EU shells out on mussel project
THE mussel producing sector in the Irish Sea is expected to benefit from a new €1.4 million European Union funded pilot project that will bring together scientific research from both Ireland and Wales.
It follows the launch of two other EU supported science and technology projects costing €7.3m to help protect and develop the marine life and fisheries industry in Wales and Ireland.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Centre for Applied Marine Sciences at Bangor University in Wales are involved in the collaborative mussel research project. It is being funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Wales Ireland Co-operation programme which is helping to strengthen economic links and cross-border collaboration between the two countries.
This project will focus on information of particular relevance to the mussel producing sector in the pilot phase and will hopefullly pave the way for the sharing of valuable data across the board in relation to the Irish Sea. This type of information is regarded as essential to mussel producers and could greatly assist in the future sustainable development of the industry.
It should provide fishermen and scientists with a better understanding of how shellfish larvae travel around the Irish Sea, and when and where they can be found.
The project should also help reduce the costs of locating shellfish seed, which is collected and ‘re-sown’ on mudflats. It should also increase the volume of mussels and shellfish available to the industry.
Aquaculture and fisheries in the Irish Sea are valued at €254 million in total (€58 million Welsh and €196 million Irish).
Last year, the Irish mussel sector recorded a production volume of 16,000 tonnes with a value of €12 million, which was slightly down on 2015 returns.
This reflected the continued challenge of acquiring seed mussels. Supply is a limiting factor to industry expansion.
A lack of seed availability reduces the volume and profitability of production. Locating shellfish seed can often be a prohibitive cost for small and medium enterprises.
Announcing the launch of the two year pilot project in Wexford, Dr Shelagh Malham, Centre for Applied Marine Sciences at Bangor University, said:
“Working with our Irish counterparts gives us the opportunity to manage common valuable resources between our shores, and to improve our understanding of the processes involved.
“The pilot operation will focus on improved knowledge flow as well as enhancing research, development and innovation in the shellfish industry, concentrating on working with small and medium enterprises.
“Crucial to the economic development of the Irish Sea region and to this operation in particular, is the understanding that although oceans do not have territorial boundaries, they have fronts, gyres and residual currents, all of which alter in response to weather and environmental conditions.
“Shellfish larvae are highly mobile and it would be impossible for any one country to correctly manage this shared resource,” she said.
Dr Malham said when the mussels spawn the larvae travel with the currents. Where they settle depends on the tide and the weather conditions at any given time.
Ben Dallaghan, Geographical Information System Office, BIM, said seed mussel and other shellfish in the Irish Sea are a shared resource and, in order to manage them effectively, research effort should be conducted using geographic units relevant to the species in question and not country borders.
“Any data and scientific conclusions leading to a better understanding of seed settlement patterns would enormously benefit the shellfish industries in both Ireland and Wales and BIM are delighted to collaborate with Bangor University on this project,” he said.
Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “We’ve been clear about the benefits of EU cross-border programmes to Wales and this is a very good example of how countries can work together to maximise shared economic opportunities.
“This is a valuable industry to both nations that has the potential to grow further. I’m delighted that over €1m of EU funds is being invested to support that ambition.” Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe said the Irish Sea is not only a shared border but also a shared resource.
“This project is an excellent example of how EU funding can assist the two regions in working together to develop that resource,” he said.
Meanwhile, a further €7.3m of EU funds is being invested in science and technology projects to help protect and develop the wider marine life and the fisheries industry in Wales and Ireland.
The funding will support a scientific investigation of the opportunities and risks posed by climate change in the Irish Sea and the deployment of technology to reduce energy costs and help businesses develop new products and processes.
Both projects are also being funded through the EU’s Ireland-Wales co-operation programme. Around €5.5m of the funds will support the Bluefish marine science partnership. It will investigate the effects of climate change in the Irish Sea on the sustainability of fish and shellfish.
A further €1.8m will support the piSCES project which aims to help fishery businesses in remote locations in Ireland and Wales to minimise their exposure to energy price peaks, reduce their carbon footprint and improve the quality and security of energy supply.
The Telecommunications Software and Systems Group (TSSG) at Waterford Institute of Technology will research and design new energy networks in collaboration with Cardiff University.
Sean Lyons, TSSG project manager, said the project will see them further develop smart grid technologies and implement them in energy-intensive operations in the fish processing industry.
“Collaborating cross border with our partners will bring together a wealth of experience from a research and implementation perspective and expose the technology to different regulatory environments, bringing significant benefits to the industry,” he said.
Milford Haven Port Authority and BIM will work with businesses in the fish processing sector to provide live data and test sites.
