Dublin City Council has implemented a new visitor access management plan for North Bull Island, requiring dog walkers to keep their pets on a lead in the sand dunes to protect ground nesting birds. An off-lead area of the beach will be available to dogs outside of bathing hours between June 1st and September 15th. Signage will be used to mark out access areas for visitors, with red indicating no access, blue for dogs on leads, and green for dogs off-lead during the off-season. The plan takes effect from April 30th.

Dog walkers in Dublin will have to exercise more restraint to preserve ground-nesting birds on North Bull Island. The Dublin City Council’s new access management plan demands dogs kept on leads in most areas, with a dedicated off-leash spot kept away from bathing and bird-nesting areas. Those who infringe could face a fine of €150 ($177). The plan also prohibits access to the island’s salt marsh and the northern tip, which is a significant pupping and haul-out area for seals. The council aims to keep the area ‘special’ by promoting responsible behaviour among some 2 million visitors each year.