2013 - University College Cork

RESEARCH PROJECTS
6
Biodiversity and Resource Management
MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING IN
BROADHAVEN BAY
Research Centre/Department/School: CMRC
Start Year: 2001
End Year: ongoing
Funding Body: Enterprise Energy Ireland Ltd.
Researchers: Damian Haberlin, Anja Brandecker, Clodagh Collins
Contact PI: Michelle Cronin (michelle.cronin@ucc.ie)
As part of the planning for the development of the CORRIB gas field off western Ireland, Enterprise
Energy Ireland Ltd (subsequently taken over by Shell) commissioned the Coastal & Marine
Research Centre to develop an independent marine mammal baseline monitoring programme
for the Broadhaven Bay area 2001-02. As Broadhaven Bay and its neighbouring coastal waters
were found to represent an important area for marine mammals and many other species, many
of which are protected under national and international conservation legislation, Shell committed
to continue the programme of marine mammal monitoring, at a minimum during the CORRIB
development’s marine construction activities which had the potential to impact on these protected
species. In addition to a short period during 2005, the monitoring programme has been running
continuously since the summer of 2008 building up a highly valuable dataset on abundance and
population trends of marine mammals.
KEY PUBLICATIONS & OUTPUTS
Anderwald, P., Brandecker, A., Haberlin, D., Coleman, M., Collins, C., O’Donovan, M., Pinfield, R. and Cronin,
M. (2012). Marine mammal monitoring in Broadhaven Bay 2011. Progress Report to RSK Environment Limited
Group. Coastal and Marine Research Centre, University College Cork, Ireland.
Anderwald, P. , Coleman, M., O’Donovan, M., Pinfield, R., Walshe, L., Haberlin D., Jessopp, M. & M. Cronin
(2010). Marine Mammal Monitoring in Broadhaven Bay 2010. Report to RSK Environment Limited Group,
Coastal and Marine Research Centre, University College Cork, Ireland.
F. Visser, M. Coleman, H. Denniston, M. O’Donovan, L. Walshe, A. Ponzo & M. Cronin (2009)
Marine mammal monitoring in Broadhaven Bay 2009. Report to RSK Environment Limited Group. Coastal
and Marine Research Centre, University College Cork, Ireland.
M. Coleman, E. Philpott, M. O’Donovan, H. Denniston,
L. Walshe, M. Haberlin, A. Englund (2008)
Marine Mammal Monitoring in Broadhaven Bay
SAC, 2008 Report to RSK Environment Limited
Group. Coastal and Marine Research Centre., University
College Cork, Ireland.
A. Englund, M. Coleman, C. Collins (2005) Marine
mammal monitoring in Broadhaven Bay: June
– September 2005. Report to RSK/Shell. Coastal
and Marine Research Centre, University College
Cork, Ireland.
O. O’Cadhla, A. Englund, E. Philpott, M. Mackey, S.
Ingram (2003)Marine mammal monitoring in the
waters of Broadhaven Bay & northwest Mayo: 2001-
2002. Report to Enterprise Energy Ireland, Ltd
SHELL E&P IRELAND Ltd., Dublin
Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates) in
Broadhaven Bay – Image Copyright CMRC