Marine Science in the Field
Fieldwork & Projects
A professional portfolio of marine ecology fieldwork, environmental assessment, conservation projects and specialist surveys spanning three decades.
Rowan Byrne has undertaken marine fieldwork across a wide range of habitats, species groups and project types — from intertidal surveys and cetacean monitoring to offshore renewable energy assessments and international sea turtle research. The projects below represent a selection of genuine fieldwork and consultancy experience.
Marine Mammals
Cetacean surveys, marine mammal monitoring and population assessments in Irish, UK and international waters.
Cetacean Surveys — Irish Waters
OngoingIreland
Marine mammal monitoring surveys along the Irish coastline, contributing to national and international cetacean databases.
Sperm Whale Research — Dominica
2002–presentDominica, Caribbean
Photo-identification and behavioural research on the resident sperm whale population off Dominica.
Cetacean Surveys — Azores
Multiple expeditionsAzores, Portugal
Whale and dolphin surveys in the Azores archipelago, including blue whale, sperm whale and common dolphin populations.
Sea Turtle Research
Leatherback and other sea turtle research, nesting beach monitoring and conservation in the Caribbean.
Leatherback Sea Turtle Research — Rosalie Bay
2002–presentDominica, Caribbean
Long-term leatherback sea turtle nesting beach research programme at Rosalie Bay, Dominica — one of the Caribbean's most important leatherback nesting sites.
Sea Turtle Conservation Programme
OngoingCaribbean
Conservation and monitoring work supporting sea turtle populations across Caribbean nesting beaches.
Marine Plastics Research
Research into marine plastic pollution, pathways, impacts and mitigation strategies.
Marine Plastics Survey — Irish Coastline
OngoingIreland
Survey and monitoring of marine plastic pollution along the Irish coastline, contributing to national and European datasets.
Microplastics in Marine Organisms
Research ongoingIreland & International
Research into microplastic ingestion by marine organisms and the ecological implications of plastic pollution in marine food webs.
Environmental Assessment
Marine environmental impact assessment for offshore renewable energy, coastal development and infrastructure projects.
Offshore Wind Environmental Assessment
Multiple projectsIreland & UK
Marine ecology and environmental impact assessment for offshore wind energy projects, including baseline surveys, impact assessment and mitigation recommendations.
Biodiversity Net Gain — Marine Projects
OngoingIreland & UK
Application of biodiversity net gain principles to marine and coastal development projects.
Coastal Development EIA
Multiple projectsIreland
Environmental impact assessment for coastal infrastructure and development projects, including marine ecology baseline surveys.
Marine Ecology Surveys
Intertidal, subtidal and reef ecology surveys across temperate and tropical marine environments.
Intertidal Habitat Surveys — Ireland
OngoingIreland
Rocky shore and intertidal habitat surveys contributing to national biodiversity and habitat monitoring programmes.
Coral Reef Assessments — Caribbean & Indo-Pacific
Multiple expeditionsCaribbean & Indo-Pacific
Coral reef health assessments and biodiversity surveys in tropical marine environments.
Seagrass Habitat Surveys
Multiple projectsIreland & International
Seagrass meadow mapping and condition assessments in temperate and tropical waters.
Discuss a Project
Available for marine ecology consultancy, environmental assessment, research collaboration and specialist fieldwork.