To promote better understanding of Irish cetaceans through education and research.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group is dedicated to the conservation and better understanding of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoise) in Irish waters. The Group was founded in 1990 to establish an Irish stranding and sighting scheme and to campaign for the declaration of Irish territorial waters as a whale and dolphin sanctuary. Just one year later in June 1991 the Irish Government declared all Irish waters to be a whale and dolphin sanctuary, the first of its kind in Europe. We work towards making the Irish Whale and Dolphin Sanctuary effective in the conservation of all cetaceans that either live in, or migrate through Irish waters. We work in co-operation with industry, fishermen and other groups whose interests may sometimes conflict with those of cetacean conservation. We will work side by side with them to solve cetacean conservation problems to the benefit of both humans and cetaceans.

Research and conservation
Responsible whale-watching
Coastal communities education