By Dónal Griffin Earlier this week, the Irish Basking Shark Group received some fantastic and very welcome news. On 3 March 2026, the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD,  announced a new voluntary Marine Wildlife Code of Conduct for tour operators engaged in wildlife watching  off the southwest coast. The Code has been developed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in collaboration with tour operators, and the Irish