S 01 review of Irish cetacean stranding data from 1901-2010 Kerstin Voigt (1) (1) University of Portsmouth, UK kvoigt@btinternet.com
The Irish cetacean stranding scheme is one of the oldest in the world with anecdotal records dating back to 752 AD (Fairley, 1981).
Temporal and regional trends in stranding records over the last century of selected species were analysed, reflecting on changes of sea surface temperature (SST) in Irish waters.
A highly significant association between stranding species and geographical regions was found (Χ2region = 171.6 [df12], p< .001), with some species contributing more than others. A range shift of striped dolphin (SD), a warmer water species, from south to north was demonstrated, with significantly increased SST over the last century as potential driver.
Supporting an efficient and systematic long-term stranding scheme of Irish cetaceans should be prioritised by decision makers in order to protect these otherwise difficult to study animals.