We’re having a whale of a time

LIEUTENANT Commander Paddy Harkin, of the LE Niamh, reported that 100 orcas were feeding on mackerel 50km west of Tory on January 27 and 28.

According to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, this is the largest concentration of the species recorded in Irish waters. “On one occasion,” Commander Harkin said, “at least a dozen whales were within 200m of the ship.” They were not alone; 25 fishing vessels were present, each catching 200 tonnes of mackerel a day. One foreign boat had 4,000 tonnes on board. Several had 1,000 tonnes. The whales, skippers claimed, had followed the shoals as they migrated southwards from west of the Hebrides.

The IWDG has validated 162 records of orcas in Irish waters. According to the Irish Cetacean Review, there were 117 sightings between 2000 and 2009. The animals appear in small groups: a male and two females famously entered Cork Harbour in June, 2001. That so large a concentration has occurred off Tory augurs well for the health of this iconic species.