The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group is the latest body to express concern over a Russian Naval exercise to be held off SW Ireland shortly:
“The IWDG has written to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, to express concern over the potential impact on whales and dolphins of the proposed military exercise off southwest Ireland.
“Military exercises, especially when using active sonar, are known to have a potentially huge impact on marine mammals, especially deep-diving species. There have been a number of well-documented effects on a range of species, including mass strandings of rare beaked whales, evasive behaviour and increased dive times during controlled exposure trials.
“We are especially concerned as the slopes off the southwest including Goban Spur/Whittard Canyon are known to be important habitats for a number of deep-diving species.”
“Tá an IWDG tar éis scríobh chuig an Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha, Simon Coveney, chun a míshuaimhneas a léiriú faoin drochthionchar féideartha ar mhíolta móra agus deilfeanna ón gcleachtas míleata atá beartaithe amach ó chósta thiar theas na hÉireann.
“Táthar ar an eolas gur féidir tionchar suntasach féideartha ar mhamaigh mhara a bheith ag cleachtais mhíleata, go háirithe úsáid sonóire gníomhaí, go háirithe mar a bhaineann sé le cineálacha míolta móra a dhéanann tumadh domhain. Tá neart fianaise ann faoi na hiarmhairtí a bhíonn ar raon speiceas, lean n-áirítear sluaite míolta móra socacha tearca ag teacht i dtír, iompar éalaithe agus méadú san am a chaitear faoin uisce le linn trialacha nochta rialaithe.
“Is údar imní go háirithe atá ann dúinn mar gur gnáthóga tábhachtacha i gcomhair raon speiceas a dhéanann tumadh domhain atá sna fánaí amach ón gcósta thiar theas lena n-áirítear Goban Spur/Whittard Canyon.”
Full article in both Irish and English at this link:
https://iwdg.ie/concern-for-whales-and-dolphins-from…/
IWDG have previously expressed concern over NATO exercises involving the use of sonar.
Bernard Moffatt
Assistant General Secretary Celtic League (26th January 2022)
