IWDG Consulting

Ireland's Cetacean Survey Specialists

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IWDG Publications

Most recent IWDG Consulting reports

  • Berrow, S., Blásquez, M. and O’Brien, J. (2025) Developing a Protocol for Long-Term Monitoring of the Bottlenose dolphins in the Shannon Estuary. National Parks and Wildlife Service under the Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme 2025 (CM25-01). pp24.
  • O‘Brien, J., Perez-Tadeo, M. and Berrow, S.D. (2024) Static Acoustic Monitoring in the North Celtic Sea (February 2023 – May 2024). IWDG Consulting 29 pp.
  • O‘Brien, J. Pérez Tadeo, M., and Berrow, S.D. (2024) Static Acoustic Monitoring at the site of the proposed Shannon Technology and Energy Park (May 2022 – May 2024). IWDG Consulting 27 pp.
  • Daly M., Levesque S., Blázquez, M. and Berrow S.D. (2024) Distribution and Abundance of Bottlenose dolphins in the Shannon Estuary (December 2021 – May 2024). IWDG Consulting 42 pp.
  • IWDG (2023) Deep-Diving and Rare Programme (DDRIP) Final Report Year One. Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. Species Investigation (2022). 35pp.
  • O’Brien J., Dudley R. and Berrow S. (2022). Harbour porpoise surveys in Blasket Islands SAC, 2022. Report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Ireland.
  • Berrow, S., Daly, M., Dudley, R., Levesque, S., Regan, S. & O’Brien, J. (2022) Bottlenose dolphins in the Lower River Shannon SAC, 2022. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government, Ireland, 41pp.
  • Levesque, S., O’Donovan, J., Murphy, S., O’Connell, M., Jepson, P., Deaville, R. and Berrow, S. (2022) Supply of Vertebrate Necropsy and Sample Recovery Services. Final Report to Marine Institute with support of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Reference Number: ITT18-050 50 pp.
  • Berrow, S., Daly, M., Levesque, S., Regan, S. & O’Brien, J. (2021) Boat-based visual surveys for Bottlenose dolphin in the West Connacht Coast SAC in 2021. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government, Ireland, 41pp.
  • Berrow, S.D., Cummins, F., Kane, G., Keogh, H. and Wall, D (2021). Harbour porpoise surveys in Rockabill to Dalkey Island SAC, 2020. Report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Ireland.
  • O’Brien, J. and Berrow, S.D. (2020). Harbour porpoise surveys in Roaringwater Bay and Islands SAC, 2020. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland.

Selected papers from IWDG Consulting

  • Kootstra, C.P., Russell, C., Berrow, S. and O’Brien, J. (2026) Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in Dublin Bay: How does dredge disposal affect foraging behavior? Marine Mammal Science. 42:e70168 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70168
  • Berrow, S., Farrell, E., Price, B., Woodlock, J. and Russell, C. (2024) Use of haul-out sites by grey and harbour seals in Dublin Bay and adjacent coastal waters. Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 124B (2/3).
  • Blázquez, M., Whooley, P., Massett, N., Keogh, H., O’Brien, J.M., Wenzel, F.W., O’Connor, I. and Berrow, S.D. (2024) Distribution models of baleen whale species in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone to inform management and conservation. Marine Environmental Research, 199, ISSN 0141-1136, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106569.
  • Berrow, S.D., O’Brien, J.M. and Baker, I. (2017) The Shannon Population: Status and Situation Management. In Ó Cadhla, O. & Marnell, F. (Eds.) (2017). Proceedings of the Transnational Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation Workshop hosted in Dublin, 7-8 December 2016. National Parks & Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Dublin, Ireland. 391 pp.
  • Levesque, S., Reusch, K., Baker, I., O’Brien, J. and Berrow, S. (2016) Photo-Identification of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Tralee Bay and Brandon Bay, Co. Kerry: A Case for SAC Boundary Extension. Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 2016. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/ 10.3318/BIOE.2016. 11
  • O’Brien, J.M., Beck, S., Berrow, S.D., André, M., van der Schaar, M., O’Connor, I., and McKeown, E.P. (2015) The Use of Deep Water Berths and the Effect of Noise on Bottlenose Dolphins in the Shannon Estuary cSAC. The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life II. Volume 875 of the series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology pp 775-783.
  • Ryan, C., Whooley, P., Berrow, S.D., Barnes, C., Massett, N., Strietman, W. J., Broms, F., Stevick, P.T., Fernald Jr, T.W. and Schmidt, C. (2015) A longitudinal study of humpback whales in Irish waters. Journal of the Marine Biological Society (UK), doi:10.1017/S0025315414002033.
  • Berrow, S., Hickey, R., O’Connor, I. and McGrath, D. (2014) Density estimates of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) at eight coastal sites in Ireland. Biology and Environment 114B (1), 19-34.
  • O’Brien, J., Baker, I., Barker, J., O’Donoghue, B., Berrow, S., O’Connell, M. and Ryan, C. (2014) The first confirmed successful re-float of a stranded bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Ireland, and subsequent re-sighting with a neonate. Aquatic Mammals 40(20, 191-194.
  • Berrow, S., McGrath, D., O’Brien, J., O’Connor, I. and Wall, D. (2012) How can we monitor the favourable conservation status of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) in Ireland? In Butler, F. and Kelleher, C. (eds) All-Ireland Mammal Symposium 2009: 23-30. Irish Naturalists’ Journal,
    Belfast.
  • Robinson, K.P., O’Brien, J.M., Cheney, B., Mandleberg, L., Eisfeld, S., Ryan, C., Whooley, P., Oudejans, M.G., O’Donovan, M., Berrow, S.D., Costa, M., Haberlin, D., Stevick, P.T. and Thompson, P.M. (2012) Discrete or not so discrete: Long distance movements by coastal bottlenose dolphins in UK and Irish waters. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 12(3), 365-371.
  • Berrow, S., O’Brien, J., Groth, L., Foley, A. and Voigt, K. (2012) Abundance estimate of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Lower River Shannon candidate Special Area of Conservation, Ireland. Aquatic Mammals 38(2), 136-144.
  • Whooley, P., Berrow, S. and Barnes, C. (2011) Photo-identification of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) off the south coast of Ireland. Marine Biodiversity Records. Volume 4e8, 1-7.
  • Dolman, S.J. Reid, R.J. Barley, J.P. Deaville, R. Jepson, P.D. O’Connell, M. Berrow, S.D. Penrose, R. Pinn, E. Stevick, P. Calderan, S. Robinson, K.P. Brownell, R.L. and Simmonds, M.P. (2010) A note on the unprecedented strandings of 56 deep-diving odontocetes along the UK and Irish coast. Marine Biodiversity Records. Vol. 3; e16; 1-8.
  • O’Brien, J.M., Berrow, S.D., Ryan, C, McGrath, D., O’Connor, I., Pesante, P., Burrows, G., Massett, N., Klötzer, V. and Whooley, P. (2009) A note on long-distance matches of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) around the Irish coast using photo-identification. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 11(1), 71-76.
  • O’Brien, J., Berrow, S.D., McGrath, D. and Evans, P.G.H. (2009) Cetaceans in Irish Waters: A Review of Recent Research. Biology and Environment. 109B, No. 2, 63–88.
  • Berrow, S.D., Cosgrove, R., Leeney R.H., O’Brien, J., McGrath, D., Dalgard, J. and Le Gall, Y. (2009) Effect of acoustic deterrents on the behaviour of Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 10(3) 227-223.
  • Berrow, S.D., O’Brien, J., O’Connor, I. and McGrath, D. (2009) Abundance Estimate and Acoustic Monitoring of Habour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena in The Blasket Islands Candidate Special Area of Conservation. Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 109B(1), 35-46.
  • Leeney, R., Berrow, S.D., McGrath, D., O’Brien, J., Cosgrove, R. and Godley, B.J. (2007) Effects of pingers on the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins. Journal of the Marine Biological Association (UK) 87, 129-133.