Project Aims and Objectives

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) have identified an urgent need to develop a training course and accreditation scheme to ensure wildlife tour boat operators can provide a professional and informative product and adopt best practices to ensure sustainable development.  Such a course supporting the rapidly expanding marine wildlife tourism industry has been requested by the Marine Safety Directorate of the Department of Transport and the National Parks and Wildlife Service within the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Accreditation schemes (or eco-labels) are a well-established method of ensuring a high quality tourism product, which adopt good practices and minimise their impact on the environment.  We propose to develop a training course, which will be an integral element of a marine wildlife tour operators accreditation scheme, including promoting models of best practice.  Included in the course will be the identification and basic ecology of marine species such as cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), seals, turtles and seabirds and advice on legislation and current best practice.

We will deliver two courses under this fund one in Co Wexford and one in Co Galway. Course already developed with input from Birdwatch Ireland and the Irish Seal Sanctuary and a pilot delivered on Cape Clear Island, Co Cork in May 2008.

Target audience: All marine wildlife tour operators who are interested. Two course one in southeast (Wexford) and one in northwest (Inishboffin , Co Galway)

Timeline: September – October 2010

Irish Whale and Dolphin Group

Contact Details

Name: Dr Simon Berrow

Tel: 086 8545450

Email: simo...@iwdg.ie

Web: www.iwdg.ie

Biodiversity Focus: Marine species including cetaceans, seals, basking sharks, seabirds and other megafauna

Geographic area: All Ireland but targeting southeast and northwest