Co. Kerry, Ireland

While we lack bricks and mortar, volunteers identify and record our local marine species, map their habitats, and record their abundance and changes in distribution. Our goal is to support the creation of biodiversity indicators which can be used to promote a healthy marine environment. - Ed Sheldon

The unique and relatively shallow waters of the MarineGEO Tralee Bay Observatory are a hope spot and hot spot for elasmobranch species and marine heritage on Ireland’s iconic Wild Atlantic Way. At stake is whether our marine heritage becomes just the written word or a living observatory for the future. - Patricia O’Halloran

Located in the southwest of Ireland, within the Kingdom of Kerry, is the Tralee Bay area encompassing approximately 285 sq km of Brandon Bay and Tralee Bay are divided by the Maharees peninsula and a group of islands known as The Seven Hogs. Ireland’s world-renowned Wild Atlantic Way runs along approximately 150km of Tralee Bay’s coastline from Kerry Head to Brandon Point. Our pristine sandy beaches are famous for kite surfing and are ranked amongst the longest continuous stretches of sandy beaches in Europe.

Our seagrass habitats include both subtidal and intertidal species and are some of the densest and healthiest in Ireland. Our shellfish production area is run by the Tralee Bay Oyster Society in a sustainable fashion, and they voluntarily protected both native oyster and seagrass beds to further improve the resilience of both habitats in the face of future climate change events.

The unique and relatively shallow Tralee Bay lies within the “Greater Skellig Coast Hope Spot” and is scientifically identified as critical to the health of our global oceans. Our bay is a hot spot for the critically endangered Angelshark (Squatina squatina) and White Skate (Rostroraja alba). Also found in Tralee Bay are the endangered Common Stingray and Undulate Skate (Raja undulata), and the critically endangered Tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus).

The MarineGEO Tralee Bay Observatory is a collaborative endeavor encompassing environmental non-government organizations (eNGOs), local authorities, fishing and coastal communities, and citizen science volunteers.

MarineGEO Team

  • Principal Investigators: Louise Overy, Martha Farrell, Vincent Hyland, and Ed Sheldon
  • Team: Eleanor Turner, Colum Walsh, Grace Carr, Malgorzata "Gosia" Horajska, Patricia O’Halloran, and John Walsh

Participating Institutions and eNGOs

  • Irish Elasmobranch Group (IEP)
  • Angel Shark Project: Ireland (ASP)
  • Munster Technological University – Kerry (MTU)
  • Maharees Conservation Association (MCA)
  • University of Galway (UG)
  • Wild Derrynane
  • Kerry County Council (KCC)
  • Local Authority Water Programme (LAWPro)
  • SeaSearch Ireland
  • Irish Ocean Literacy Network (IOLN)

Social Media

Maharees Conservation Association

Papers

 

 

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