ALL IRELAND SURVEY (AUTUMN 2026)
The All Ireland Survey takes place from
September 15th to October 20th
This citizen science survey is carried out and coordinated by Coastwatch volunteers and supported by the Department of Climate, Energy, and the Environment. Follow up action is planned, some with More4Nature.
Join Us
What the survey entails:
Walking a chosen ± 500m long stretch of coast once around low tide and record its state guided by survey questions and guide notes/ ID posters. It covers nature, litter, erosion, water quality with Nitrate kits available from Coastwatch coordinators to test inflow water. Then input your information with any pictures to contribute to a citizen science overview of the coast in autumn 2026.
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After you submit your results, you will be able to access your data and build on it. You can also agree to pool results with others around a bay or catchment to create a special area audit of it.
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We are returning to synchronised international surveying. International collaboration between Ireland, Northern Ireland, Romania, Spain, Portugal and Morocco under the more4nature horizon project facilitated some joint training and finetuning so we can pool and analyse certain marine litter and biodiversity results together.
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Find an area and plan your survey
Above you will find all relevant documents and links for the All Ireland Coastwatch Survey. If you have any questions, please email survey@coastwatch.org.
Before heading out to survey - always check the tides! Low tide is best to see the most (tidetimes.org.uk)
While you are invited to survey anywhere, this is where we really want to work with results:
(1) Areas with Seagrass, kelp, maerl or honeycomb reef to check their health after this summer of warmer seawater.
(2) Two estuaries earmarked for follow up work: Waterford estuary & Lough Foyle and an invite to bid for your own priority areas.
(3) Areas where you believe there is scope for restoration under The Nature Restoration Regulation
Our YouTube training video will give more info testing for Nitrates; handing out test kits and booking survey areas.
A seagrass session to highlight the importance of this grass which forms underwater meadows, a sharing of the latest Coastwatch seagrass finder map and some follow up work. If you can make it in person to the launch in Kinsale then you will also get a chance to snorkel with us and get expert information about seagrass in the Kinsale area by Dr Tim Butter.
Overall coordination: KDubsky@Coastwatch.org or call +353 (0)868 111 684.
Download the Coastwatch Survey Ad Poster under "Support Materials" below to print and post at your local beach.
Thank you for completing the Coastwatch Survey! Please enter your survey results and upload photos by clicking on the link below. Pick the survey unit you have completed on the map and click the green link to enter your data.
