| Overview | Details | Data Sources | Links | References |
| Bathing | • | Sailing and Boating | • | Angling | • | Other Water Sports | • | Impacts |
Bathing is, by far, the most popular water-based activity in Ireland. In 2003, up to 353,500 people bathed in Irish waters. Although significant this represents a 20% decrease in the numbers of people bathing compared with 1996 (Marine Institute, 2004). The increase in Irish people taking foreign sun holidays is regarded as one of the potential causes of this reduction, while other reasons put forward include concerns about the lack of facilities and levels of pollution (Marine Institute, 2004).
A sunny summer’s day near Galley Head, Co. Cork.
| These concerns
have had a positive effect in many locations, encouraging local authorities
to improve the quality of their coastal waters and apply for recognized
international awards (Blue Flag) or national awards, (Green Coast
Award awarded by An Taisce in the Republic of Ireland and the Seaside
Awards administered by Encams in Northern Ireland). The Blue Flag
is awarded to those beaches that comply with the European Bathing
Waters Directive and are well managed and provide services, security
and environmental education to their users. The Green Coast awards
beaches with clean waters and an unspoilt environment, whilst the
Seaside Awards recognise well-managed beaches which are clean and
comparatively safe. |
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Sailing and Boating
Sailing and boating are popular water-based activities returning a combined income of almost €50 million to the Irish economy (2003). Cork Week generates up to €20 million per regatta for the local economy. The Volvo Ocean Race (2009) generated over €58 million for Galway and ireland. In order to service the boating and sailing community, proper infrastructure is needed for boat storage and maintenance. These are provided by marinas, pontoons, moorings and slipways that are scattered along the coast.
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Click here to view a map of Irish Sailing Association clubs. |
Marina in Kinsale, Co. Cork |
Marinas are berthing facilities
that provide shelter against adverse weather and easy access to boats.
When natural protection is not available, man-made structures such as
sea walls and breakwaters are put in place.
Marinas with higher levels of protection tend to be open all year round
whilst those that afford less protection tend to be used in the calmer,
summer months. Within the marina, structures called pontoons, provide
a floating walkway and can also carry power and water connections to the
berthed boats.
The majority
of marinas are generally privately owned and managed and their permanent
berths are leased by individuals or clubs. However, most marinas offer
a percentage of berthing spaces to visitors for a nightly fee.
Click
here to view a map of marinas and pontoons.
Moorings are usually comprised of a concrete (or other heavy material) anchor
base, a rope and a floating buoy. They are the simplest kind of berthing
facility and can be associated with a marina, managed by the relevant county
council, port authority or yacht club. They are usually located near to
services, either at a marina itself or a nearby town or village. A special
set of mooring sites are included in the National Network of Visitor Moorings.
This joint effort by Fáilte Ireland , the (now dissolved)Department of the
Marine and county councils was developed as a network for safe travel and
convenience of sailing along the southern and western coasts of Ireland.
Their locations complement static marina facilities and adjacent moorings,
providing for a secure haven at intervals along the coast.
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Click here to view a map of visitor moorings. |
Angling
Angling includes a combination of shore and boat based individuals or groups and is a very popular pastime with participation levels increasing by nearly 40,000 between 1996 and 2003. In 2008, overseas visitors who engaged in angling spent €89.9 million. Ireland’s extensive coastline, combining harsh rocky shores with sandy beaches and mudflats, makes it attractive to anglers. These different coastal features host different species and allow for various kinds of shore angling each with its own challenge. Angling can be practised year round although the highest number of fish and differing species tend to be found between May and October.
 At Bunowen Bay, Co. Galway, anglers take advantage of a pier for easy access to the water. |
Several sea fishing centres offer their services all around the island, mainly for boat sea angling. Those centres provide the boat and gear, and sometimes can also arrange accommodation.
Other Water Sports
Other water sports popular in Ireland include surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, water-skiing, snorkelling and sea-kayaking. Over 50,000 people are estimated to have participated in one or other of these sports in 2003.
 Lahinch in Co. Clare is one of Ireland’s premier surfing areas. |
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Click here to view a map of surf clubs and surf spots. |
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Although snorkelling and scuba diving may be less enticing than in the Red Sea or on the Great Barrier Reef due to the cooler climate, Ireland's clear waters offer a fascinating underwater with numerous wrecks, caves and rocky cliffs to be explored. Whilst the diving may require more effort, the reward is the opportunity to see the abundance of marine life to be found around Ireland’s coast.
Impacts
There are a number of ways that water based leisure activities can affect the environment and users should take appropriate measures to minimise their impact on the environment and other users of the sea.
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Oil spills from boats can cause localised contamination and potential damage to flora and fauna, especially in areas where there is limited water movement. Antifouling paints are used on the hulls of boats to reduce colonisation from marine organisms with tributyltin (TBT) a favoured biocide for use in antifouling paints in the 1980s. However, this was found to cause severe damage to shellfish communities and therefore a Europe-wide ban was imposed on its use on vessels under 25m. Copper based paints have since replaced TBT, however there remains a degree of uncertainty regarding the impact of copper on the marine environment.
Boats can also be responsible for transporting invasive species from one area to another. Recently, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have appeared in a number of waterways in Ireland. These can quickly alter the ecology of an area posing a threat to a number of native species. Therefore boat owners should be aware of the potential threat posed by the introduction of non-native species.
Noise pollution from motors can impact both humans and wildlife. Disturbance to birds and marine mammals should be avoided, especially during the mating and breeding seasons. Constant disturbance of animals can lead to stress causing them to abandon their sites. In some protected areas motorised boats are banned in order to limit this impact on wildlife.
Visitor numbers can detract from people's enjoyment of a site and be detrimental to the physical environment. Crowded beaches can affect people's enjoyment of activities such as bathing or surfing and large numbers of visitors can have a negative impact on flora and fauna. In protected areas, these impacts can be reduced by issuing permits for certain activities. For example in Lough Hyne, a marine nature reserve in Co. Cork, scuba divers require a permit from the National Parks and Wildlife Service prior to diving.
Infrastructural developments, such as the construction of marinas, slipways, etc., can modify irreversibly existing natural habitats. Related dredging and its spoil disposal can impact seabed communities with increased turbidity and smothering, and depending on the scale of the activity can potentially lead to changes in the tidal regime. Environmental impact assessments are now routinely carried out prior to lodging planning applications for such developments in order to avoid repeating any past mistakes.