Publications & Reports

Seaweed is one of Ireland’s least-used resources. As an island with a 7,000 kilometre coastline, located in the warm and fertile waters of the Gulf Stream, we have an abundance of many
different kinds of seaweed. Although we currently use only a small fraction of Irish seaweed, this situation is changing. 

Attention is turning to the sea as a source of food, energy, and raw material for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Ireland’s interesting history of harvesting seaweed is about to
begin a new chapter.

Whilst the coast offers excellent opportunities to see all types of geology in cliff exposures, it also shows thegeomorphology – the development of different coastal landforms. The range of landforms produced is enormous, and they are all dynamic – the changes which occur within people’s lifetimes are extremely rapid compared to some geological changes.

The objective of the audit was to ascertain the following:
• The location of maritime and inland waterways collections in Ireland
• An overview of what is contained in each collection
• An indication, where practical, of the condition of each collection
• An indication, where practical, of the conditions in which each collection is stored
• Whether the collections also contain paper records (archives, plans, charts and maps, photographs and drawings)
• Ownership of each collection

Further to its Audit of Maritime Collections and in support of its Museums Standards Programme for Ireland, the Heritage Council hosted a one-day seminar on the Future of Maritime and Inland
Waterways Collections in Ireland.

A selection of conservators, collectors, museum curators, and practitioners discussed the following themes:
• Maritime and Inland Waterway Collections are an intrinsic part of the Ireland’s heritage
• How can such collections be safeguarded in all their variety and number?
• How can decisions be made on what to retain?
• How can we move ahead to ensure a range of collections reflecting this important aspect of
our heritage?

Sharks and rays have been swimming the world’s oceans for over four hundred million years. That’s one hundred million years before the first dinosaurs appeared
on land!

A wide variety of sharks and rays inhabit Irish waters, including 39 species of sharks and 28 species of skates and rays. Members of this diverse group can be found in all our seas, ranging from shallow estuaries down to depths of 2000m or more in the Atlantic.

Ireland has five indigenous jellyfish species: Barrel, Blue, Common (Moon), Compass, and Lion’s Mane. A sixth species (Pelagia noctiluca) also occurs, but as it is an oceanic species it only occasionally makes an appearance in our coastal waters. Contrary to what you may think, jellyfish are not carried at the whim of ocean currents and tides on to our beaches. Many jellyfish maintain their positions by swimming down when the tide is going out, and swimming up when the tide is coming in. In this way they can stay in their preferred habitats.

Ireland’s island story is written on its seashore. About ten thousand years ago, our first human
settlers – hunter-gatherers of the Mesolithic era - came here by boat. Since then, people have
lived, worked, travelled and buried their dead around Ireland’s coastal landscapes - using the
sea as a source of food, raw materials, as a means of travel and communications and as a place
to build communities.

A primary recommendation is the need for a cohesive strategy for the sustainable use and

development of marine and coastal areas, one which identifies important heritage features
and provides for their long-term protection. The strategy should be based on a comprehensive
review of relevant policies and measures currently in place and their efficacy to date and include
a management framework for environmental protection and management. Importantly, this
strategy should also be supported by a campaign to raise awareness and improve education
regarding maritime heritage.

The island of Ireland has a long and complex coastline in relation to its land area. This interface between land and sea contains some of the finest parts of our natural and man-made heritage. The natural heritage includes rocks, marine and coastal habitats and marine life, including plankton, shellfish, fish, seabirds, whales and seals. Our human heritage is rich and varied including coastal and island communities, traditional boats, historical fishing methods, shipwrecks, and coastal archaeology.