Dr Ian O’Connor

The MFRC are partnering with SSE Thermal to review the ecology of the River Barrow estuary. The study examines variability in ecological communities in relation to activities of the Great Island power station and other anthropogenic pressures in the area.

Funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), U-AVES is an industry/academic partnership between ATU, BlueWise Marine, A-TechSYN, and Energia Renewables.  The project aims to investigate the use of a long endurance fixed wing vertical take off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) to conduct large scale, offshore ecological surveys for seabirds and marine mammals.

Ireland’s breeding wader populations have suffered dramatic declines in population size and national breeding range. Remaining breeding populations are teetering on the brink of extirpation, functional extinction, or both. The primary objective of this EIP-Agri project is to tackle the multifaceted causes behind the significant declines in breeding wader populations, including changes in land use practices and policy. Central to achieving the project’s goals is the enhancement of productivity within these populations. The project will establish connections with landowners, stakeholders and communities to foster a comprehensive understanding of the breeding waders’ requirements within the landscape. By recognising, valuing, and protecting these species, the EIP-Agri project is promoting a range of ecosystem services that are of benefit to the whole of society.

This project, along with its multi-disciplinary team, is looking at assessing the use of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to monitor MPAs and provide best-practice advice on their use. This includes the investigation of UAV flyover methods to monitor fishing activities, evaluating the abundance and distribution of biological features of interest, and quantifying the nature and extend of anthropogenic activities within selected case studies. This work aspires to generate novel approaches to monitoring, complementing the objectives of the National Marine Planning Framework by outlining how human activities interact with each other in MPAs.

The InEVal project aims to develop realistic value-added, innovative products and services from echinoderm bio resources. Focussing on value and sustainability at every step along the full value chain, these resource uses will contribute to zero-waste and circular economies driving a competitive blue bio economy in Europe.

This project aimed at establishing standardised operating procedures for environmental matrices laboratory processing targeted at microplastics

Humpback whales in Irish waters: a partnership with the IWDG

As part of a strategy to protect seabirds, we need to identify offshore areas that are ecologically important for them.  Identifying these areas is challenging, seabird species have a variety of foraging ranges, strategies and habitat preferences. Our team analyse aerial and ship-based survey data in order to predict the distribution/abundance of selected bird species in the Irish EEZ.  The results will inform decisions on conservation or management actions for species where a site-based approach is appropriate.

This project consists of a literature review of the impacts of microplastics in the marine environment and on the proposal of mitigation and/or reduction policy recommendations to address this global environmental issue. 

The TUNASIA-project focuses on the modernization and development of curricula for the qualification of students in a transdisciplinary education system in a network with companies, research institutions and stakeholders in Vietnam and Thailand.