Marine Biodiversity Projects

As identified, the aquaculture industry is an important economic activity on all coasts of Ireland. The inshore aquaculture industry produces a variety of shellfish as well as salmon and trout. A significant proportion of the activity occurs within, or proximate to, Natura 2000 sites which are environmentally designated areas under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives.

The aquaculture industry is an important economic activity on all coasts of Ireland. A significant proportion of the activity occurs within, or in proximity to, Natura 2000 sites which are designated areas under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives.

Ireland has obligations under the EU’ Marine Strategy Framework Directive to deliver food web indicators under Descriptor 4. The collection of continuous plankton data on a consistent annual basis will feed into the data needs for informing on how plankton abundance and distribution may be changing under the pressures of global climate and ocean change.

There is a need for a holistic ecosystem based tool for defining boundaries for aquaculture development within a waterbody, so that it’s ecosystem function and the biodiversity it supports can be sustainably managed. ECC modelling has significant potential to meet this need.

Ireland has a programme of measures to implement the Habitats and Birds Directives in marine coastal SACs and SPAs in respect to assessing and mitigating effects of fisheries and aquaculture on these sites. This involves assessment of potential effects of fisheries and aquaculture on marine habitats and species followed by implementation of measures to mitigate risk.

Recent scientific assessments show that pollack stocks in areas around Ireland and the UK (called ICES areas 6 and 7) are in poor condition. This new research project aims at understanding the population structure and movement of pollack in Irish waters, using genetics and tagging.