On 3 March 2026, the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, announced a new voluntary Marine Wildlife Code of Conduct for tour operators engaged in wildlife watching off the southwest coast.

Read more on our blog post: www.baskingshark.ie/post/a-posit...

This has been a long time in the making! I'm thrilled to see forward momentum on this.

‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers

Tá sceitimíní orainn taispeántas ealaíne seo! tuairisc.ie/gne-alt-fogr...

We took advantage of our large gathering of basking shark experts to ask the most pressing question of all: How would you describe a basking shark? #baskingshark #sharkscience

Basking sharks visit Tipperary! A new exhibition by Irish artist Tom Meskell opened last weekend in Tipperary Town. In 'Basking - the Nursery', the focal points are two juvenile sharks, each about 2.5 metres in length, suspended in blue-green light amidst the sounds of the ocean.

Our own Dr. Ruth Leeney, will give a short talk at the opening of the exhibit (Friday 14th November) and again on the 15th November. The IBSG also provided support in developing an educational worksheet for the school workshops Tom will be running this week.

Incredible sneak peak for Tom Meskell’s upcoming exhibit "Basking, The Nursery" in Tipperary: www.tipperaryarts.ie/baskingout

Many thanks to Terry Flanagan from @rte.ie Mooney Goes Wild programme for joining us at the International Basking Shark Conference ATU Galway City in August this year to capture the meeting, talk to some of the participants and share the excitement. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

I talked to a guy selling heat pumps, which if someone installs, can qualify them for a tax credit due to the IRA. This tax credit now expires at the end of the year due to the GOP. That's a huge selling point to get one ASAP. He had no idea about it or the IRA.

"I have covered violent, traumatic deaths for nearly 20 years, but heat fatalities felt different – not sensational, just painfully ordinary and entirely preventable." - @ninalakhani.bsky.social December 2024: "Heatwaves have killed more Australians than any other natural disasters combined."

One of the many things @ninalakhani.bsky.social does so well is show the very real, very now cost of climate change at the most human level. This story is devastatingly good: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

This article has haunted me since I read it. The threat of extreme heat is not understood enough and the solutions we need often require long-term changes that need to start NOW, especially in cities

What did people take away from our International Conference on Basking Sharks? We spoke with attendees from around the Atlantic to hear their biggest insights, inspirations, and hopes for the future of #baskingshark #conservation. 🦈💬 Check out their stories and reflections from the event!

Loved this piece from the Shark Trust about our conference! Their data workshop was a real highlight — thanks for bringing such great energy and insights! www.sharktrust.org/blog/lets-ta...

I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA 10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)

Nuacht go maith!

I'm very proud to have contributed to this important work with @irishbaskingshark.bsky.social

One of the best conferences I've ever been too (but I'm probably biased here). So proud to have put this together with the amazing @irishbaskingshark.bsky.social team.

Tune in to Prime Time on RTÉ One tonight at 10.35pm for a feature on why Ireland is lagging behind on marine protection and why this matters🦈 More here: www.rte.ie/.../1534897-.... @fairseas.ie Image credit: Basking Shark by George Karbus

Net loss? Why Ireland trails Europe on marine protection. 🦈🌊 Don't miss this tonight on RTE's Prime Time at 10.35pm after #TraitorsIreland 👀 #rtept www.rte.ie/news/primeti...

Friends, I am helping the The Natural History Society of Maryland to design a shark science and conservation exhibit, and we can use your help funding it! Learn more about the exhibit and learn how you can donate here: 🧪🦑🌎🦈 #SciComm www.southernfriedscience.com/help-support...

I have never been more proud to work with @irishbaskingshark.bsky.social! After a compressed planning process, we held two packed days of fintastic basking shark talks. I've never felt more inspire or excited to continue basking shark research and advocacy.

After months of preparation this weekend we successfully hosted the second International Basking shark conference at ATU Galway followed by our Ocean Literacy day event on Achill Island, cohosted by: @npwsireland.bsky.social & Irish Whale and Dolphin Group

But for now I will leave you with this quote from fellow IBSG member @divingwsharks.bsky.social in her closing address “conferences are planned by a small committee but made special by everyone who attends”.

We are kicking off our international conference on basking sharks! Come see our life size shark at ATU

Basking sharks were called (liamhán gréine) Sunfish in Irish ☀️ so stoked to finally be in Ireland with @irishbaskingshark.bsky.social for our international conference on basking sharks!

Great to be part of the unveiling of this life-sized sculpture of a basking shark at the Spanish Arch in Galway. It was specially commissioned for the International Basking Shark Conference (Aug 29-31). More details on this exciting conference is here: www.baskingshark.ie/conference2025 Be there!

Check out our schedule! Virtual registration is still open and on site registration will be available for €160. www.baskingshark.ie/conference2025

Yesterday, the IBSG and Fair Seas unveiled a life size sculpture of a basking shark for Heritage Week in Galway! The sculpture created by well-known prop-maker Tommy Casby was part-funded by The Heritage Council and with support from Galway City Council.

On August 31st, as part of Ocean Literacy Day, The Achill Sound will be playing at Keel Community Hall! Get details and a downloadable schedule here: www.baskingshark.ie/conference2025 #sharkweek #Achill

After setting out to understand the relationship between consumption and wellbeing, the researchers found people are happier and more satisfied when adopting sustainable lifestyles and resisting the temptations of consumerism. www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

As always we promote our code of conduct when you are out on the coast seeing these marvellous animals, this can be found on our website: www.baskingshark.ie/downloads

What should you do if you see a #BaskingShark? Well, report your sighting as soon as you can! Visit our website to get information on where and what information to submit. Sightings are very important for conservation research! www.baskingshark.ie/report-a-sig...

Please tell the sharks to stay. I will be in Ireland so soon!

We've recently published research basking shark breaching behavior. How kind of them to demonstrate it again on camera! Footage from Treas Heapes onboard Sally O’Keefee sailing to Inis Oirr.

Are you sad that you missed registration for the International Conference on basking Sharks? Don't worry! Our online registration will be available until just before conference starts and we will be offering on-site registration at ATU www.baskingshark.ie/conference2025

During our FREE Ocean Literacy event on Achill Island on 31st August, we will be screening three following films about basking sharks..... #achill #baskingshark #sharkscience

We have some great keynote speakers lined up for our Conference on the 29-30th at ATU. Remember that you can register on-site or attend virtually: www.baskingshark.ie/conference2025

The schedule for our International Conference on Basking Sharks has been posted! And we have to admit- We're SO excited!!! Get conference details here: www.baskingshark.ie/conference2025. You can also still register to attend virtually and on-site tickets will be available for 160 Euros. #SharkWeek

This is kinda lovely www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thinking of joining us for our Ocean Literacy Day on Achill? We have lots of activities planned for the day for shark enthusiasts of all ages. From headland watched, kayaking, draw along sessions and rockpooling to art instalments, talks, music and film screenings.

#sharkweek never has to end

It's thrilling to see an angelshark swim past a camera in Cardigan Bay, Wales. First sighting in years! As I wrote in What the Wild Sea Can Be, angelsharks are critically endangered but they are certainly not gone. There's so much to fight for in our ocean 💙🌊🦑🦈 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

What me and a lot of people have discussed lately is how we didn't expect them to tank things that save or make money. Conservation? Sure. Fisheries? Unexpected. Cutting hurricane tracking costs $$$$ even for the wealthy. Just why??

"Irish requires the intentional creation of a learning community in a way many other languages do not. With Spanish, for example, you can travel to a country where you’re immersed in the language. That’s not always the case with Irish." @divingwsharks.bsky.social letslearnirish.com/articles/fro...

Scriobh mé alt do @letslearnirish.bsky.social agus inniu fuair mé mo scór: Pas le Tuillteanas! I wrote and article for Let's Learn Irish, and today I got my scor: Pass with merit! #Gaeilge #Irish

"This highlights a critical but overlooked link between biodiversity loss and climate change, revealing how unmitigated animal declines undermine the ability of forest carbon to recover after disturbance and emphasizing the need to incorporate animal biodiversity into climate mitigation strategies"

Research-integrity sleuths say their work is being ‘twisted’ to undermine science “I am very worried about how the work we do in pointing out bad papers is currently being misused, or even weaponized, to convince the general public that all science is bad” @elisabethbik.bsky.social