Anja Murray: Dozens of whales spotted along the Waterford coast this year

Whales play a key role in sustaining healthy oceans — to allow them to recover from the near-complete annihilation they suffered at the hands of historic whaling, and now with naval and other sound pollution in the sea, enormous conservation efforts are still very much needed

Fin whales are an extremely large and streamlined whale — they feed on krill, sprat, and herring

Fin whales are the second biggest animals ever to have lived on earth — smaller only than blue whales. The majority of their population was wiped out by industrial whaling in the 20th century. The Arranmore Whaling Company and the Blacksod Whaling Company between them caught 895 whales in the years from 1910 to 1922. Two-thirds of the catch consisted of fin whales. These enormous creatures are still an endangered species, though fortunately, our attitudes toward them and our understanding of their ecology have changed a great deal in the 100 years since then. Scientists are hopeful that the genetic diversity in the remaining population is sufficient that current and future conservation measures could be enough to help the population rebound and thrive.

Fin whales are migratory and can be seen in Irish waters in spring, summer and autumn, especially the south coast.