Up to 30 tour operators in Ireland are to trial a new initiative aimed at protecting the country’s marine wildlife over the coming months under a new government scheme. Companies that operate off the coast of Cork and Kerry will have to abide by the new Code of Practice to minimise or eliminate harmful disturbance to sensitive wildlife such as whales, dolphins and basking sharks and support sustainable and responsible wildlife watching operations off the southwest coast. The initiative was recently launched by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan, and the code includes recommended speeds, distances, and time limits when observing species from boat tours, particularly during critical behaviours such as feeding and resting. Irresponsible use of drones and visitor pressure are also listed as activities which can cause disturbance to marine wildlife.
Dolphin and whale watching is superb around this area of Ireland, but we agree with the Minister of State that the welfare of the animals must be prioritised – if effectively implemented and monitored, this pilot programme has the potential to establish a benchmark for best practice in marine wildlife tourism, both nationally and internationally.
