CONTACT:
RoI: Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch 086 8111 684 KDubsky@coastwatch.org
NI: Tori Moore, Ulster Wildlife Tori.Moore@UlsterWildlife.org
On Friday 20th Sept 2024 a happy group of Coastwatch Coordinators from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland gathered on the shores of Carlingford lough in Rostrevor for a joint survey session.
It’s a new beginning in Northern Ireland. This citizen science shore survey had participants from the whole island when first printed as a pull out in The Irish Times. It became an annual citizen science event and grew across Europe. After a 5 year gap, All Island collaboration has resumed, with Ulster Wildlife welcomed as coordinators for Northern Ireland.
‘The joint survey in Rostrevor was great to reconnect in the Coastwatch project create an easily accessible reference site with different natural habitats and modified shoreline. We will use this completed survey form as a model for training in the upcoming year’ said Dr. Mathieu Lundy, Ulster Wildlife.
Now Coastwatch and Ulster Wildlife are looking for lots of new and experienced volunteers to check their local shores around low tide and report back using the survey form. A 500m ‘survey unit’ can be covered in about an hour with a friend or family, college and youth group. Scouts and kayakers are also really welcome to join as they can reach inaccessible spots. The survey ends on Oct 15th in 2024.
‘All the materials, except water test kits, are on www.coastwatch.org where you can now also book your survey site(s) yourself’ explained Karin Dubsky, cofounder of Coastwatch and international coordinator. ‘Ulster Wildlife and regional coordinators around the coast also have hard copies of posters, test kits and forms to give out. Ulster Wildlife plan to run training events in the upcoming year’.
Meeting afterwards in the inspiring Shifting Tides Culture Night exhibition in Warren point, coordinators agreed that if enough shores are covered to present a snapshot state of the coast picture of both jurisdictions in the cross border loughs, these will be presented in the December result highlight launch and workshop in Trinity College Dublin.
Notes to the Editor
The citizen science data collected by volunteers will capture the state of our coast at a watershed moment for Nature, Water quality and Marine litter:
• The EU Nature Restoration Law has just been adopted. Many coastal habitats we explore in the Coastwatch survey are ones prioritised for restoration - 20% by 2030. Surveyors can record if seagrass is damaged or saltmarsh channels have been filled in, choked by invasive alien species or have other restoration needs.
• The RoI Water Action Plan launched on 5th Sept includes transboundary waters and we look forward to have citizens involved in these. There are many small streams which aren’t captured by official monitoring North or South but could have a significant local impact on a bathing or shellfish area if polluted.
• Implementation and enforcement of the EU Single Use Plastic law, brought in some changes which apply everywhere, e.g. end to the plastic cotton bud sticks, but the new drinks container Deposit on Return system was rolled out in the South only this year. So we have the opportunity to compare marine litter in different policy areas.
Coastwatch is grateful to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communication for their support.
Regarding the Reference site
A number of new reference sites are being identified right now to serve as both training and long time tracking. The Rostrevor site is estuarine with a range of habitat and marine litter deposition characteristics which we illustrate with photos.
The Kilbroney River, as an salmonid water discharging into Carlingford lough. On Friday it obliged with transparent water, a healthy stream floor, no detectable nitrate pollution and no signs of sewage. A glass eel was spotted between stones.
A saltmarsh patch formed like an island in the intertidal below the river mouth. Some Sea lavender is still in flower on saltmarsh grass, sea asters, plantains and annual sea-blite Suaeda maritima. This plant superficially similar Glasswort (Salicornia spp) which is one of our survey plants, so good to point out in training.
The splashzone was varied. Lots of brown seaweeds swept up with an amazing density of sand hoppers jumping about when the seaweed cast was disturbed by lifting litter. A wide range of litter is also accumulating and breaking down in this area. Sandhoppers are known to eat micro litter especially polystyrene beads.
Below the splashzone the intertidal mudflats where varied with sand patches, boulders and shingle rich in barnacles and winkles, with the odd patch of live mussels.
Notable if doing work with a school group we saw:
- Long egg wrack >1.50m with symbiotic red algae ‘fur’ sea truffle Vertebrata lanosa
- Plenty of empty shells suitable for collecting - including cockles, mussels, undersized winkles, peppery furrow shell, Macoma, the odd native oyster and sand gaper.
- An accessible river bed where students can walk safely in wellies.
Coastwatch survey method recap:
1. Chose a 500m survey unit and book it online www.coastwatch.org/all-ireland-survey
2. Get materials online or from your regional coordinator, who may also do a training or field work group session if you are new or would like to refresh. Read the survey form and 5-step-guide notes and download ID posters for marine life onto your phone.
3. Check your shore around low tide by zig zagging and record your findings in photos/on survey form. Best to grab a friend to join you.
5. Report your findings in our online form or phone app, or by posting results to us.
We then collate and analyses data to share, discuss and get official reactions in Trinity College Dublin in early December.
Coastwatchers are also invited to an International Workshop to plan follow-up action.
Thank you!
Karin, Bernie and Coastwatch core team.
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