Irish youth projects shortlisted for Mario Ruivo Prize

Jeanne Flynn, Aoife Muldoon Emily Egan and Gearoid Tracy Loughrea students (Youth Work Ireland Galway) with Vera Quinlan, INFOMAR team, Marine Institute and Letizia Gorini, Youth Work Ireland Galway (centre) have been shortlisted as one of three projects in Europe for the Mario Ruivo Prize. They visited the Marine Institute for advice on sustainable species ahead of their seafood cookery demonstration in Loughrea Hotel and Spa Thursday 27th October. Photographer: Andrew Downes, XPOSURETwo of three "Your Ocean, Your Future" themed projects shortlisted for the European Mario Ruivo Prize are from Ireland. A team of Loughrea students with Youth Work Ireland Galway, designed a project to raise awareness of the importance of the ocean in everyday life among their peers and community. A team from St. Josephs College, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary, has also been shortlisted for their 'bags with tags' project to tackle marine litter and reduce plastic in the ocean.Aoife Muldoon, Jeanne Flynn, Emily Egan Gearoid Tracy Loughrea students (Youth Work Ireland Galway) The Students have been shortlisted as one of three projects in Europe for the Mario Ruivo Prize. They visited the Marine Institute for advice on sustainable species ahead of their seafood cookery demonstration in Loughrea Hotel and Spa Thursday 27th October. Photographer: Andrew Downes, XPOSURE

The Mario Ruivo Prize challenged 11-16 year olds across Europe to design projects to ensure that the ocean we grow up with continues to play an essential role in our lives while being maintained for future generations, based on the principles of a Blue Society.

The Youth Work Ireland Galway team from Loughrea visited the Marine Institute earlier this year where they met with Vera Quinlan, in the INFOMAR team to workshop some ideas. They returned recently to get some advice on sustainable seafood ahead of a cookery demonstration they are holding in Loughrea to raise awareness in their community about the importance of using sustainable fish species and looking beyond the most popular fish.

The Loughrea team will host a free seafood cookery demonstration with Seamus Sheridan at Loughrea Hotel and Spa, Thursday, 27th October Dave Buckley, Marine Institute Restaurant with Jeanne Flynn, Gearoid Tracy Emily Egan and Aoife Muldoon Loughrea students (Youth Work Ireland Galway) who have been shortlisted as one of three projects in Europe for the Mario Ruivo Prize. They visited the Marine Institute for advice on sustainable species ahead of their seafood cookery demonstration in Loughrea Hotel and Spa Thursday 27th October. Photographer: Andrew Downes, XPOSUREat 8pm. For more information about their campaign and cookery demonstration visit their facebook page, Ocean Matters https://www.facebook.com/OceanMatters2016/ or contact Letizia Gorini Coady ydp.loughrea@youthworkgalway.ie or 087 6595534.

The three shortlisted teams are implementing their projects now to compete for the Mario Ruivo prize which will be announced in December at CommOcean2016 in Bruges, Belgium.

• Team 1: Ireland: Protecting and sustaining marine life in Ireland
• Team 2: Ireland: Bags with tags
• Team 3: Malta: Marine public transport

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For more information please contact Lisa Fitzpatrick/Sinéad Coyne, Marine Institute,

lisa.fitzpatrick@marine.ie / Sinead.coyne@marine.ie

091 387390