Currently Designated Irish Continental Shelf

Date and time; Fish and shellfish catch statistics

The MEFEPO (Making the European Fisheries Ecosystem Plan Operational) project was made up of a group of ecologists, economists, management experts and fisheries scientists who are trying to make ecosystem based fisheries management (EBFM) a reality in Europe. EBFM seeks to support the 'three pillars of sustainability’ (ecological, social and economic).The North Western Waters (NWW) area is situated in the north east Atlantic off the west coast of Ireland and Scotland, and extends into the Celtic Sea, Irish Sea and the English Channel. The NWW covers approximately 1.15 million km2 and comprises 12 ICES Divisions and three OSPAR regions. Parts of the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) of three countries (UK, Ireland and France) make up the NWW. The majority of the NWW area is composed of water less than 100m deep (20%), while 17% lies between 100m and 200m (17%) and 20% between 1,000m and 1,500m. The MEFEPO Atlas project commenced in 2009 and was completed in 2011. The North Western Waters Atlas collected and produced data maps and text on area and depth, climate, water movements, sea temperature, sea floor habitat, contaminants and nutrients, plankton, nutrients, marine reptiles, seabirds, marine mammals, protected areas and fishing restrictions, elasmobranches, fishing activities and mariculture. The MEFEPO Atlas was produced to support ecosystem approach in fisheries science. The MEFEPO Atlas produced by University of Liverpool (UK), Instituto de Investigação das Pescas e do Mar (Portugal), Wageningen IMARES (Netherlands), Université de Bretange Occidentale (France), Marine Institute (Ireland), University of Tromsø (Norway), CEFAS (UK), Institute for Fisheries Management (Denmark), Universidad dos Acores (Portugal) and Instituto Espanol de Oceanografía (Spain). Atlas maps complete for edition published.

Marine Institute
Rinville
Oranmore
Co. Galway
H91 R673
Ireland