King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden to visit the Marine Institute

The Marine Institute will welcome King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden to the Marine Institute headquarters in Oranmore on Friday 24th May 2019.

The King and Queen of Sweden will be welcomed by Minister Seán Kyne TD, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands and greeted by senior officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

King Carl XVI Gustaf has long been interested and active in the long-term health of our oceans and conservation of marine life, serving as Chairman of the Swedish organisation of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) since 1988. King Carl XVI Gustaf is also guardian of the Baltic Salmon Fund, which promotes the sustainable management of wild salmon in the Baltic sea and the rivers along the Baltic coast.

Minister Seán Kyne TD said, "I look forward to welcoming King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden to the Marine Institute in Galway. The visit supports the shared interest between Ireland and Sweden to sustainably manage and develop our marine resource. I hope the visit encourages further collaboration between our two countries to observe and understand how our ocean is changing and respond to current and future patterns of change."

Marine Institute scientists will speak to the King and Queen of Sweden about surveying and assessing fish stocks in Irish waters to assist in sustainably monitoring and developing Ireland's fisheries resource. The King and Queen will also view a series of artworks produced as part of the EU-funded BlueFish Project, which aims to increase our knowledge and understanding of marine resources and the potential impacts of climate change in the Irish and Celtic Sea ecosystems. The delegation will also engage in discussions on marine renewable energy.

Dr Peter Heffernan CEO of the Marine Institute said, "We look forward to meeting the King and Queen of Sweden and showcasing the work undertaken at the Institute, particularly in the area of ocean observation and fisheries assessment and monitoring. Providing scientific advice and services in these areas is one of the Institute's key roles, and essential to Ireland achieving a sustainable ocean economy, as well as protecting and managing our marine ecosystems."

ENDS

For more information, please contact:
• Adrián Collins, Press Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs: t. 087 683 7205 adrian.collins@dfa.ie
• Sheila Byrnes and Sinead Coyne, Marine Institute t. 0872250871 e. sheila.byrnes@Marine.ie or t. 087 947 7090 e. sinead.coyne@marine.ie