Irish Whale and Dolphin Group bringing roadshow to Louth next week

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), in collaboration with Fair Seas, is coming to the Dolmen Centre, Omeath in north Louth, on Thursday 30 April from 5.30pm to 8pm, as part of a series of free, in-person evening events in coastal towns around Ireland.

The Local Groups Roadshow aims to connect coastal communities and local members of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group with the latest developments in marine conservation, marine protected areas (MPAs), the future of Ireland’s seas as well as discussing the species frequently seen off Ireland’s eastern and north eastern coasts. 

The roadshows have already visited Donegal, Dublin, Wicklow, Mayo, Sligo, Galway, Clare, Cork and Kerry. 

Fair Seas is a coalition of environmental organisations and networks campaigning to secure a science-led network of effective Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Irish waters. Fair Seas will also host the second World Ocean Week Conference in Cork on Wednesday, June 3rd, bringing together ocean advocates, the fishing community, government, industry and key stakeholders.

Eva Lambert, Marine Policy and Advocacy Officer with the IWDG said, “We have local IWDG groups right around the country and each one is playing an important role.

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"Citizen science is at the heart of everything we do, without people sharing what they see on our coasts, we simply wouldn’t have the data we need to understand and protect Ireland’s whales, dolphins and seas.”

Each stop provides an opportunity for local communities to: 

• Connect with IWDG and Fair Seas representatives directly 
• Learn more about Ireland’s marine wildlife and habitats 
• Understand current and proposed Marine Protected Areas 
• Hear about national marine policy developments in clear, accessible terms 
• Ask questions and share local knowledge and concerns 
• Celebrate IWDG’s local groups and inaugurate a new flag for each group 

The evening will include short presentations from IWDG and Fair Seas, guest speakers, a short film screening, followed by an open discussion with attendees. Free tickets are available here