nucleus pearing into the desert sand. of a national gamepark disap- Irrigation schemes pro- Nursing the peared within a few months. vided another possible The Turkana love of akiring solution for the problems of (flesh meat) proved a bigger Turkana. However, it was attraction than tourists who soon discovered that irriga- Environment in a might come to see the tion schemes required such a wildlife. large injection of capital that The goat is the great sur- they could never be finan- vivor of the Turkana Desert. cially viable. It would be Blades of grass growing almost easier (though less Desert Land among the rocks, little bits of desirable) to give the cash scrub bush pushing their way directly to the people of the up through the sand - virtu- desert. Irrigation schemes - ally anything that grows will with one notable exception sustain the Turkana goat. But backed by the Diocese - are if the rains fail, there will be but one species of white ele- no blades of grass and no phant scattered all over scrub bushes. Anyone driving Turkana. a truck across the desert gets Forty years of development an early warning that the end work by the Catholic Diocese is near when several mem- of Lodwar would suggest that Photos: © Fr. James Good Photos: © Fr. bers of a flock of goats, the only viable investment in THE Turkana Desert, in preventing rain. When the complete absence of water running to get out of his way, Turkana is in its people. Training the local people to today’s geography, is men came home, they were (rain, rivers) means that roll over with the effort and be teachers and nurses to bounded on the northern side naturally very angry with reforestation plans must all fail to rise again. By their own tribe, and providing by Sudan and on the west by what the women had done. ultimately fail - and many After the great famine of massive inputs of food in Fr. James Good Uganda. Its eastern wall is They made a very long spear have been tried, including the 1960-61, European experts times of drought, would formed by Lake Turkana (for- by tying Israeli sys- identified two possible solu- appear to be the most satis- merly known as Lake Rudolf) their indi- tem of tions to the problems of “It seems to be the fate factory and perhaps the only and on the southern side it is vidual terracing. Turkana and its people. The way of developing the blocked off from the rest of spears of the Turkana people Fairly reg- first was to develop the fish- together ular cycles ing in the 130-mile long Lake Turkana People. Kenya by the high mountains that in order to survive Perhaps the Creator never of West Pokot. It is, in effect, and tried to of total Turkana. The experts esti- they must destroy what mated that 150,000 tonnes of really meant human beings to a box of some twenty-three drill holes drought little remains of the few fish could be harvested annu- live in an environment as thousand square miles of in the sky. (about ally from the lake, and a hostile as the Turkana desert and semi-desert land All their things that make their every ten 250-mile highway was built Desert? where nothing grows - in the efforts desert habitable.” years) across the desert to transport words of the Hebrew failed, and bring with the fish to the markets of East Fr. James Good, Parkview, psalmist, “a dry, weary land so Turkana them remains a desert to this day. cycles of death: death of the Africa. But a local estimate of Church Street, Douglas, Cork, without water”. This myth is probably a very sparse vegetation is fol- 15,000 tonnes of fish proved Ireland. The Turkana people have a tribal memory of a time when lowed by the death of the tradition (borne out by histor- the Turkana area fed the Nile herds, to be followed soon ical research) that in the Fr. James Good was attached and provided the developing after by the death of the distant past their desert was to the Diocese of Lodwar, ground for the emergence of herders. However, it is gener- fertile. It was so fertile, the Turkana, in North West Kenya, the human species. But then ally agreed that the greatest from 1975 to 1999, where he tradition maintains, that the volcanic and climatic destruction of the environ- was involved in priestly hooves of the animals were pastoral work. He taught changes gradually trans- ment is the cutting down of students for the priesthood being damaged by the fre- formed the area into one of trees for firewood. For many and administered the quent rain. So one day when the most inhospitable places years, trucks returning empty diocesan office for the local the menfolk were away hunt- bishop. on earth - as one journalist after delivering goods to He is now retired and has ing, the women got together has aptly described it, “as Southern Sudan filled up with and pushed the sky up, thus close as you can got to hell on tons of Turkana charcoal, earth!” bought in the desert at a nom- The environmentalist who inal price and sold at a huge looks at the Turkana Desert profit in the charcoal-burning as it is today will no doubt areas to the south. And of lament its deterioration from course the Turkana people fertile valley to barren desert. themselves had of necessity A “dry weary land without to share in this destruction of water” does not provide a their environment, since there basis for work for the enthu- was no source of fuel avail- siast who wishes to protect able to them - apart from and foster the gifts of nature. wood or charcoal. The sad fact is that today Other resources? The there are few gifts of nature scarcity of food makes left in Turkana. Turkana unable to sustain It seems to be the fate of much wildlife. Any wildlife the Turkana people that in that exists - mainly small order to survive they must numbers of gazelle - is destroy what little remains of hunted down for food, despite the few things that make their a governmental ban on game desert habitable. Desertifica- hunting. Elephants occasion- tion is brought about mainly ally wander into the desert by the destruction of trees. (once their home in happier Trees grow only on the banks days) but they have little of dried-up rivers. The soil is chance against poachers generally hostile to growth of armed with machine guns to any kind, and the almost kill and chain-saws for chop- Page 10...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Some Special Flowers of the Seaside

on the coast. Soils are unsta- are annual, since winter storms Waterford, where it was dis- ers. The fruits, like pale brown ble, sandy or rocky and will wash them away. covered only in 1973. This leathery peas, can float in sea- mineral-poor, winds are per- Perhaps the most attractive largely Mediterranean plant water and are thus transported sistent, strong and salt-laden, of them is the lilac- or seems to be spreading, for to new sites. It, is scattered in and the waves that crash on to whitish-flowered Sea Rocket several new sites turned up Ireland from Kerry to Louth, the shore can dislodge soil (Cakile maritima), a member along the southern coast of but is perhaps commoner than and pummel vegetation. of the cress family superfi- England in the 1990s. Its had been thought, with several Strands are one of the best cially similar to Lady’s increase perhaps indicates cli- new colonies reported in re- places to look for interesting Smock of wet meadows. The mate change, since it needs cent years. It is abundant coastal flowers. Sand is com- leaves and stems, like those of hot summers and cannot stand enough on some shingle

Photo: © John Akeroyd Photo: © John moner strand material than so many coastal plants, are cold winters. It may well strands in southern England Sea Holly, a thistle-like member of the carrot family, found only shingle, although it is less sta- fleshy to counteract effects of spread in Ireland too. for local people formerly to on strands and sand-dunes. ble and attracts the visitors water-loss in a salty and often Further up the beach, bien- have harvested the shoots as who may damage the vegeta- droughted environment. The nial and perennial plants more an early spring crop. rich habitats such as heath- tion. A select group of strand pods are characteristically easily establish. One of the Sea Kale is a peculiarly land, grassland and open, plants grows best on open short and stout. English veg- By Dr. John rocky or stony ground sur- sand or fine shingle where the This plant, wide- “These plants, many especially beautiful, etable. Other, vive, but also they are home to highest tides have cast up spread along more widely Akeroyd special plants found nowhere debris such as seaweed and Atlantic and possess a range of ecological eaten, vegetables else. These plants, many espe- shells. These materials provide Mediterranean adaptations to enable them to survive the too have their cially beautiful, possess a compost and plant foods, and seashores, flow- frequently difficult habitat conditions origins on the ONE of the many joys of range of ecological adapta- the soil can be rich in nitrogen. ers in summer but coast. Radish seaside holidays is a profusion tions to enable them to Rain washes the salt down into can be found in found on the coast.” occurs on of wild flowers. Not only are survive the frequently diffi- lower layers of sand. Most of bloom through seashores as a coasts places where flower- cult habitat conditions found the plants in this lowest zone the year in the mild Irish cli- most characteristic plants here distinct subspecies, Sea mate. Other plants are less is the handsome Horned Radish. This robust, bristly conspicuous. Prickly Saltwort Poppy (Glaucium flavum). radish with spreading stems (Salsola kalt) is a stiffly Flimsy, cup-shaped yellow and rosettes of huge lobed branched plant with tiny flowers, 5-9 cm across arise leaves - and corky, floating papery flowers and narrow from masses of deeply lobed, fruits - is common in West fleshy leaves that each end in bristly silvery-grey leaves. Cork, forming small thickets a sharp point. Another wide- The fruits are even more dis- at the top of the strands of spread plant, it is as tinctive: slender curved cylin- Sherkin and many other characteristic of salt-steppes ders up to 30 cm long full of islands of Roaringwater Bay. and deserts from Ukraine to small seeds. Rather common Botanists have recorded it Central Asia as it is of sandy in parts of eastern and south- there persistently since the strands in Ireland. ern England, it is local in Ire- Rev. Thomas Allin reported it A few perennial plants per- land, although a striking sight on Castle Island in 1883. sist in this strand vegetation. where it does occur. An even Wild Cabbage (Brassica Sea Knotgrass (Polygonum more conspicuous plant is Sea oleracea) and related plants maritimum) is a rare Irish Kale, a huge grey cabbage are native to sea-cliffs in the plant, known only from a sin- with deeply lobed leaves and Mediterranean region, extend- gle site on the coast of Co great clusters of cream flow- ing north as far as Britain (where they are perhaps not native). From these scruffy Photo: © S.L. Jury tough-leaved plants, plant breeders have selected the kales, heading cabbages, Brussels sprouts, cauliflow- ers, broccoli, calabrese and kohl-rabi of the market gar- den. Closely related to the cabbages, Wild Turnip (Bras- sica rapa), occurs both as a weed of waysides and as a plant of semi-natural vegeta- tion on low or earthy cliffs by the sea. This plant is a sub- species of one of the main plants grown for Oilseed Rape crops. Such native pockets of the species will be of consid- erable significance should the British or Irish government allow the commercial cultiva- tion of Genetically Modified (GM) oilseed rape. Crossing between cultivated and wild plants will allow GM traits to Photo: © John Akeroyd Photo: © John ‘escape’ - despite the assur- Top: Sea Knotgrass, a largely Mediterranean plant that just extends to Co. Waterford and is Photo: John Akeroyd Photo: John ances of scientists, many of apparently spreading. Above: Kidney Vetch usually has yellow flowers, but on the coast it displays a range of colour- The coastal subspecies of Curled Dock, with its dense clusters of whom have little knowledge forms. flowers. Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 11

wind-pruned scrub. Where rocks outcrop in quantity, two attractive flowers in particular are abundant, sometimes Fish Farming forming extensive patches. The distinctive Thrift (Arme- ria maritima) has narrow, grass-like fleshy leaves and is a Growing dense heads of purplish-pink flowers atop long stalks. A few flowers can be found from spring to autumn; in June they show up in great Business crowds, the heads dancing in the breeze. With it grows Sea Worth:

Photo: © John Akeroyd Photo: © John Campion (Silene uniflora), a • £70 million to coastal areas Sea Bindweed, a beautiful coastal cousin of the twining dainty flower with 5 white • 1/3 of all Irish fish production bindweeds of field and hedgerows. petals emerging from a cylin- • Over 2,000 jobs in rural Ireland drical bladder-like calyx. The • 12-month a year employment of wild plants. Wild cabbage destroy them. Coastal plants greyish pointed leaves are in relatives are a vital genetic flower slightly later, in quiet neat opposite pairs. • Export-oriented resource for future plant summer days when salt spray On a few low cliffs on east- • Labour intensive added value breeding. One unique British is less of a problem. The seeds ern coasts of Ireland, mats of Irish fish farmers produce top quality seafood for the restaurants example, Lundy Cabbage of weed plants are much more Western Clover (Trifolium (Coincya wrightii), is entirely dormant and hard to germi- occidentale) occur with Thrift and supermarkets of Europe restricted to cliffs on one nate than those from and Sea Campion. It is very • to the highest quality standards small island off Devon. It is seashores, which need to grow similar to the common White • under an intensively monitored licensing regime vital that the official agencies and establish as soon as con- Clover (T. repens), from continue to protect this plant ditions are favourable. which it differs by its earlier • without quotas against habitat damage and Another subspecies, tall, flowering (April-June), • in pristine waters contamination from GM loosely branched and with an fleshier leaves that are greyish • meeting the requirements of the most demanding customers and crops. even bigger root, grows on above, and a number of small consumers Sea Beet is one of the most muddy river-banks. Here is but consistent flower charac- • providing much needed jobs in coastal areas conspicuous of seashore veg- plant evolution in action! ters. Botanists first etable relatives. It is a Sand-dunes are a feature of discovered this plant, also • giving custom to and providing jobs in local service industries - perennial subspecies of Beta Irish coasts, especially in the known from Wales to north- feed, nets, engineering, garages, boats, packaging, vets, etc. vulgaris, a variable species west and north-west. Once ern Spain, in Ireland in 1979. • in harmony with EU Environmental Directives that has given us the plants we stabilised by wild grasses, Indeed it was first found, new call sugar beet, mangold, mosses and other plants, they to science, in Cornwall only For more information contact: IFA Fish Farming Section, spinach beet, beetroot and form areas of plant-rich in 1961. Irish Farmers’ Association, Bluebell, Dublin 12 chard. It has a mass of dark semi-natural grassland known A feature of many seashore ph: 01-4500266 fax: 01-4551043 e-mail [email protected] green fleshy leaves and pros- as machair. In late spring and plants is that they come and trate to sprawling or summer these grasslands are go, their numbers fluctuating sometimes erect stems bear- bright with flowers. Towards from year to year. Perhaps the ing numerous small green the front of the dunes the sand most enigmatic of Ireland’s flowers and corky fruits that is often open and unstable and coastal plants is Sea Pea float in seawater. Like those here grow several characteris- (Lathyrus japonicus), found at of Sea Kale and Sea Radish, tic coastal flowers. Sea just a few sites in the west. A the buoyant fruits disperse in Bindweed (Calystegia magnificent plant, with clus- the waves. The yellowish root, sepium) has pretty pink and ters of purple peaflowers, it which can be massive, con- white-striped funnel-shaped has long persisted near Inch in tains sugar like that of the flowers arising from a bed of Kerry and two new stations related sugar-beet. Again the fleshy, kidney-shaped dark turned up during the Sherkin wild plants comprise a signif- green leaves. Sea Holly Marine Station flora survey of icant genetic resource: all the (Eryngium maritimum) is Roaringwater Bay. Con- world’s sugar beet descends quite unmistakable, a stiffly versely, it is abundant on from plants selected in Silesia branched bluish thistle with some shingle strands and spits (now in Poland) during the holly-like spiny leaves and in southern and eastern Eng- Napoleonic Wars! New tight heads of blue flowers land - so much so that the sources of variation may well framed by spiny ruffs. In the be needed in future. Mediterranean region similar pealike seeds more than once Weeds too have coastal rel- species occur inland and in the saved the townsfolk of Alde- atives. Indeed weeds may mountains. In early summer burgh in Suffolk from famine! have evolved originally from the yellow or bluish pansy The Irish plants have nar- plants growing naturally on flowers of Heart’s-ease (Viola rower leaves and tend to grow shingle beaches and open tricolor) form colourful patches on sand rather than shingle. ground by the sea. Curled on blown sand. The coastal Could they have arisen from Dock (Rumex crispus) is a plants are distinct from inland seeds drifting across the classic strand plant, with a populations, especially in being Atlantic from North America? distinct subspecies found on perennial. In Ireland these Long before St Brendan made sand, shingle, the edges of attractive perennial pansies his famous voyage, or people saltmarshes and waste land by uniquely occur inland, around looking out to sea dreamed of the sea. The flowers are the shores of Lough Neagh. Tir na nOg, plants were cross- massed for protection in a Cliffs provide one of the ing the oceans to colonise new compact dense panicle or most spectacular habitats for lands. And seaside plants were cluster: those of plants grow- coastal plants. They are always in the vanguard. ing as weeds inland are in exposed to the full force of much looser panicles. The high seas, fierce winds and Dr John Akeroyd, Editor of plants are perennial (with a large amounts of salt spray. ‘The Wild plants of huge taproot) and can flower Soil fertility is often high, Sherkin, Cape Clear and over several years, whereas especially where numbers of adjacent islands of West weed plants are annual or sea birds congregate or nest. Cork’, has researched biennial, shedding seed before Often the vegetation is a dense variation in coastal plants the farmer or gardener can grassy sward, perhaps with since 1975. Page 12...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27

conger eel (>40 lbs) have been recorded by the Irish Specimen Fish Committee (ISFC) Monster Conger Eels in Irish Waters between 1961 and 1999 (Fig- ure 1). The vast majority (88.4%) of these specimens century literature describing weighted between 40 and 50 close encounters with some of lbs; only 12 specimens these monsters. For example, weighed >50 lbs, while none Couch (1868) remarked how exceeded the 70 lbs mark after “A fisherman had safely (Table 1). Although specimens taken a stout conger into his have been recorded from most boat, the fish snapped at and maritime counties (excluding caught his foot within its Louth, Clare, Sligo and mouth, and sprang overboard, Leitrim), the vast majority carrying his shoe with it.” The (77.8%) were captured off the same author also warned how S and SW coasts of Counties “A man had thrust his foot into Waterford, Cork and Kerry the mouth of a conger that (Table 2). However, despite showed little sign of life; when this shewed distribution in suddenly the jaws grasped it, catch, some of the largest and an active revolving motion specimens were taken in began by which he was dashed northern waters (e.g. 64 lbs, to the ground with consider- Belfast Lough; 60 lbs, Done- able violence.” More recently, gal Bay). While all of the a vicious attack by a 6 ft long specimens were captured conger eel on a Scottish diver between May and November, was reported in The Irish the vast majority were taken Times on 2nd September, during the summer and 1995. The eel apparently autumn: June – September dragged the diver away from his companions. Sea anglers regard the con- ger eel as one of the strongest and tenacious fish found around our coasts. The late Des Brennan (The Sea Angler Afloat & Ashore) described the eel’s fighting ability as fol-

Photo: © Declan Quigley lows: “The conger fights like A Fine Catch: Fishing for Conger Eel off Dungarvan, Co. Waterford no other fish. It twists, writhes, revolves and shakes its head 15 years of age. Although sev- The growth rate of congers Tuskar Rock off the Wexford from side to side in its efforts eral spawning areas are is thought to be rapid. Eels coast captured a specimen to break the hook hold. It By Declan thought to occur, European may attain a weight of 2-3 lbs weighing 115 lbs 8 ozs (6 ft 4 corkscrews its long sinuous congers appear to migrate to three years after metamorpho- inches). body through the water as it an area between Gibraltar and sis and can weight 90 lbs after Large conger eels are backs away, rather like the pro- T. Quigley the Azores where they spawn a further 5 years in captivity. extremely powerful, and at peller of a boat in reverse, (and die) during midsummer Although most of the congers close quarters, a dangerous obtaining a tremendous grip THE conger eel (Conger over depths of 3,000-4,000m. found in Irish waters weight conger) is widely distributed An individual female can pro- between 8 and 20 lbs, there is throughout the Eastern duce vast numbers of eggs. clear evidence that the species Atlantic from Norway and Ice- For example, Eoin Fannin et can attain monstrous propor- land to Senegal (NW Africa) al. (FRC, Dublin) estimated tions. Stories of massive eels including the Mediterranean the age (21 years) and fecun- abound and some authorities and Black Seas and possibly as dity (12.4-17.3 million ova) of on the fish believe that excep- far south as South Africa. A an exceptionally large (119 tional congers can probably Table 2: Maritime County similar species, the American lbs, 6 ft) maturing female con- grow to as much as 350 lbs. Distribution of Specimen Conger Eel conger (C. oceanica) is found ger captured by a trawler off One of the heaviest authenti- from Cape Cod (Massachu- the Wexford coast in Novem- cated specimens weighed 252 setts) to South America. In ber 1988 (J. Fish Biology lbs (9 ft long) and was cap- (Figure 2). Irish waters, the conger eel is 1990, 36: 275-276). After tured by a commercial trawler Table 1: Size Frequency Distribution of Specimen Conger Eel Although the current Irish found all around our coasts spawning, the leptocephalus off the Westman Islands near rod and line conger eel record mostly on or near rocky larvae drift north-eastwards Iceland. Trawlers have taken fish. However, they are not and traction in the water which (72 lbs, Valentia, 1914) has ground, in piers, harbour walls taking one or two years before specimens weighing up to 160 normally aggressive unless is murderous on tackle and will stood intact for over 86 years, and wrecks, from high water metamorphosis occurs in lbs in UK waters. In October provoked. There are several soon expose any weakness.” it is clear that there are mon- mark down to depths of at European waters. 1985, a trawler 32km SE of anecdotal accounts in 19th A total of 104 specimen ster eels weighing at least least 1,000m. The conger usu- twice (if not three times) this ally spends most of the day size lurking out there. The UK hidden in rocky crevices and rod and line boat caught only ventures out at night to record, weighing 133 lbs 4 feed on a wide variety of ozs, was captured in 1995 on a fishes, crustaceans and wreck SE of Berry Head, cephalopods. Devon, while the shore caught Despite its cosmopolitan record, weighing 68 lbs 8 ozs distribution in Irish waters, was captured in 1992 off relatively little is known about Devil’s Point, Plymouth. The the conger eel’s biology, par- Irish conger eel record is ticularly in relation to growth clearly there for the taking. and maturation. Indeed very few mature and/or sexually Declan T. Quigley, Hibernor ripe congers have ever been Atlantic Salmon Ltd., caught in the wild. In the NE Derryclare Hatchery, Recess, Atlantic, congers are thought Figure 1: Annual Numbers of Specimen Conger Eel (1961-1999) Figure 2: % Monthly Frequency Distribution of Specimen Conger Co. Galway, Ireland. to mature when they reach 5- Eel (1961-199) Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 13 ESB Report Highlights Water Quality As Major Problem For Fisheries Management

G.S.I. NATIONAL this level of restocking could provide yields of By Gerry Gough up to 300 tonnes per annum. All data collated since 1992 will be offered to the National Eel IN its 1999/2000 Fisheries Conservation Strategy Group when it is set up. SEABED SURVEY Report ESB again highlights declining Water Quality as the major problem associated with Fisheries Management. Parteen Salmon Breeding Programme ESB is statutory owner of fishing rights on The Parteen Salmon Breeding Programme the major rivers of Ireland associated with was initiated in 1990 and is carried out under hydro generating stations. Each river is scien- Did you know that……. the supervision of NUI, Galway. Its fundamen- tifically managed to ensure that stocks of the tal purpose is to protect the biodiversity and ...... Ireland's seabed area is 10 times the size of its various fish species are maintained and pre- examine the productivity of wild salmon popu- land area? served at acceptable levels. The principal lations on the River Shannon. The programme concern is to preserve stocks of migratory ...... in its deepest areas you could hide complete involves two main lines - Multi Sea Winter species that may be affected by the operation of mountain ranges? (MSW)* line and grilse line. Although the pro- generating stations. gramme is still in its relative infancy, highly ...... most of it is unmapped and unknown? In particular the report highlights concerns significant findings have been made to date. It ...... it represents a large untapped resource of great that poor water quality is having on salmonid has been discovered that selective breeding can potential to many sectors? stocks in the rivers for which ESB is responsi- significantly increase the percentage of fish ble. Salmon stocks internationally are in In others words 90% of Ireland's territory is returning as MSW salmon. There are also indi- decline and ESB welcomes the establishment of cations that selective breeding can increase the underwater, undeveloped and undiscovered! the National Salmon Commission bringing weight of a large percentage of the grilse together all salmon fishing and conservation interests in Ireland. The major concern of the returns. The evidence available to date suggests So how can we learn more about it? Commission is to achieve consensus on the best that average weight of grilse returning to Par- means of protecting the resource and to provide teen has been improved by 250g in a single ...... a comprehensive survey of Ireland's seabed is advice to the Minister for the Marine and Nat- generation. The MSW element of the breeding currently underway. ural Resources with regard to regulation. ESB program is under test to determine if the results ...... it is a multibeam sonar survey of an area of is represented on the commission and is fully can be replicated at locations other than Par- 525,000 sq. km in size. committed to it's objectives. teen. A sample group is currently in place at the ...... it is one of the largest surveys of its kind ever ESB Fisheries Conservation operates under Burrishoole facility of the Fisheries Research undertaken anywhere in the world guidance of expert scientific groups in all fish- Centre for release in Spring 2001. eries management programs. The report Almost 3.5m Salmon fry were planted in the Who benefits? acknowledges the contribution of agencies rivers Shannon Erne and Lee and their tributar- which include: ies during Spring 2000. In addition 300,000 · Marine industries e.g. fishing, mineral and oil/gas ž Department of the Marine and Natural Re- 50-70g smolts were also released. This provides exploration, marine engineering and sources a very significant contribution to the national infrastructure, renewable energy developments ž Fisheries Research Centre catch around the coast and also contributes very and marine policy-makers ž Central and Regional Fisheries Boards significantly to the recreational fisheries, partic- · Marine biologists and research groups e.g. ž National University of Ireland at Cork and ularly in the lower Shannon and Lee. Returns Galway universities to the coast are reckoned to be approx. 2% of ž Dept of Agriculture Northern Ireland the escapement according to the tagging pro- · Marine heritage and protection ž An Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) · EVERYONE! Yes everyone! Irish society as a gram of the Dept. of the Marine and Natural ž Lough Neagh Eel Fishermen's Co-operative. Resources. whole benefits from all of the above. Queries from the public are welcome and fur- On the R. Liffey an experimental release of ther information is readily available from ESB almost 10,000 salmon smolts supplied by ESB A wide range of data will be collected from the survey Fisheries Conservation at Ardnacrusha, Co. and co-ordinated by the Dept. of the Marine and and many different types of products will result from Clare. Natural Resources is currently being monitored the data. The primary products will be bathymetric by anglers. The fish were clipped and tagged at (water depth) and seabed classification maps of the HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR Parteen and returns in 2001 will indicate suc- Irish offshore. cess or otherwise of this initiative. To learn more please contact: The Shannon Eel Management Installation of State-of-the-art Deepak Inamdar, Programme Equipment Marine & Geophysics Section, During the period 1992-94 ESB initiated and Geological Survey of Ireland, During the year ESB installed sophisticated funded a major assessment of the River Shan- Beggars Bush, hi-tech fish counters at Ardnacrusha and non eel fishery. Since then the Shannon Eel Haddington Road, Management Programme has involved the pro- Ballyshannon. The counter, the Vaki River- Dublin 4. gressive development of a fyke net/long line watcher, enables more reliable identification of fishery, extensions to the eel weir network for fish traversing a fish pass and provides clear Tel: 01 604 1436 capture of silver eels, and the development of a data reports with regard to species and sizes. Fax: 01 604 1495 comprehensive stock enhancement programme. Further installations will take place in 2001 to During March 2000, a synthesis report on the assist in monitoring some of the tributaries of http://www.gsi.ie programme to date was produced on behalf of the main rivers. http://www.gsiseabed.ie ESB by the National University of Ireland, Gal- * Multi Sea Winter (MSW) salmon are salmon that have spent way, who currently advise on and monitor the more than one winter at sea. Grilse are salmon that return after programme. An eel fishery conservation model one winter at sea. was proposed in this report and will be adopted by ESB. This model is based on an annual Gerry Gough, ESB Fisheries Manager, mean restocking level of 1.5 tonnes of glass ESB Fisheries Conversation Section, ESB, eels/elvers or equivalent. It is envisaged that Ardnacrusha, Co Clare. Page 14...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Fish Farming & the Environment

By Eric Twelves

IN the last quarter of the 20th century salmon farming has progressed from producing 100 tonnes per year to over 1 million tonnes. This expansion was predicted, but in the 1970s few in the industry believed that this optimism would become a reality. As more sea loughs, lochs, fjords and bays became homes to fish farms so concerns for the environmental effects of the industry increased. Salmon farming has become the target of Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace as well as other environmental and conservation move- ments. Exaggerated claims of gross pollution have regularly been levelled at salmon farming, despite mandatory monitoring of established sites in both Scotland and Ireland and the fact that before new sites can be set up, comprehen- sive environmental impact studies must be undertaken and approved. Taking a blinkered Eric and Jane Twelves on a recent visit to approach, those who oppose fish farming seem Sherkin Island. to have forgotten that salmon is an indicator species and that the fish are veritable aquatic stay in business in this competitive market. canaries. Salmo salar tolerates neither low oxy- Quality schemes, like Scottish Quality Salmon, gen saturation nor pollutants and will not thrive have stringent and exacting standards not only or grow in anything less than optimal environ- for the quality of the final product, the salmon mental conditions. on the fishmongers slab, but also cover all All fish, including both wild and farmed aspects of fish farming including husbandry salmon, produce excrement which is released methods, farm structures and infrastructure and into the sea. The excrement produced by the care for the environment. These schemes ensure farmed fish merely replaces that produced by a consistently excellent product which, from a the wild shoals of long ago. It is quickly dis- dietary standpoint, is particularly healthy. persed, as the photographs of the seabed around Everyone is aware that global stocks of fish salmon pens, which have to be taken regularly are being overexploited and becoming scarcer. as part of environmental monitoring, show. The once huge shoals of salmon are long gone, In the wild salmon are fast swimming pelagic they had disappeared long before salmon farm- feeders and the increasing use of large offshore ing was dreamt of. The complaints of the likes pens reflects the salmon farmers’ striving to of the Glasgow apprentice boys, who were fed provide optimal conditions for growth for their salmon so often they were sick of it and asked fish. to eat salmon on 3 days a week only, are just Sea lice treatments are highlighted as another things we read about nowadays, and for a while sin of salmon farming, but opponents seem to salmon was a rare and expensive commodity. turn a blind eye to the suffering caused to Farmed salmon is now available as and when salmon by these parasites which can literally eat people want to eat it and as sales increase it is the fish alive, starting at the head where there obvious that more and more people are choos- are no scales and working their way along the ing to eat it as part of a balanced and healthy body. Bath treatments are very carefully con- diet. trolled otherwise the fish can very easily be killed, as well as the lice. Active ingredients Eric & Jane Twelves, Salar, Lochcarnan, within the bath are measured as a few parts per South Uist, Outer Hebrides HS8 5PD, million and are inactivated by contact with the SCOTLAND. Tel: 0044+1870+610324 fish. Fax: 0044+1870+610369 Email: Salmon is a global commodity and farmers must grow fish quickly and economically to [email protected] Website: www.salar.co.uk

Eric and Jane Twelves have been living in South Uist since the pioneering days of salmon farming back in the early seventies when Eric was given the task of establishing Booker McConnell’s salmon farming activities in the islands. In 1983 they set up their own salmon farm, Salar Ltd, it began with 2 small pens and 10,000 smolts which they ran together in their ‘spare time’. The company has gradually expanded over the 17 years so that it now functions as a fully integrated unit comprising a hatchery, freshwater sites, seawater sites (where 500+ tonnes of salmon and 10 tonnes of sea trout are produced each year) and a smoke house. Specially selected brood fish from stock lines of proven performance are kept to provide the next generations of salmon. Salar Flaky Smoked Salmon was launched 3 years ago and is proving to be a very popular alternative to the tra- ditional cold smoked salmon. From 2 part-time employees, Salar now employs 15 people full time, 3 part time and extra help is brought in at busy times. Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 15

ARAN ISLANDS Exploring their Depths By Paul Kay

MAKE no mistake, the Aran Islands in Galway Bay are stunning below water as well as above. The waters which surround the Islands offer diving sites which should be regarded as world class (given the right conditions), with underwater scenery and marine life which is quite outstanding. The exposed Atlantic coasts may appear inhospitable (especially in bad weather), but are in real- ity very productive and are home to many creatures and plants. The limestone from which the islands are made, weathers into fantastic formations above and below water. Above water are the rock strewn and foreboding cliffs. The landscape is both awe- some and austerely beautiful. It appears to fit any changes in the weather. The Worm Hole is perhaps the most unique formation of all those found on the islands. It looks just like someone has quarried a swimming pool from out of the sloping bedrock of the west coast of Inish Mór. At first sight it appears that it has to be man made, but it is completely natural. The passage which connects it to the sea and means that it is full of seawater also allows scuba divers to enter into it - a great, natural rectangle some 10m deep. In superb conditions its entire length can be visible underwater. From below, only the kelp fringes destroy its man made appearance from this angle too! Undersea cliffs, gullies, fissure and ledges allow the varied marine life to find their niches. Crayfish are still quite easy to see (unlike many place where their numbers have been much dimin- ished), and numerous blue and orange cuckoo wrasse can produce the illusion of near tropical conditions when visibility extends to a staggering 30m or even more. Beds of dahlia anemones cover the ledges, whilst the vertical cliffs are a mass of brilliantly coloured jewel, plumose and sagartia anemones. Thick kelp forest covers the flatter bedrock and extends many meters below water in the clear light water. In the kelp many rock cook (wrasse) swim in small shoals, inquisitive about the strange air belching visitors, but too afraid to approach too close. Their male relative, the cuckoo wrasse, has no such worries and will nip away at a diver he perceives to be a threat. If he find an area unprotected by tough dive gear, he will draw blood! Squat lobsters scurry into narrow cracks, tompot blennies peer out of their holes, and large link lie in the back of large fissures. Everywhere there is life, often colourful, sometimes spectacular and never anything less than fascinating. On the landward side of Inish Mór lies coarse, clean sand. Here too the sea creatures are abundant. Meadows of sea grass grow from the sand, and above the swaying fronds, it is possible to watch large compass jellyfish gracefully pulse along in the relatively still, sheltered water. Flatfish and many sand dwellers live here too including masked crabs and sandstars and that strange creature, the little cut- tlefish - as weird as anything dreamed up by any science fiction writer. On a calm, balmy sum- mer's day, being underwater in this area is an unforgettable experience. But for the cool water, it would be easy to believe that the Aran Islands are situated far to the south, Above: The Worm Hole, on the west coast of Inish Mór, appears such is the colour and richness man made but is in fact a completely natural formation. Top: The of the marine life and the Worm Hole seen in stunning conditions - underwater visibility of beauty of the spectacular 30m! underwater scenery. See page 16 and 17 for more photographs.

Paul Kay, Marine Photographer, 2 Fron Pant, Pool St., Llanfairfechan, N. Wales, LL33 0TW, UK. Tel. 0044 (0) 1248 681361 [email protected] Page 16...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 17

ARANARAN ISLANDSISLANDS ExploringExploring theirtheir DepthsDepths Photography: © Paul Kay

Dahlia Anemone on wide ledge - 20m deep

Diver and undersea cliff covered in dead men's fingers

Crayfish in shallow crevice

Diver and Compass Jellyfish Cuckoo Wrasse at a depth of 20m Burrowing Anemone in maerl (Ceriathus lloydii) Page 18...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27

IRELAND’S SEABED SURVEY Revealing the secrets of Ireland’s seabed!

Photos: © Geological Survey of Ireland by the nature of the seabed, RSV Bligh, Primary survey vessel, GOTECH Ltd. and fishery interests seek in- formation which makes fish- ing more economical while conscious that a survey of this board the survey vessels in top- minimising the environmental size would represent an op- ics such as oceanography, ma- impacts of trawling. In terms By Enda portunity to build up national rine archaeology, fauna, whales of sand and gravel resources, marine expertise and to spread and birds. They will also be in- survey results will outline this expertise across govern- volved in data acquisition their distribution in reliable Gallagher ment agencies, third level in- whilst the surveying contract detail. Survey results will stitutions and a strengthened for deeper waters has been also be useful to those with in- ONE of the most exciting private sector. Clearly, a awarded to GOTECH, an Irish terests in offshore aquacul- journeys in Irish marine ex- seabed survey would comple- company successful in an inter- ture, shipping, coastal zone ploration has commenced re- ment the national strategy for nationally competitive field. management, coral identifica- cently - the survey of the marine research, technology, Consultancy services are tion, heritage (including ship- entire Irish seabed, an area development and innovation provided by the renowned in- wreck identification), that is ten times the size of Ire- as developed by the Marine ternational consultants, the renewable energy develop- land’s land area. At a cost of Institute (M.I.). Canadian Centre for Marine ments, waste management and £21 million and with a Communications, together identifying natural hazards. planned seven-year duration with the Irish firm C.S.A. this is one of the largest Organisation and Much consideration has been The survey Irish Multibeam Seabed Survey Mapping Area (1:200,000). seabed mapping projects un- partnership placed on IT requirements dertaken anywhere in the since the survey is one which Several vessels are in- world and will place Ireland The seabed survey as a will originate vast amounts of volved in carrying out the present and future environ- level sector, and projects firmly to the forefront of major national ini- seabed survey. These ment of the Irish seabed. based in Dublin, Cork and world marine expertise. The tiative, involves vessels will cruise Products will be made avail- Galway institutes took part in survey is being managed by many organisations “Outputs from the survey will be a back and forth meas- able in both paper and digital it. the Geological Survey of Ire- and interests, and series of topographic and uring the characteris- format and in as flexible a land (G.S.I.). G.S.I. has attempted geological maps of the seabed. tics of the seabed and manner as possible to various Current status to include as many They will provide an accurate basis its underlying rocks. customer groups. Background of these as possible The main technique The primary focus of the in the planning for maps customised to the needs of used will be multi- Ancillary projects survey so far has been on In authorising this survey phase. Government policy-makers, fishermen, beam echosounding, Zone 3, the more distant and the government has recog- departments and engineers, biologists, a variety of the tech- An important part of the deeper part of the seabed. By nised that Ireland must max- agencies as well as nique used by fisher- seabed survey is the building now more than 40,000sq kms imise the commercial third level institutes oceanographers and geologists.” man to explore for up of a widely spread marine of Ireland’s waters have been opportunities presented by its are involved in the fish. Magnetic, grav- expertise. To this end the M.I. surveyed and the data is cur- marine resources and plan Steering Group and ity and oceano- manages an Ancillary Project rently being analysed in a pre- measures to protect the ma- Technical Advisory Commit- data which will require stor- graphic data are also being programme. Ireland’s na- liminary manner to ensure rine environment in the most tee. age, verification, technical acquired. A number of the tional weather service, Met accuracy of record and qual- effective manner possible. The M.I. will manage a se- analysis and manipulation more interesting areas will be Eireann, has asked survey ity. Following on from this The government was also ries of ancillary projects on into customer-friendly usage investigated in follow-up crews to compose daily preliminary quality control formats. studies which will include the weather reports for them on process the formal appraisal collection of seabed samples. specially designed reporting and interpretation of the data Survey benefits and formats. B.I.M. is also taking will commence in earnest. Products specially formatted daily re- This process will be a lengthy customers ports from our vessels. Crews one, but will ultimately lead to Outputs from the survey are reporting sightings of the provision of both general Information will be gath- will be a series of topographic cetaceans to the Irish Whale and customer-specific maps ered as to the composition of and geological maps of the and Dolphin Group and hope and products. We hope to be rocks forming the seabed as seabed. They will provide an to soon have bird and cetacean in a position to launch some well as the structure of the accurate basis for maps cus- spotters on board the survey definitive survey results by earth’s crust below. Compa- tomised to the needs of pol- vessels. This year in conjunc- Summer 2001. In the mean- nies involved in hydrocarbon icy-makers, fishermen, tion with the M.I we imple- time let’s hope that there are exploration seek information engineers, biologists, ocean- mented a Strategic Research placid waters ahead! on the seabed environment in ographers and geologists. The Programme aboard the Irish order to identify rock se- maps will assist in studying national research vessel, the Enda Gallagher, Geological quences that may contain hy- seabed resources, natural haz- Celtic Voyager. The aim of this Survey of Ireland, Beggar’s drocarbon resources. Fish ards, preferred environments programme was to build geo- Bush, Haddingon Road, habitats are often controlled for living resources, and the logical expertise in the third Multibeam sonar image of the SS Lusitania off the Co. Cork. Dublin 4. Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 19 The Power of the Amateur Tradition

Evelyn Mary Booth (1987-1988), author of the Flora of County Carlow, From the early 1970s to the mid-1980’s Eve- lyn gathered seeds from naturally-occurring and an early environmentalist in south-east Ireland: beneath her huntin’ plants in the wild and sent packets of them - la- and fishin’ exterior lay a core of solid science. belled with locality and date - to the National Praeger’s paper, “Additions to the knowledge of ing was held in University College Dublin’s Botanic Gardens. These seeds, the result of the Irish flora, 1939-1945”, published in 1946 Botany Department, then in Merrion Street, and open pollination, were inserted in the Index in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Evelyn was elected to the committee. For many Seminum catalogue published annually by the It was a sign of Evelyn’s emerging authority years she served and provided great support on National Botanic Gardens and distributed to that her work helped to add to the body of sci- field meetings, helping to identify grasses and botanic gardens around the world. Of the 234 entific knowledge. Among the species recorded critical genera. Knowing Evelyn’s considerable numbers in the Index Seminum for 1973, no less by Booth for this publication were bog myrtle knowledge of the flora and topography of than 116 were collected by E.M. Booth. It was (Myrica gale), bird’s-foot (Ornithopus perpusil- County Carlow, a fellow botanists persuaded an important contribution. Though she was ap- lus), and pale sedge (Carex pallescens). her to commit it to print. Although approaching proaching 80 during these seed-gathering years, Praeger ends the paper on a personal note: 80 years of age, she rose gallantly to the chal- she looked a decade younger and she was wiry, “Now that I have passed my eightieth year, the lenge and embarked on the taxing work in- active and very good company to her many present paper will probably be my last of a se- volved. She undertook further field work, friends. Evelyn Booth was well known in ries published under my name.” Evelyn, a re- revisited isolated habitats, and assembled the County Carlow and especially in the neighbour- By Maura Scannell flective person, probably pondered on this data according to five natural divisions based on hood of Bunclody. She rambled everywhere statement and was encouraged to develop her the Soils of County Carlow (1967). without let or hindrance and she respected the skills and inherent knowledge of rural people. WHEN Evelyn Booth’s Flora of County Car- field-botany skills further. Her efforts culminated in the publication of By now Evelyn was approaching 50, her par- The Flora of County Carlow in 1979 by the Evelyn Mary Booth made a valuable contri- low was published in 1979 it was the culmina- bution to field natural history in Ireland and to tion of over 30 years’ work, and the author was ents had died, and her brother John was running Royal Dublin Society. The book included a plant studies in particular. described in one review as “one of Ireland’s the family estate. Evelyn herself has settled in brief outline of plant recording in the county most loved and respected botanists”. But Eve- Lucy’s Wood, Bunclody, a carried out earlier by lyn Booth was interested in every aspect of the small house which she had Robert Lloyd Praeger, This is an abridged version of the story physical landscape and the natural world, and extended. Sometime in “She was an environmental- R.A. Phillips and others, about Evelyn Mary Booth’s life and work, her scientific interest in plants and animals was the 1940s she also laid out and short chapters on ge- which appears in “Stars, Shells & Bluebells - directed towards the conservation of nature as the one-acre garden at ist in the years before ology, mosses, lichens and Women Scientists and Pioneers”. This excel- well as care for the environment. Lucy’s Wood - where the institutions were set up to fungi by invited scientists. lent and inspiring publication, with biogra- ground rises on the way to (Indeed, so sharp was Evelyn Mary Booth was born in Annamoe, monitor and record natural phies of 15 women, was produced by WITS Laragh, County Wicklow, on October 30th Mount Leinster and the Evelyn, that when she 1897, the only daughter of Hilda Mary Hall- Blackstairs Mountains - phenomena.” read the pages of one of (Women in Technology and Science), P.O. Dare and James Erskine Booth, an official of and built a conservatory these expert contributions Box 3783, Dublin 4, and costs £4.95. the Irish Land Commission. She had two broth- for tender plants. At the she immediately spotted a ISBN 0 9531953 0 9. ers. Through her father she was related to Er- end of the war, when fuel was more freely avail- significant omission and sent them back to their skine Childers, a former President of Ireland able, Evelyn bought a car. Her war-time train- author for revision.) It was the first county flora (1973-74), while Robert Barton, a cousin of ing in vehicle maintenance, during World War I, to appear in Ireland since 1950, and the first Evelyn’s on her father’s side, was a signatory of and a well-stocked garage at her home meant compiled by a woman. the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty. Barton (1881- that she could service her own car. In it she was Evelyn was also interested in the physical 1975) lived well into old age and as his home able to range over several counties and she landscape and related well to the natural world. was only about 20 miles from her Evelyn was a quartered her terrain like a peregrine. She set She was an environmentalist in the years before frequent visitor. about building up a comprehensive and detailed institutions were set up to monitor and record During the 1920s and ‘30s Evelyn resumed knowledge of the flora of south-east Ireland. In natural phenomena. Her scientific interest in country life. Always a gardener, her interests 1953 she became a member of the Botanical So- plants and animals provided knowledge and now extend to wild plants. She became ac- ciety of the British Isles (BSBI) and subscribed skill that helped towards the conservation of na- quainted with Edith Rawlins, an enthusiastic to the Irish Naturalists’ Journal. Over time she ture and to this end she also contributed to sur- member of the Wild Flower Society (Britain), interacted with other members and naturalists, veys of butterflies, dragonflies, birds and then tutoring families in Carlow, and they and amassed what would become a fine library. certain Crustacea for the Natural History Mu- The “Flora of County Carlow”, published by the botanised together. Thus she kept abreast of the latest botanical re- seum, the National Herbarium and An Foras RDS in 1979, was the first Irish county flora to Her interest in the flora of the Carlow area search. With the literature close to hand, and Forbartha (the national institute for physical appear since 1950, and the first compiled by a developed, her knowledge of the vegetation of thanks to her care, she was now well equipped planning and construction research (1964-87). woman. The cover includes a design embroidered in cross-stitch by Evelyn Booth. the south-east region of Ireland and of the coun- to follow developments in, and contribute to, All of which work, it must be said, was carried ties along her route to Dublin - where she often plant distribution studies in Ireland and Britain. out freely and without remuneration. came for a few days - soon became well-known. In 1954, the year after Praeger’s death, the Wild The eminent Irish naturalist Robert Lloyd Flower Magazine (issue number 313) reported Praeger (1895-1953) who for many years mon- that E.M. Booth recorded 584 species for itored the distribution of the higher plants County Wexford, 579 for County Carlow and throughout Ireland, was always glad to hear 584 for County Kilkenny - a truly excellent from people around the country who knew achievement. plants and who could provide records extending In 1954 the BSBI launched a new scheme to the work on species distribution. He in turn record every plant species occurring in each named, or confirmed, plants sent to him. Eve- 10km grid unit throughout both Great Britain lyn began communicating with him, a corre- and Ireland. To be accepted for this work one spondence that was to last for many years. had to be a skilled field-botanist with the ability In 1939 she joined the Wild Flower Society to work over complex terrain. Evelyn Booth and through its publication, the Wild Flower undertook work in Counties Carlow and Wex- Magazine, added to her knowledge of the Irish ford, and in parts of adjacent counties. flora. Her cousins Daisy and Dulcibella Barton In 1962 The Atlas of the British Flora was (sisters of Robert) joined her in field work when published by the BSBI, the culmination of the they came to visit and the young women had programme launched in 1954, and the fruit of great fun exploring the countryside which, be- many years’ work by numerous botanists. This cause petrol was rationed, they did on foot and important publication includes Ireland, and by bicycle. During the war, Praeger was partic- even a glance through the volume shows the ularly pleased to receive information from solid contribution made by “E.M. Booth” (her around the country since, as he observed, the name is recorded in the index) to the detailed impact of the war had “...almost suspended distribution of species in Ireland. In 1963 a field-work”. The Carlow records sent by Eve- branch of the Botanical Society of the British lyn Booth and Edith Rawlins are reported in Isles was set up in Ireland. The inaugural meet- Page 20...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Can Ireland meet its emission targets?

weather disturbances. In Ire- omy. Other parts of the Convention on Climate Scientists have estimated that we travel, what kind of heat- land, we are likely to see world could experience more Change (UNFCCC) was cuts of up to seventy percent ing we use and how we treat By Nuala more rainfall and flooding in life threatening impacts such agreed. This agreement was are needed in the next century our waste have the potential the winter time, and less rain- as increased drought and followed by the Kyoto Proto- in order to stabilise emissions to help reduce emissions. McLoughlin fall with more water famine, with severe flooding col in 1997 which set legally at a safe level, so clearly, the In order to make sure that shortages in the summertime, and rising sea levels which binding targets for industri- Kyoto Protocol is the first Ireland lives up to its global CLIMATE change is now which could also lead to the will put tremendous pressure alised countries to reduce step of many that will need to responsibility and meets its recognised as the most loss of valuable bogland. We on peoples, societies and their emissions in a basket of be taken to combat climate Kyoto target, a National Cli- threatening global environ- may also experience increas- resources. greenhouse gases. Overall, it change. mate Change Strategy was mental problem facing the ing storm surges along the The international commu- is estimated that the Kyoto The international commu- agreed by Government and environment today. Potential coast, in particular the west nity has recognised this Protocol would achieve an nity met recently in the published last November. impacts of climate change coast, and overall, this prob- problem and at the “Earth overall reduction of approxi- Hague for the sixth meeting This Strategy sets out meas- include rising sea levels, and lem has the potential to Summit” in Rio in 1992 a mately five percent in of the Conference of the Par- ures to be taken in all sectors increases in temperature and radically alter the Irish econ- United Nations Framework emissions from 1990 to 2012. ties (COP 6) to the to help reduce emissions. It UNFCCC. The purpose of examines the types of energy the meeting was to flesh out we use and promotes using a lot of the detail to the pro- less carbon intensive fuels visions of the Kyoto Protocol such as gas or renewable and the issues discussed energy, and supports and included the establishment of using this energy more a compliance wisely. A range regime and an of measures international Many of the aimed at help- emissions trad- ing industry ing market. choices we make reduce green- Final agreement on how we house gas was not reached travel, what kind emissions are and talks will be of heating we included. The resuming in Strategy also Bonn next May. use and how we looks at the way The outcome of treat our waste we travel, and COP6 was have the supports meas- reported in potential to help ures to reduce detail in the the number of Earth Negotia- reduce car journeys and tions Bulletin emissions. improve public published by the transport. New International building regula- Institute for Sustainable tions will tackle energy Development. This can be consumption in new houses, accessed on the internet at and a range of additional http://www.iisd.ca. Details measures have been set out on the outcome are also including the introduction of available on the website of energy efficiency certificates the Convention Secretariat at for houses built before 1991. http://www.unfccc.int. The Strategy recognises the Within the Kyoto Protocol, role of forestry, as trees can the EU agreed to reduce help to absorb carbon out of emissions by eight percent the atmosphere and store it. (below 1990 levels) by the Agriculture also has an year 2012. However, in important part to play as this order to reflect the differing sector is a source of emis- economic positions of many sions as a result of the of the countries within the digestive processes of cattle EU, this target has been and the use of fertilisers, and divided amongst all the a number of measures have member states. Irelands tar- been set out to tackle this. get is to reduce the growth in A copy of this Strategy can emissions to 13 percent be accessed on the web site above 1990 levels by the year http://www.environ.ie. Copies 2012. If Ireland does nothing of the Strategy can also pur- to tackle climate change, it is chased for £10 from the likely that our emissions will Government Supplies Agency. be 35% above 1990 levels by A plain guide to the Strategy 2012, so this target means that has also been produced in we have to reduce this growth addition to a separate Execu- tive Summary, and these can by over twenty percent. be obtained directly from the This is a challenging tar- Department of Environment get, in particular, given that and Local Government. our emissions have already passed the thirteen percent Nuala McLoughlin, target. Meeting our target by 2012 will require all of us to Department of the look at what we can do to Environment and Local reduce emissions. Many of Government, Custom House, the choices we make on how Dublin 1. Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 21

Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos Publications of Edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal Lynx Edicions/1997 ISBN: 84-87334-22-9 The Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) is the first work ever to illus- trate and cover in detail all the species of the world Since its conception it has be- come a high quality international project. Interest The work is presented in a series of 10 volumes: The authors of the texts for the various volumes are internationally renowned experts from all over the world. The family texts are lengthy, full of facts and examples, rigorous and at the same time The Green Web Conservation and Sustainable Fish for Thought written in a very readable style Management of Water Resources The detailed plates are showing for the first time, every bird species in the world A Union for World Conservation Fisheries, International Trade and as well as all distictive subspecies. Each species has its own individual distribution Sustainable Development By Martin Holdgate in the 21st Century map and highly condensed text containing all the important and most up to date in- Natural Resources, International formation. Finally more than 300 colour photographs carefully chosen to illustrate Earthscan 1999 Prepared by IUCN, The World Conservation Union/2000-09-01 Trade, and Sustainable Development many of the different features referred to in the text and to show numerous rare ISBN: 1-85383-595-1 Series No. 1 species. ISBN: 2-8317-0514-2 Price: £17.50stg By Caroline Dommen (drawing on The six families included in the fourth volume are sandgrouse, pigeons and The Green Web is the 50 years history Price: £8.50stg research by Carolyn Deere) doves, cockatoos, parrots, turacos and cuckoos. This volume, together with other of the IUCN (International Union for Con- This glossy booklet sets out to describe volumes in the series, is availabe from BirdWatch Ireland, Ruttledge House, 8 International Centre for Trade and Longford Place, Monkstown, Co. Dublin. servation of Nature and Natural Re- the strategy needed to create a global water Sustainable Development (ICTSD) sources) known as the World Conservation policy, in light of the anthropomorphic and IUCN-The World Conservation Union. It looks at the worldwide need for stresses facing our limited water resources. Union 1999 It contains information on each species ISBN 2-88085-226-9 conservation and its development through A series of goals, targets and actions are covering geographical distribution, fish- ISSN: 1563-0544 Price: £10.00stg the IUCN. It follows the early years of the presented in order to achieve this ‘Vision’, eries information, synonyms, common This publication is a collaborative con- union; the move towards science based in- along with a number of case studies from Price: £4.50stg name and a section on distinguishing fea- tribution by WWF/IUCN to outline a pol- formation, the beginnings of the environ- around the world detailing how some of First in a series developed by the ICTSD- tures. Also included for a number of icy that addresses the complexity of oceans mental movement and the development of these principles have been put into action. IUCN programme on fisheries, interna- species are black and white drawings, and coasts, and challenges the concept of strategies for world conservation involving tional trade and sustainable development. It which are a useful addition. There is a sys- protecting and sustainably managing natu- almost a thousand members worldwide. looks at some of the main questions arising tematic index, index of common names, Irish Farming & Wildlife ral resources. The publication is very in- within this area, providing useful informa- scientific names and a glossary of scien- sightful and forces the readers awareness A Management Handbook tion and focusing on the key issues. This is tific terms. This is an invaluable text for COLLINS: Butterflies of Britain to the careless use of the oceans and the an interesting booklet, useful to both stu- those working or just interested in fresh- consequences of careless use. Interesting & Europe Editor: John Murphy dents and professionals alike. water fish. additions to the publication are the high- RSPB, FBD, IWC (Ireland) By Michael Chinery lighted quotes from specialist authors such HarperCollins Publishers/1998 ISBN: 1-899204-09-1 Inland Fisheries Fish Diseases as Rachel Carson and Mark Kurlansky. It caters towards the general public who have Price: IR£10.00 ISBN: 0 00 220059 7 Volumes 1 & 2 Volume 1 & 2 an interest in the subject of oceans. This is an extremely valuable hand- Price: £14.99stg By P.K. Talwar & Arun G. Jhingran Wilhelm Schaperclaus book, designed to provide management A well presented COLLINS ID guide, guidelines to farmers and anybody inter- A.A. Balkema Uitgevers B.V., Postbus A.A. Balkema Uitgevers B.V./1992 Guidelines for Public Use containing hundreds of beautiful photo- ested in “wildlife-friendly farming prac- 1675, NL-3000 BR Rotterdam, The graphs. Photos of both upper and under- ISBN: Set 90-6191-950-9 Measurement and Reporting at tices”. Each chapter covers one of nine Netherlands/1992 side are shown to help with identification. Parks and Protected Areas (1st recognised farming wildlife habitats, pro- ISBN: Vol. 1 90-6191-951-7 Detailed descriptions of each species are ISBN: Set 90-6191-162-1 viding details on the habitat and factors in- Edition) included, giving information on similar ISBN: Vol. 1 90-6191-163-X ISBN: Vol. 2 90-6191-952-5 fluencing it, decision-making on the most species, habitat, flight, life cycle and range Price: £93.75 per set By Hornback, K. E. and Eagles, P. F. J. suitable choices available and instruction ISBN: Vol. 2 90-6191-164-8 as well as identifying features. This is an extensive text set out in two IUCN/1999 on how to apply them. The information is Price: £101.50 per set volumes covering the essential topics of straightforward and easily accessible with ISBN 2-8317-0476-6 Set out in two volumes this guide is a fish disease. It includes the causes, study VISION FOR WATER AND key bullet points highlighted at the begin- comprehensive key to the inland fish and diagnosis of fish disease. It is set out Price: £15.00stg NATURE: A World Strategy for ning of each section. wildlife of India and its adjacent countries. according to the pathogens and then envi- This book takes the reader through the ronmental, nutritional, mechanical-trau- initial stages to the advanced stages of de- matic and genetic or hereditary causes. veloping a Park. It goes on to talk about These two volumes are an essential refer- long-term monitoring of mass tourists, ence to those teaching fish pathology, pis- using examples from famous Parks world- ciculturists, fishermen, aquarists, anglers wide. The book focuses on the business and anyone interested in fish pathology. and economic sides of managing a park. It provides sound advice that could be used as guidelines to those who are specifically Who has the Legal Right to fish? involved in the subject of Park develop- Constitutional and Common ment and management. Law in Alaska Fisheries Management. Ecology of Insects. Concepts and applications. By H. Bader By Speight, M. R.; Hunter, M. D. & Marine Advisory Bulletin, No.49 Watt, A. D. Sea Grant, University of Alaska Sea Blackwell Science/1999 Grant College Program, P.O. Box 755040, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-5040, ISBN 0-86542-745-3 USA/1998 Price: £26.50stg ISBN 1-56612-053-5 This book is aimed at postgraduate stu- dents and readers who have some knowl- Price: US$4.00 edge of insects, as it contains a lot of This booklet is catered towards those detail. There are lots of diagrams and bars who are users of the fish resources and charts to illustrate the data. Insecta is one have responsibilities to others because of of the most important orders in fauna tax- their use. It focuses on state and federal onomy because it represents over half of constitutional law that the reader should be the total number of animals living on this aware of. The author has made use of sim- planet. Insects and their ecology are essen- ple language to make easy reading of the tial for us, their effects are often crucial or most difficult political concepts. It is well beneficial; they are pests in our crops, they structured and chapters linkup well, using are vectors of diseases, they are an impor- many case studies to provide sound argu- tant part of our food webs and some of ments for issues involving fisheries. them are good bioindicators. Blackwell Science has again edited a Creating a Sea Change: The very motivating book with a few impres- sive colourful photographs and up-date in- WWF/IUCN Marine Policy formation about population dynamics and evolutionary ecology. World Wide Fund for Nature, 1998 Page 22...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Making A Wildlife Garden

WITH a little help anyone can attract a grasses will overshadow the leaves of the wide variety of wild plants and animals into rosette plants and the daisies will die out. their garden or patch of land. By making a few Spring Meadow: You could on the other simple changes, in no time at all you will be hand leave the grass uncut from early spring sitting back and enjoying your own “local na- right through summer to July and let all the ture reserve”. The wildlife that visits your gar- wonderful spring flowers and grasses do their den will give you plenty of entertainment and thing. Some of the wild flowers you can ex- you will have more time to enjoy it too, be- pect to find in spring meadow are Cowslips, cause with a rich-habitat wildlife garden there (still to be found in old pastures), Lady’s is less need for weeding, clipping, mowing smock or Cuckoo flower (a food plant for but- and spraying. You will be working with na- terflies), Meadow buttercup, Yellow rattle (a ture. When that happens life is easier for peo- semi parasitic plant which feeds off grasses), ple, animals and plants. Oxeye daisy, lots of vetches and trefoils and As a wildlife gardener you will be making all the grasses. an important contribution to nature conserva- Summer Meadow: A summer meadow re- tion. Wildlife is coming under increasing quires yet another mowing regime. Mow the threat in this country, not alone in urban envi- grass regularly through the spring (not too ronments but in the countryside as well. The tures feed on dead and rotting material than on and Wild privet will provide this hedgerow en- short) and then leave it uncut from midsum- contribution of modern farming, new non-na- living plants. Try not to clear away all the gar- vironment. Nesting boxes provide a good sub- mer to autumn. The taller wildflowers such as tive forestry plantations and destruction of den rubbish. If the lawn is covered with fallen stitute for holes in dead trees where many Field scabious and Greater knapweed will en- old, Dutch elm disease, building work and leaves, rake them up and throw them under a birds would normally make their home in a courage lots of butterflies to drop in and per- new roads will increasingly put pressure on hedge. Hedgehogs will curl up and hibernate woodland environment. haps breed. Cut the hay in the autumn and our native plants, animals and habitats. Wild in piles of old leaves. don’t forget to remove it. flowers such as primroses and cowslips are The Wildflower Meadow becoming rare in some areas - mainly because Further information on “Making a Wildlife Cut Down on Chemicals Informal Lawn: If the grass is left unmown this habitat is being destroyed. Wildflower Garden” is on the fact sheet which, along with At the bottom end of the food chain, plant for just a few weeks towards the end of spring meadows are being built on, ploughed, other fact sheets, is available from ENFO - sprayed with herbicides, or simply fed with and animal life is very vulnerable. When the you will be surprised at just how many wild- first greenfly appear in spring it is always flowers will stick their flowerheads up for the The Environmental Information Service, 17 fertiliser to encourage more grass to grow. St. Andrew Street, Dublin 2. Tel Losing all these wild flowers is bad enough, tempting to spray them with a chemical poi- first time. There will of course be daisies and 1890200191 (price of local call) Fax 01- but of course as the meadows disappear then son. Please don’t. (If you have just a little pa- dandelions mingling with the blue of speed- 8882946 Email: [email protected] we are also destroying the habitats for many of tience, you will see that a well balanced, rich well, the yellow catsear and the funny looking our butterflies and moths, our skylarks and all habitat garden has ways of dealing with green- flowers of the plantains. After the display has Fact sheets are also available at their Website: the beautiful creatures which live there. It’s fly, slugs, caterpillars and all other creatures faded you must cut the grass, if you don’t the www.enfo.ie time we all started to do something. Starting which the modern gardeners call pests). As your own wildlife garden can be your contri- soon as the greenfly appear you will begin to bution. notice little wriggly grey ‘maggots’ hunting As a wildlife gardener you need to take an them. They are Ladybird larvae and can wipe interest in all the wild green spaces in your out hundreds and hundreds of greenfly every neighbourhood. Most of the large animals day. If you spray the greenfly then you will al- need more territory than the average garden most certainly kill their natural predators. will supply. For example, hedgehogs will Then your plants really will be in trouble be- roam over a number of green patches, and al- cause the “pests” always recover more quickly though your wildlife garden may be thronged than the predators. The other effect of chemi- with wild birds from time to time, probably cals is even more serious. All the animals you only a few pairs are nesting there. It is impor- love best depend on plants or plant eating ani- tant to think of your garden as a “service sta- mals for food. For example hedgehogs will eat tion” for passing wildlife. If someone sprays dozens of slugs; baby blue-tits will keep their the nettle-patch in the churchyard, or chops parents busy collecting hundreds of caterpil- down the old trees in the park, you will lose lars. If you spray the greenfly or put down slug some of your wildlife visitors. Your success pellets you will inevitably finish up poisoning will be strictly limited if your garden has to the baby blue-tits and hedgehogs as well. A operate as a self contained island in a sea of garden free from chemicals rarely suffers from tarmac and concrete. any sort of epidemic as nature has a way of balancing things out if left to its own devices. Try to work with nature and understand it, not Grow Some Native Plants to master it. It is somewhat like a pet dog, no The food chain begins with plants. Many of matter how much you train it, it will always the grubs, caterpillars and other plant eaters have its own personality and independence. are extremely specialised. They may well be able to eat the leaves of only one particular Provide Lots of Breeding Sites plant type, and when this is the case the plant will always be native. For example the cater- Wild creatures need somewhere safe to pillars of the Small Tortoiseshell butterfly eat breed. Native plants and decaying leaf litter nothing except the young leaves of nettles. All will keep many small creatures happy. How- native plants - trees, shrubs and wildflowers ever bringing some big lumps of timber into will have their own dependent leaf eating the garden and building a log pile will help creepy-crawlies, so if you grow a range of further. In no time this mini-habitat will be plants you will attract a wider variety of in- alive with all kinds of wood boring beetles, sects which means a wider variety of birds and wood wasps and grubs. In autumn numerous animals to feed on them. toadstools will appear. If the pile is big enough it may nest spiders or even a pair of wrens or robins. The insects will attract birds and ani- Allow Room for Decay mals, and hedgerows are an important breed- Dead material is important as food for ing habitat for many of these. Planting a wildlife. In fact, far more types of wild crea- mixture of Hawthorn, Field maple, Wildrose Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 23

JUST half an hour by birds nest on open ledges, peaked at 240 and 80 pairs DART from the centre of the former packed shoulder respectively in the 1960s. the capital city lies the town to shoulder, the latter in However, they have both of Bray. Immediately to the their own individual nest- decreased dramatically to south of the town’s seaside ing places. The numbers of near extinction, possibly promenade Bray Head Guillemots and Razorbills due to botulism, which slopes steeply from sea have been increasing since became a widespread and level to its northern summit they first colonised, the continuing problem for the at just over 200 m. From Razorbill about 1950 and large gull species since the there the headland extends the Guillemot about 1985. long hot summer of 1976. southwards some three Now the former numbers There is considerable kilometres towards Grey- 90 individuals and the latter doubt about the status of stones, where the rocky 275 individuals. In Ireland Manx Shearwaters at Bray cliffs and outcrops give and Britain generally Head. There are a number way to gently sloping pas- Guillemots are increasing of reports of these noctur- tures and low earth cliffs steadily and it will be inter- nal seabirds over the last which are constantly esting to see if this trend hundred years, with refer- eroded by winter storms. continues at Bray Head in ences to “small numbers”, The main railway line from future. I suspect that short- “suitable burrows”, and so Dublin to Rosslare skirts age of suitable horizontally on, but as far as I am aware the seaward side of the stratified ledges will be the no-one has actually found headland about 50 m above limiting factor. adults in burrows with eggs the water, and occasionally Another species which is or chicks. In my own youth disappears into tunnels a relative newcomer to I made several visits to Bray Head slopes steeply from sea level to its northern summit at just over 200 m. The rocky through the rock outcrops. Bray Head is the Kittiwake. Bray Head on suitable cliffs below the railway are where most of the breeding seabirds are nesting. Parts of the cliff are subject These dainty but noisy little nights during the nesting to erosion and the rail- way has had to be realigned in some places and shored Bray Head Seabirds up by but- tressing in others. High By Oscar Merne above the railway runs a cliff walk from which there are good gulls had ten nests on the season and heard Manx views of the headland. The cliffs in 1969/70 and then Shearwaters calling. At that rocky cliffs below the rail- increased rapidly to 464 time it was assumed that way are where most of the pairs ten years later. By calling birds were a reliable breeding seabirds are nest- 2000 the colony was up to indicator that they were ing. There can’t be many nearly 800-900 pairs. breeding, but now it is sites in this part of the Fulmars, which first known that Manx Shearwa- world where one can see started nesting in Ireland in ters visit and call at nesting Fulmars, Shags, 1911 (on the north Mayo non-breeding sites. So the Kittiwakes, Razorbills, cliffs), spread rapidly jury is still out on this mat-

Guillemots and Black around the coast and were ter as far as I am concerned. Razorbills are one of a number of auk species nesting on Bray Head. They build their own Guillemots from a passing found In spite of individual nesting places on the open ledges. train. “prospecting” “There can’t be the loss of the I mentioned in my article (taking an many sites in this gulls and the on Black Guillemots interest in part of the world doubts about (Sherkin Comment no. 26) suitable nest- the Manx where one can see that Bray Head, with 127 ing sites) at Shearwaters, birds, is the largest colony Bray Head by nesting Fulmars, the colonies of of this species in Ireland. 1947. By Shags, Kittiwakes, other seabirds The colony is known to 1954 they Razorbills, are doing very have existed there since at were breed- Guillemots and well and Bray least 1850. During the ing there and Black Guillemots Head is well spring and summer, when in 1970 there from a passing worth a visit not hidden away in their were 28 pairs during the nesting holes (natural rock present. By train.” breeding sea- crevices in some places, but the end of the son. A train mainly man-made cavities century 60 pairs were breed- ride from Bray to Grey- associated with the railway ing, mostly on the cliffs stones and a walk back buttresses), the Black below the railway line, but along the cliff path (or vice Guillemots can often be with some on the cliffs versa) will give a nice per- seen floating on the sea above the path higher up. spective on the headland close to the cliffs, or loafing While it is good to see and its breeding birds. about on rocks or ledges on seabird species colonising the buttresses. and increasing at Bray Oscar Merne heads the Bird Two other auk species Head, not everything in the Research Section of National nest on Bray Head - Com- garden is rosy. Both Herring Parks & Wildlife, Dúchas, mon Guillemots and and Great Black-backed The Heritage Service, 7 Ely Razorbills. Unlike the Gulls colonised in the early Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. Kittiwakes are relative newcomers to Bray Head, having had only 10 nests there in 1969/70. This Black Guillemots these to mid-20th century and number had increased to 800-900 pairs by the turn of the century. Page 24...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Monuments to Early Underground Resistance - The Irish Souterrain

CAVES hold a mysterious Dunmore in Co. Kilkenny afforded to potholers. They are archaeological chamber a large stone could fascination for the young and the Ailwee cave in Co. However, there is another monuments dating back to be rolled over and they and old alike – cold, dark Clare have even been turned type of cave to be found the second half of the first knew that the next person to By Victor but intriguing – what is into visitor attractions, made throughout the Irish country- millennium A.D. These try to gain entry was not a down there and how far do safe for the public to venture side. These are souterrains, underground man-made tun- friend. Air-vents led off Buckley they extend underground? into, giving us a glimpse of from the French “sous-ter- nels and chambers tell us a from the chambers in case Great natural caves such as the underworld usually only rain” – “under the ground”. story of turbulent times, the attackers tried to smoke when people would go to the defenders out. extraordinary lengths to pro- Souterrains are engineer- tect their lives. ing masterpieces and they The souterrain or come in many shapes and “Uaimh” – “Cave” in Old forms, depending on how Irish was constructed by much the landowner was digging a trench and then willing to pay for his fam- building up the side-walls ily’s safety. The Early Irish by placing stone upon stone texts tell us that they were to form drystone walling built by a professional class with a core of earth in of cave – builder “Uaim- between to keep the walls hearachta” and that in the upright. Finally a large lin- 9th Century it cost “2 cows telstone was slid over the for to build a liss (ringfort) 2 top and everything covered cows for a togher (wooden over. Then the earthen core bog track) and also 2 cows was dug out leaving the lin- for an Uaimh (Souterrain)” tels to keep the walls apart At that time there was a and the walls supporting the barter economy, and things lintelled roof. A system of were valued in terms of agri- tunnels and chambers with cultural produce. Thus in narrow constrictions known today’s prices for a as “creeps” was formed. £150,000 bungalow it was Creeps were defences that the equivalent of another had to be crawled through £150,000 to have an under- and once the last of the ground nuclear bomb inhabitants was inside the shelter. Why was so much

Souterrain found during factory construction, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 25

With the coming of the Normans the souterrains of Ireland became a thorn in the side of the new feudal lords, for they were conven- ient places to hide. Many were closed up and filled in by the Normans in the Medieval period. However they have continued to be used up to the present day for many illicit purposes. There are nearly 6,000 known souterrains through- out Ireland, but many more previously unknown exam- ples are being discovered every year. Usually they are found when a plough acci- dentally hits the edge of one of the lintels capping a tun- nel or chamber. This dislodges the stone which then tumbles into the souter- rain – leaving an entry into a structure that may not have been seen by anyone for the last thousand years. They Types of souterrain showing complex combinations of tunnels can also be found during and chambers. house-construction or dur- Typical drystone-built passage of Irish souterrain. money spent on these dark was a thriving trade in ing gas pipeline and and hidden places? slaves. People would be roadway building. to local churches, more underground caves which Monuments Service of Dúchas: In the late first millennium rounded up and led off to be Local traditions often probably a faint folk mem- you think may not have been The Heritage Service at 6 Ely it was a time of great Viking sold into captivity, either in record “hollow sounds” ory of the finding and recorded before, even if they Place Upper, Dublin 2. Email: raids and also localised wars one of the Viking cities and when feet are stamped on subsequent closure of a are not open today – please [email protected] and raids by the Irish tribes towns such as Wexford, the ground in the middle of souterrain which even today write to: Website: www.heritageireland.ie on each other. As well as Dublin or Limerick or per- seemingly flat fields. Sto- are seen as dangerous to We are always glad to record snatching cattle and any- haps even as far afield as ries also abound of tunnels children or livestock. If you Victor Buckley is Senior previously unknown archaeolog- thing of portable value, there Spain or North Africa. leading from forts or castles know of any traditions of Archaeologist with the National ical sites. Page 26...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Captain Cockle and the

s Loch Ness Monster

e Abridged in four parts - Episode One - The Attack! g a P r o i n u J

s e

By John the famous Loch Ness monster. you are polluting the loch?” tain Cockle. In fact, it might Jenny. g But Professor Potts could not asked Jenny, who thought that have even ended in a fight, had “It’s probably something find the monster and had she had seen some dead fish on not Dr Cockle, in her loudest blowing in the wind up on the Joyce decided to make a film about a beach near the fish farm ear- school-mistress voice, told fish farm,” said William. “Or a McTavish’s fish farm instead, lier that day. They looked as if them all to be quiet and to settle perhaps it’s a boat?” CAPTAIN Cockle, retired saying how it was polluting the they had come from deep in the the matter once and for all by Then all at once, a huge black submarine captain and inventor Loch with waste and killing loch, and some of them even actually testing the water of the shape was moving outside the of the Cormorant – an amazing everything in it. had bite marks – as if something loch to get the facts on where the porthole in the water of Loch P submarine that cannot only fly, “The trouble with fish had been eating them. pollution was coming from. Ness. It burst out of the dark- but also shrink to the size of a farms,” said Professor Potts, “Fish cannot live in dirty Back at McTavish’s fish ness, smashed into the sausage at the touch of a button, when Jenny and William met water,” snapped McTavish. “If farm, Jenny and William were Cormorant, and knocked had flown to Scotland with his him on the loch that afternoon, I was polluting the loch, all my keeping watch on the fish from ROVER against the nets of the wife Dr Catherine Cockle, and “is that they are against nature. fish would be dead and, as you the control room of the subma- fish cages and ripped them, let- r their grandchildren Jenny and They cram fish up in tiny tanks can see, they are not. So I don’t rine Cormorant. To help them, ting all the fish out into the loch. William to do a favour for an and fish cages. Then fish waste think your Professor has much they were using ROVER – a “It’s the monster!” cried old friend. Alistair McTavish, and uneaten food fall out of the of a case. Do you?” miniature robot with lights and William.

o an old shipmate of the Cap- cages and pollute the environ- “I suppose not,” said Jenny. a camera, specially invented by Will McTavish and Profes- tain’s, had a fish farm in Loch ment. Fish farms are not But she did think it was strange Captain Cockle to see into sor Potts come to blows? Will i Ness and was worried that natural. Oh dear me, no! But that neither Professor Potts or places the Cormorant could not Jenny and William end up as someone - or some thing - had then again I wouldn’t expect Mr McTavish seemed to want reach, even when it was shrunk fish food? Find out in the been ripping the nets and let- little children like you to under- to listen to each other’s point of to the size of a sausage. Round next episode – The Monster - ting the fish escape. Was it a stand anything as complicated view and just repeating the same and round the farm, and in and only in Sherkin Comment. n rogue seal? Was it vandals? Or as that.” old things over and over again. out among the fish pens went was it something far more dan- “But don’t fish squeeze That night, Professor Potts the tiny robot, but there was Abridged by the author from gerous. McTavish hoped that together into huge shoals in the called a public meeting to dis- nothing at all out there in the “Captain Cockle and the Loch u Captain Cockle and his crew wild,” said Jenny, who knew cuss the fish farm and pollution dark water. Ness Monster ” - published in could find out and put a stop to she could easily understand in general. Nessie McGregor, Then all at once there was a Ireland by Poolbeg Press and it, before all this fish escaped. anything complicated that Pro- the local hotel owner, was there strange noise – a faint clicking available in all good book

J McTavish had his suspicions fessor Potts might have to say – as were the local dairy farmer noise like someone running a of course. He thought it must be about the environment. and the secretary of the local piece of cardboard in the shops, price Ir£2.99 Professor Bartholomew Potts – Back at the fish farm, Alistair angling club. And they all had a spokes of a bicycle wheel. Visit Captain Cockle and a man with a little submarine of McTavish just called Professor big argument over McTavish’s “Ticka, ticka, ticka, tick, friends online at his own – who had come to Potts “a dangerous looney!” fish farm, along with McTavish tick, tick,” it went. www.cockle.com Loch Ness to make a film about “But what if he’s right and himself, his two sons and Cap- “It’s getting louder!” said Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 27 Page 28...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Monkfish ~ set on ~ Risotto & Wilted Baby Spinach

Ingredients Risotto 700g/1½ lbs monkfish tails - trimmed 55g/2 oz risotto rice e.g. arborio or short grained rice 25g/1 oz shallots/onion (finely chopped) Marinade 25g/1 oz butter or oil 200ml/7 fl oz fish stock 55ml/2 fl oz honey Salt and freshly milled pepper 55ml/2 fl oz vinegar - balsamic or white wine 55ml/2 fl oz olive oil 55ml/2 fl oz soy sauce Method 15g/½ ox fresh chilli - finely chopped ž Fry shallots/onion in butter without colouring. ž Add rice, mix and gradually add the fish stock and season. Method ž Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until at the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. ž Place marinade ingredients in glass bowl. Add monkfish and marinate for 30 minutes. Serves 4. ž Remove and roast in hot oven 220oC/425oF/Gas 7, until golden brown for 8-12 minutes. Fish alternatives: ž Allow to set for a few minutes. Slice into medallions (not too rock salmon, pollock, hake. thin) and serve on some hot buttered spinach and risotto.

WIND is air that is moving WATCH THE WIND Join “Storm Force”, the around the world’s atmos- RNLI’s club for young people, phere. When it moves slowly the very worst of weather con- Sunday 12 August, the fore- The suddenness of the saved. Twenty one racing and you will be sent an excit- its a gentle breeze but when it ditions. However, most yachts cast for Sunday and Monday storm caught almost all of the boats were sunk or aban- ing members’ pack filled with moves quickly it creates gales and sailors do not expect to be made no mention of gales yachtsmen unprepared. Over doned, and 15 lives lost before lots of goodies. Four times a and hurricanes. The Beaufort out in such conditions, but and storms. However, on 10,000 messages were passed the storm had calmed. With year you will receive the Scale (see below) is a scale everyone who takes part in Monday 13 August, two days between the Coastguards and winds at Force 10 and waves action packed Storm Force used to measure the speed of yacht racing knows that bad into the race, the yachts yachts, ships and other mar- up to 18m high, the 1979 News magazine full of exciting the wind. The wind affects all weather is always a possibility received the following ship- itime organisations over 2½ storm caused the worst disas- stories, paintings, ideas or of us but especially the lifeboat during a race. ping forecast: days. ter in the history of ocean jokes to Storm Force head- crews who have to brave When competitors set off 1.55pm: SW Gale Force 8 Thirteen lifeboats from Ire- racing. quarters. To join just send rough seas to answer a may- on the 1979 Fastnet Race imminent (within the land, England and Wales, It is always important to your name and address, with day call. from Cowes, Isle of Wight, to next 6 hours). together with helicopters, check the weather forecast a cheque/P.O. for £5.00 to It is hard to imagine setting the tip of Ireland and back, lit- 6.05pm: SW Gale Force 8 in- naval and merchant ships and before you go to the coast Storm Force HQ, RNLI, 15 off in a lifeboat when the tle did they know that tragedy creasing. fishing boats, went out to help or to sea. Even the most Windsor Terrace, Dun breaking seas are over 12m was not far away. On Satur- 10.45pm:SW Severe Gale the yachts. During that three prepared people can be Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. (The high and winds are reach gale day 11 August 1979, the Force 9 increasing day period from August 13-16, caught out sometimes, but cartoon below has been force, but all lifeboat crews boats set off in a Force 4 wind Storm Force 10 im- lifeboats gave 335 hours serv- make sure that you are not reproduced from “Storm have experience of coping with and, even on the morning of minent. ice at sea and 96 lives were one of them. Force News”.) Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 29 Birdspotting with a Difference!

Thousands of birds grace the skies of Ire- land. Listed below are a selection of these birds. Can you help fit their names into the gird on the left?

Answers below.

Can you name the bird on the right? Answer on page 4

4 7 10 crow barn owl greenfinch dove blue tit kingfisher knot kestrel little tern rook lapwing sand martin shag mallard woodpigeon swan moorhen teal swallow 11 wren waxwing little grebe meadow pipit 5 8 reed bunting heron dabchick sparrowhawk raven pheasant storm petrel robin shelduck treecreeper snipe starling 12 6 9 housesparrow chough bullfinch ringed plover cuckoo cormorant yellowhammer curlew corncrake dunlin guillemot 13 fulmar kittiwake oystercatcher gannet peregrine linnet razorbill magpie stonechat merlin turnstone puffin thrush

1. razor a. wing ON THE WING 2. yellow b. hen 3. tree c. hammer $$ Can you match up these 4. stone d. creeper PP ccttuurree TThhaatt?? words to make birds’ 5. moor e. chat names? Answers on page 4 6. lap f. bill

a. On your left are pic- ture puzzles. Can you work out what the b. answers are by using the picture and letter clues? Once you have c. figured out the let- ters in each puzzle you must unscramble them to reveal a d. word. All the words have something to do with a bird. e. Answers on page 4

f. Page 30...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27 Expedition to Mongolia

I received a scholarship from ment and raffle in the County By Julie Gaisce, the President’s Award to Wicklow Lawn Tennis Club. cover half the cost of the trip and I spent 10 weeks in Mongolia, Hannon I had to raise the remainder which is bordered by China to the myself. The expedition cost £3000 south and the Russian Federation FOR my adventure project for sterling and I had to raise the to the north. On expedition I was my Gold President’s Award I was remaining £1500 sterling. I did involved in three different phases chosen to take part in a Raleigh this through appearing in two local — environmental, community and International Expedition to Mon- newspapers and I gave an inter- adventure. golia. Raleigh International aims to view on local radio. I also wrote to On arrival there was a few days develop young people through local businesses looking for induction to give us a taste of community and environmental sponsorship and held a coffee expedition life. The expedition work on projects around the world. morning. The main fundraiser that was made up of about 100 people, took place was a tennis tourna- including staff. They were mostly British and Mongolian, with the exception of myself, a girl from Singapore and an Ozzie. My first phase was environ- mental. I was working in the Khan Khentii Reserve in the north Top: During the “community” phase of the expedition, Julie, with a co-worker, compressed straw bales which were used to build a medical centre in a small of the country. Every year forest town called Tunkel. fires in northern Mongolia have a massive impact resulting in loss of Above: Julie on the horse she used to get to the fire-damaged forests on the Khan Khentii Reserve, where they carried out transects. forested land and damage to a pre- cious resource. We were gathering saw the most dramatic and stun- toughest of the three phases but information on areas of terrain that ning scenery in a remote and also the most rewarding. had been destroyed by forest fire. mysterious desert. We started our This information would be used to day at 3am, had breakfast at sun- For further information about the develop a fire management plan. rise and finished walking before awards contact: We went out on horses everyday lunch. We slept during the day and up into the forests where we car- continued walking in the evening. John Murphy, Chief Executive, The ried out ‘transects’ of the Sometimes we walked at night to President’s Award - Gaisce, The State vegetation and environmental con- avoid the heat of the clay. Temper- Apartments, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. ditions within the park. atures were variable, soaring into Tel: 01 4758746 Fax: 01 4758749 My next phase was community. the forties on some days and plum- Web site: www.p-award.net E-mail: I was helping to build a medical meting to zero on others. It was the [email protected] centre in small town called Tunkel. Tunkel was a small timber town about 3 hours by train outside the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. The med- ical centre was constructed from straw bales. This is a relatively new technique in Mongolia but is far more energy efficient, saving 75% on current heating bills. We worked very long hours in hot weather, starting at 6:30am and lasting till 8 or 9 in the evening some days. We also got to teach English in the local school. My final phase was adventure. This involved trekking 230km through the Gobi desert in south- ern Mongolia. We started at a town called Bulgan and walked across gravel and rubble plains, rocky slopes and gorges, sand dunes, salt Photos: © Julie Hannon wetlands, dry valleys and oases. I As part of the “community” phase, Julie also got to teach English in the local Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27...... Page 31 Environmental Competition for Primary School Children in Munster 2000

THE response to Sherkin Island Marine Station’s Environmental Competition to Primary School Children in Munster for 2000, was excellent. At the prizegiving ceremony during our exhibition at Connolly Hall, Cork, we were delighted to again have presenting the prizes, Mr. Dan Wallace, T.D., Minister of State at the Dept. of the Environment and Local Government, and Cllr. Liam Burke, T.D., Deputy Lord Mayor of Above: Rath N.S., Baltimore, Co. Cork, being presented with Cork, at Connolly Hall, Cork. Here is a very small selection of their prizes by Mr. Dan Wallace, T.D., Minister of State at the some of the 405 prize-winners. Dept. of the Environment & Local Government. Also present The competition this year was sponsored by BIM (Irish Sea are Mr. Eddie O’Sullivan, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Ms. Fisheries Board), Central Fisheries Board, Cork Corporation, Niamh Hunt, Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Mr. John O’Connor, Cork County Council, Denis McSweeny Photoshop, Cork, Dept. Central Fisheries Board and Mr. Matt Murphy, Sherkin Island of the Environment & Local Government, Janssen Marine Station. Pharmaceutical Ltd. and Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals. Above: Ballymacarbery N.S., Co. Waterford, showing off their class entry to Audrey Murphy, Sherkin Island Marine Station; Below: St. Kiernan’s Boys N.S., Galvone, Limerick, being Below: Fenor N.S, Co. Waterford, being presented with their presented with their prizes by Mr. Dan Wallace, T.D., Minister prizes by Mr. Dan Wallace, T.D., Minister of State at the Dept. of State at the Dept. of the Environment & Local Government. of the Environment & Local Government. Also present are Mr. Also present are Mr. Joe O’Mahony, BIM, Mr. Brendan Joe O’Mahony, BIM, Mr. Brendan Roycroft, Pfizer Ireland Roycroft, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Vincent Smith, Pharmaceuticals, Mr. John O’Connor, Central Fisheries Board, Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. and Mr. Matt Murphy, Sherkin Mr. Vincent Smith, Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. and Mr. Matt Island Marine Station. Murphy, Sherkin Island Marine Station.

Above: Berrings N.S., Co. Cork, being presented with their prizes by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Liam Burke, T.C. Also present are Mr. Pat Quinlan, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Jim Murphy, Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., and Mr. Matt Murphy, Sherkin Island Marine Station. Photos: © Sherkin Island Marine Station Page 32...... Sherkin Comment 2001 - Issue No. 27

WE celebrated the 25th anniversary of the founding of Sherkin Island Marine Station on Sherkin Island Marine Station 1975-2000 8th September 2000. It was wonderful to see so many faces from the past, friends that had helped us survived over the years and former biologists that had spent time with us on the various research projects since 1975, came from far and near. The family watched or listened to every weather forecast the week before the big day. Fortunately the met office got it wrong and we got a day of days, instead of the rain; a beauti- ful blue sky from early morn, with the sun shining as never before. Our aim in that first year was simple, “to establish baseline data on the marine life of the coastline and to record the natural changes in these plant and animal communities”. We believe we have fulfilled that statement. Photos: © Sherkin Island Marine Station

Clockwise from top: Matt and Eileen Murphy in 1975, with Mark and Robbie; One Clockwise from top: Past of the many plants in the and present volunteers station’s herbarium; Jenny celebrating the day with Baker with Gillian Bishop, us; Séan O Sé performing our first volunteer biologist, at the plaque dedicated to in 1975; Sunshine records Clockwise from top left: Audrey Murphy talking to primary school children about marine the late Eileen Murphy, the have been taken since 1974; life; A seashore transect site; Phytoplankton samples are counted back at the lab; Our station’s co-founder; The official opening of our annual environmental conference in Cork; At our exhibition at Connolly Hall, Cork; A boat Lunch in the marquee; first laboratory in 1976. trip to the Fastnet Rock. A view of the Station.