Eachtrai Aigein Teo, Inverin. Co Galway, Ireland.

Tel/Fax: +353 (0) 91-505943 e-mail:

Hosted by Aran Islands Dive Centre in conjunction with

Dr Rohan Holt, CCW.

A workshop run by professional marine ecologists for those interested in marine life or working in nature conservation.

For full details and an information sheet please call or email Nick Pfeiffer on the above contacts.

Eachtrai Aigein Teo t/a Aran Islands Dive Centre

Marine Species Identification Workshop

Carna, Co Galway Ireland. July 4th to 8th 2005

Our Marine Life ID workshop has become an annual event, and this year our workshop will once again be run by Dr Rohan Holt, a professional marine ecologist who works for the Countryside Council for Wales. Rohan may also avail of the assistance of other visiting specialists to cover identification of particular animal groups and marine algae during the workshop. Our annual Marine Species ID workshop is open to everyone with an interest in marine life.

While the workshop is designed primarily for people working in the nature conservation and aquatic environmental monitoring areas, for whom work may require collection and identification of marine life specimens, the workshop will also be of interest to recreational divers and marine science students. Anyone who has even a basic knowledge and understanding of Ireland’s marine life and who is interested in marine life identification will enjoy the workshop and develop their knowledge and taxonomic capabilities. Regardless of your particular background, you are sure to gain a wealth of knowledge from diving with and learning about Ireland’s marine life from our visiting experts. The only pre-requisite to taking part in the workshop is that you be a certified diver with a reasonable degree of experience. Non-divers are welcome to attend also, and may complete specimen collection by walking the inter-tidal shore during periods of low tide.

During the workshop divers and non divers will get lots of opportunity to collect specimens from the sea around Connemara, while gaining valuable instruction and assistance in the area of marine life identification. The workshop will also be a good opportunity for divers to practice their underwater photography.

Location

This years workshop will be located in Carna, Connemara Co Galway. This is a coastal village which is close to the sea and which lies in beautiful rural setting. The location provides excellent diving opportunities and offers us the security of being able to dive at sheltered sites in Kilkieran Bay when conditions are less than ideal!

Marine life around Connemara and the Aran Islands

The Connemara and Aran Islands area is renowned for its spectacular underwater scenery and the diversity of fish and invertebrate life in particular.Much of the marine area of Kilkieran Bay and the Aran Islands lies within one or other of several candidate Special Areas of Conservation to be found in the region. The waters are usually very clear and the granite rock of Connemara and limestone rock of the Aran islands provides a wide range of dive sites. Within these there are many interesting and varied habitats, most of which are pristine and in an undisturbed condition.

We will be diving and collecting marine life in different habitats and hydrographic conditions to gain the greatest coverage of marine specimens during the week. This will include dives over rock, mud, sand and maerl seabeds, as well as dives in exposed and sheltered areas of coast and in areas experiencing tidal currents. Intertidal shores in the area vary from sand, cobble and boulders to exposed bedrock shores with rock pools and kelp. The diversity of habitats, invertebrate species and algae to be found makes Connemara an ideal location for a week long workshop aimed at improving individual marine life identification skills.

Workshop Format

While we try to keep things informal, the workshop is based around specimen collection in the mornings, with sorting of samples and species identification carried out in group sessions during the afternoons. Specimen collection will be conducted on morning dives, during which participants can observe and photograph as well as collect specimens. Dives will be conducted from Lisin I – a fully licensed Offshore 105 dive boat, skippered by an experienced dive skipper. There will be plenty of experienced divers around so don’t worry if you are a bit rusty on technique – there will be someone there to keep an eye on you and help you get back into it!

After lunch, participants meet at the facilities of the Shellfish Research Laboratory (SRL) which is part of the National University of Ireland, Galway. This is within a very short walking distance of the pier from were the diveboat is based. Here we will avail of classroom and lab facilities for the purposes of sorting out our specimens and learning about species identification and individual species characteristics. Following this, Rohan will present talks and slide shows during the late afternoon and evening (at different times, so that you can go to as many or as few as you like).

There will also be a chance for you to specialise in a topic of your own choice. The following talks are planned:

  • Introduction to the major groups of plants and animals
  • Sponge ID
  • Cnidarian ID
  • Worms, Crustaceans, Molluscs and Bryozoans ID
  • Echinoderms, Ascidians and Fish ID
  • Marine algae ID

Additional shore diving opportunities will be made available for those keen to spend a little more time in the water, after the workshop is finished each day (e.g. night dives etc.)

It is also possible for non divers to take part in the workshop. Non divers may carry out specimen collection during walks on the extensive and varied intertidal shores during periods of low tide. A limited number of spaes are available to non-divers.

Costs

The workshop fee for 2005 is €550. This includes:

  • Marine Species Identification workshop fee
  • All diving and boat fees inc tanks and air.
  • Use of facilities and equipment for sorting samples and guides for aiding identification
  • Presentations
  • Tea/coffee and snacks

These costs do not include transport to the workshop location or accommodation during your stay (see below).

Booking

This workshop is limited to 10 places; it is therefore advised that you book early to avoid disappointment. A deposit of 50% is required to confirm your place on the workshop.

Please contact us by email at: for a booking form. You can also telephone Nick Pfeiffer on 00-353-91-505943.

Accommodation

Accommodation is not included in the workshop fee. Shared self catering accommodation in a holiday home within 5 miles of the workshop location is available to those who book early. Cost of this is €150 pp from Sat 2nd July to Sat 9th.

Alternatively, B & B accommodation @ €40 / night or €65 per night inc. evening meal can be arranged. Alternatively, there is also an hotel nearby in Carna with rates from €85 per night B/B/D. Your accommodation requirements can be discussed at time of booking.

Getting to Carna

Carna is a small coastal village situated on the mainland in south west Connemara in Co Galway and is in the heart of the Gaeltacht area. It is approximately 50 miles from Galway city and 25 miles from Clifden. Travel time from Galway is approximately one and a half hours. A map of the location and instructions for driving there will be provided on booking.

Eachtrai Aigein Teo T/A Aran Islands Dive Centre