How well do you know Ireland's seas?

Test yourself with this 'ocean literacy' survey — link below

Fair Seas has launched its first Ocean Literacy Survey, to find out how well people in Ireland know the waters around us and how we use them. Pictured: Karen Ciesielski, CEO Irish Environmental Network; Minister of State, Malcolm Noonan, TD; Aoife O’Mahony, Fair Seas; and Cleo Murphy, Green Party Local Area Representative, in Kenmare. Picture: Domnick Walsh

Questions about the health of Ireland's marine environment, how people use the seas, and what actions you think the Government needs to take to manage this environment, are all on a nationwide survey just launched. 

Fair Seas, a coalition of environmental non-governmental organisations and networks, is asking people to complete the online survey to help inform plans for the future. 

Topics include:

• How important the ocean is to you
• Where your knowledge about the marine environment comes from
• If the marine environment has changed over the last decade
• What activities you've done to protect the marine environment
• The impact your lifestyle has on the marine environment
• How much time you spend by the sea

Aoife O’Mahony, Fair Seas campaign manager, said: “We’re working with international researcher Dr Emma McKinley on this important project. We want to understand how a wide range of people use, experience, and value Ireland’s ocean and marine environment. Our relationship with the ocean is a complex one and there is a growing awareness that understanding this relationship is essential if we’re to successfully protect and restore our seas. Similar surveys have been carried out in Scotland and Wales in recent years. This will provide us with a baseline of ocean literacy in Ireland and will be useful for international comparison as well as informing much-needed protection of our valuable ocean wealth.”

A short survey carried out by Red C on behalf of Fair Seas in October 2022 showed that 81% of people agreed with more legal protection for our ocean. The Government has committed to protecting 30% of Ireland’s seas by 2030. Ambitious legislation to provide a statutory basis for the identification, designation, and management of MPAs in Ireland’s maritime area is desperately needed and is currently being prepared.

Fair Seas is hoping to see the legislation before the Dáil before the summer recess and that the MPA legislation General Scheme recommendations published by the Joint Oireachtas Committee will be reflected in the proposed Bill.

Karen Ciesielski, CEO Irish Environmental Network; Minister of State, Malcolm Noonan, TD; Aoife O’Mahony, Fair Seas; and Cleo Murphy, Green Party Local Area Representative show a new Fair Seas postcard series celebrating the Greater Skellig Coast Picture: Domnick Walsh

Fair Seas has also revealed a new postcard series to celebrate the Greater Skellig Coast.

The Ocean Literacy Survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, will remain open until the end of the summer; but an overview of initial results will be presented at the Fair Seas World Ocean Day Conference in Cork on Thursday, June 8.