Assessing the significance of the economic impact of Marine Conservation Zones in the Irish Sea upon the fisheries sector and regional economy in Northern Ireland

AbstractDespite increased focus on ascertaining the status of elasmobranch fish, the stock units for many species are uncertain. Data from mark-recapture tagging studies undertaken from 1959–2017 were analysed for 13 batoid species. Data were most comprehensive for skates (Rajidae), with 22,374 released and 3342 (14.9%) returned. Most data related to thornback ray Raja clavata, blonde ray R. brachyura and spotted ray R. montagui. Tags were generally returned from areas less than 50 km from their release, and usually from the ICES Division in which they were released. However, straight-line distances travelled of up to 910 km (R. brachyura) and 772 km (R. clavata) were recorded, highlighting that individual skates are capable of longer-distance movements. The maximum time at liberty was 16.6 years (R. clavata). Whilst mark-recapture data indicated that the current stock units used by ICES are broadly appropriate, southward movements of several skate species tagged off Northern Ireland (Division 6.a) to the Irish Sea (Division 7.a) were observed. In contrast, skates tagged in the Irish Sea and Bristol Channel (Division 7.f) generally remained in that area, with only occasional recaptures from Division 6.a.

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A Neolithic ceremonial timber complex at Ballynahatty, Co. Down

Antiquity ◽

10.1017/s0003598x00090657 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 76 (292) ◽

pp. 526-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Barrie Hartwell

Keyword(s):

Northern Ireland ◽

Valley Floor ◽

Irish Sea ◽

Timber Structures ◽

The Earth ◽

The Irish Sea ◽

Belfast Lough

IntroductionBelfast Lough is a deep indent of the Irish Sea into the coastline of Northern Ireland. Its southwestern continuation is the Lagan Valley, which separates the steep scarp ofthe Antrim Plateau (height c. 300 m) from the hills of Co Down (c. 120 m) to the southeast. The River Lagan flows along this broad, undulating valley floor through thick deposits of glacial sands and gravels before emptying into the Lough at Belfast. Eight kilometres southwest of Belfast, the river passes the townland of Ballynahatty, a sandy plateau 100 ha in extent. This was the site in the 4th millenium BC of a small passage tomb, orientated to the northwest (Collins 1954: 48; Lawlor 1918: 16–19). Though now denuded of its covering mound, it provided the subsequent focus for a series of atypical passage tombs utilizing ever smaller settings of stone (Hartwell 1998: 33–6). Shortly after 3000 BC this was followed by a complex of large and elaborate east-facing timber structures (Ballynahatty 5 and 6). These in turn were eventually replaced by the earth and stone hengiform enclosure of the Giant's Ring, built around the original passage tomb.

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1. The origins of the Troubles

Northern Ireland: A Very Short Introduction ◽

10.1093/actrade/9780198825005.003.0002 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 4-28

Author(s):

Marc Mulholland

Keyword(s):

Northern Ireland ◽

17Th Century ◽

16Th Century ◽

Irish Sea ◽

Home Rule ◽

Peaceful Coexistence ◽

The Troubles ◽

Long Span ◽

History Of ◽

The Irish Sea

The conflict in Northern Ireland was the product of the collision of two groups and, over the long span of time, involved much more peaceful coexistence than active conflict. This was never, however, particularly happy cohabitation. ‘The origins of the Troubles’ outlines the history of Northern Ireland from the bloody conquest of Catholic Gaelic Ulster by Elizabethan England at the end of the 16th century through to partition and the start of sectarian violence. It describes the 17th-century Protestant migration from across the Irish Sea and subsequent Catholic rebellions. The Irish Home Rule movement is also discussed, along with the steps that led to partition and the establishment of the Northern Ireland state.

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The Medieval Cultures of the Irish Sea and the North Sea

10.1017/9789048541959 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

North Sea ◽

Irish Sea ◽

The North ◽

The North Sea ◽

The Irish Sea

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The Bronze Age Pottery of the Isle of Man: Evidence for cultural movement around the Irish Sea Basin

10.30861/9781407303765 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Jennifer Woodcock

Keyword(s):

Bronze Age ◽

Irish Sea ◽

Isle Of Man ◽

The Irish Sea ◽

Cultural Movement ◽

The Bronze Age

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The medieval cultures of the Irish sea and the North Sea: Manannan and his neighbors [Book Review]

Journal of the Australian Early Medieval Association ◽

10.35253/jaema.2019.1.15 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 142-144

Author(s):

John Kennedy

Keyword(s):

North Sea ◽

Irish Sea ◽

The North ◽

The North Sea ◽

The Irish Sea

Review(s) of: The medieval cultures of the Irish sea and the North Sea: Manannan and his neighbors, by MacQuarrie, Charles W., and Nagy, Joseph Falaky Nagy (eds), (Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2019) hardcover, 212 pages, 1 map, 4 figures, RRP euro99; ISBN 9789462989399.

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Morphological abnormality in thornback ray Raja clavata in the Irish Sea

Environmental Biology of Fishes ◽

10.1007/s10641-021-01105-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

L. J. Clarke

Keyword(s):

Irish Sea ◽

Beam Trawl ◽

Morphological Abnormality ◽

Free Swimming ◽

Pectoral Fins ◽

North Wales ◽

Head Section ◽

Thornback Ray ◽

Raja Clavata ◽

The Irish Sea

AbstractA free-swimming thornback ray Raja clavata specimen demonstrating significant morphological abnormality is reported, captured by beam trawl in the Irish Sea off north Wales, UK. The anterior sections of both pectoral fins were separated from the head section for a length of approximately 140 mm extending from the rostrum tip to a point posterior of the spiracles, along with abnormal morphology of the gill slits. This phenomenon has been observed elsewhere but is the first documented example of this abnormality in the eastern Irish Sea, despite widespread targeting of the species across the region by commercial and recreational fishers. Possible causes and consequences of the observed abnormality are discussed.

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