An examination of the lives of Dublin Bay prawns got under way recently as part of a cross-Border project to use underwater television to survey valuable fishing grounds in the Irish Sea.
The joint venture aims to map prawn stocks as a foundation for the sustainable management of this resource. It involves two research vessels, the Marine Institute's Celtic Voyager and the UK's Corystes.
Dublin Bay prawns (Nephrops norvegicus) are a vital part of a €30 million per annum fishery and are the mainstay of east-coast fishing fleets at Howth, Skerries, Clogherhead, Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie.
"Dublin Bay prawns are fiercely territorial," said Dr Colm Lordan of the Marine Institute. "They seldom move more than 100m from their burrows throughout their lifetime, which can last up to six or seven years." Recent surveys suggest that between seven and 10 billion prawns live in an area about the size of Co Cork in the western Irish Sea. The good news for the fishing industry is that the Nephrops population seems relatively stable.
Fifteen scientists have been engaged in the survey, which involves up to 180 sites in the Irish Sea. For further information, contact Dr John Joyce, Marine Institute, 087-2250871.
The annual report of the Howth Branch of the RNLI for 2006 is interesting. Highlight of the year was the presentation by the RNLI president, HRH the Duke of Kent, of the Institution's Gold Badge to former Howth chairman Alastair McMillan at the Barbican in London.
This was followed by a similar presentation by Senator David Norris at the Irish Awards Ceremony in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. "Having served on the Howth branch committee for 44 years, including eight as chairman, this award was justly deserved," said chairman Russell Rafter in his report.
The station answered 41 service calls - 20 all-weather and 21 inshore lifeboat calls. The longest operation involved the 34m Belgian trawler, Marbi, 12 miles east of Howth, with nets fouled in its propeller.
The Roy Barker III reached the casualty shortly after midnight and commenced an arduous 43/4-hour tow into Dublin Port in a force eight gale and pounding seas.
James Doherty and Peter McKenna took first prize with seven sonaghan trout against a field of 60 anglers (30 boats) in the Lough Gill Anglers annual fly-fishing competition on Lough Melvin. (Gillaroo were excluded in catches.)
Blue shark continued to show in abundance in Galway Bay. The two charter boats based in Spiddal landed five and had several dropped runs and near misses. Fishing outside of the Aran Islands, both skippers reported sightings of many sharks homing in on scent trails. To organise a trip, contact 091-553888 or www.galwaybayfishing.com
Fishing out of Mullaghmore in Co Sligo, UK broadcaster and journalist Sam Harris caught a magnificent specimen blue shark of 63kg while fishing aboard Liam Carey's charter boat Kiwi Girl,some 15 miles northwest of Mullaghmore Head in Donegal Bay.
The shark took more than an hour to land.
In line with conservation, the fish was tagged, measured and quickly returned alive to the sea. On the same outing, local angler Declan Kilgallon caught a specimen blue of 58.5kg. It too was tagged and successfully returned to the sea.
The Kiwi Girl has accounted for 15 shark so far this month. Skipper Carey can be contacted at 087-257 4497.
Lisdoonvarna/Fanore sea angling club held a competition last Saturday week at Ballyreen in aid of the RNLI. The 35 anglers accounted for 42 fish, including pollock, wrasse, ray, conger eel, dogfish and garfish.
First prize went to Michael Curtin from Kinvara, and Paul Norton from Ruan took the junior prize with 65 points.