All Projects

Salmon Stock Baseline Farm Introgression

The establishment and monitoring of a genetic baseline of Irish wild salmon populations for determining extent of contemporary and future genetic introgression from escaped farmed salmon

Project Status:

Ongoing

Implementation of Natura measures for fisheries

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.

Project Status:

Ongoing

Investigating the stock structure of Pollack (Pollachius pollachius) for the purpose of sustainable fisheries management

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.

Project Status:

Ongoing

Mapping the distribution of the Pacific oyster, Magallana gigas in Ireland.

This project will determine the current status of recruitment of the Pacific oysters in Ireland and identify certain conditions that favours successful establishment of the species in a number of SPAs as dictated by the Aquaculture and Foreshore Management Division of DAFM and make recommendations in relation to subsequent licensing and management of aquaculture activities in the sites.

Project Status:

Ongoing

Impacts of fishing and pollution on ETP species

The project will evaluate mortality due to fisheries bycatch and other pressures using validated necropsy examinations which will be carried out on stranded cetaceans.

Project Status:

Ongoing

Crayfish

Ecosystem data collection on Irish fisheries surveys

The project is to place Marine Mammal and Seabird Observers on board certain Marine Institute surveys. The surveys provide observation platforms and collect additional oceanographic, fisheries and biological data that can be combined to provide ecosystems information, rather than simply being fisheries surveys.

Mollusc shell structure and morphology as an indicator of vulnerability to Ocean Acidification – baseline study

This project investigates how ocean acidification and warming affect shell formation in key bivalve species in Irish waters. Using high-resolution microCT scanning, it analyses shell structure, density, and growth as indicators of organism health. Samples from different environmental conditions will be compared to assess the influence of changing carbonate chemistry. The study aims to improve understanding of shellfish resilience to climate-driven ocean changes.