Hen harriers are ground-nesting birds of prey whose UK population is in critical condition. Unfortunately, time after time we hear that a hen harrier has been killed illegally on grouse moors, a heavily-managed grouse habitat used for driven grouse shooting. In this episode, I discuss this hot issue with a field sports journalist Matt Cross.
The European Commission is gearing up to introduce a ban on the use of lead in shooting and fishing. But can anything be done about it or is it a done deal at this stage?
You have probably heard a dozen times that I am a semi-retired, obsessive, shark angler. So, ever since I started the podcast I wanted, one day, to have an episode with someone from the Shark Trust. Well, that day is today. Our guest is Ali Hood the Director of Conservation in Shark Trust and we spent over an hour talking sharks!
It was especially important for me to talk with Ali about the role of anglers in shark conservation. We also discussed three species of sharks that I am particularly interested in from an angling perspective: porbeagle shark, sixgill shark and mako shark. But we discussed much more than that and all of it very interesting.
So if you want to learn about sharks and shark conservation, crack open a can of your favourite beverage, sit back and listen up.
The proposal by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to restrict the use of lead-based ammunition and fishing tackle containing lead is looming. In this video, I discuss the timeline of coming events that will lead to approval or rejection of the proposed restrictions.
Stand up paddle boarding, also known as SUP, is gaining popularity in Ireland and around the world. Sure, there are many who laugh and take shots at it. But that’s normal when the new kid on the block appears. But SUP is here to stay and, in this episode of the podcast, I talk with Oona Tibbetts who is one of the founders of the Wild SUP Tours, an adventure company which organizes paddle-boarding tours and retreats in the most breathtaking places in County Kerry.
But there is more! Recently, Oona set out to stand-up-paddle-board the coastline along The Wild Atlantic Way which is the longest defined coastal driving route in the world. The goal of this endeavour is to raise awareness about ocean pollution and climate change. You can track Oona’s progress by following the hashtag #oonagoeswild on social media. In the podcast, we discuss this fantastic challenge along with more general issues related to stand up paddle boarding.
In this video, I discuss the recent proposal by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to restrict the use of lead-based ammunition and (later) lead-contained fishing tackle.
It has become quite common these days to hear about the negative impact of tourism on popular tourist destinations and local communities. Tourists are usually welcome as they contribute to local economies. Unfortunately, big crowds flowing every year through otherwise small and quiet regions can cause significant inconveniences. The infrastructure, like roads and sewers, is often not designed for such big crowds. Also the environment like beaches, mountain trails and footpaths can be totally destroyed by a large number of tourists. Not to mention the litter. There are many places all over the world which are struggling with this problem, but today our focus is on the famous Ring of Kerry route located on the Iveragh peninsula in south-western Ireland.
In the episode, I talk with a man who is proposing a bold solution to this problem. A futuristic eMonoRail, an electric coach, powered by solar energy, travelling on a single rail, designed to eliminate tourist coaches and cars from the narrow rural roads of the area. This could revolutionize tourism and provide a whole new way of experiencing the Ring of Kerry. Is such a bold and futuristic project possible? My guest, Kevin C. Murphy is convinced that the answer is, yes. But it’s not only wishful thinking. Kevin has put a lot of thought into the technical and economic aspects of this project. So, listen up and you just might get excited about the prospect.
