Aquaculture Sites

My supervisor and I met with one of the team members at Kelly Oysters who was gracious enough to discuss the current research they are involved in. They are contributing to the ShellAqua project which began in May 2021 and aims to evaluate the ecosystem services provided by aquaculture farms.

Red Bank Shellfish Ltd.

Next, we visited the hatchery at Red Bank Shellfish Ltd. to have a cup of tea with the owner, operator, and oyster expert, Irlaith Donnellan. We toured the facility to learn how the oysters are grown both in the indoor hatchery and outside in spatting ponds. The beauty of the spatting ponds, as Irlaith explained is that they allow for the selective pressures of the environment to act on larval survival. This, in turn may select for more resilient oysters. We were also able to see how the microalgae are cultured to feed the bivalves growing in the hatchery.

Visiting the Marine Institute's Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture research site may have been the highlight of my whole professional practice. I have been interested in IMTA for a long time, and it was an amazing experience to see a system like this in person. The aim of IMTA is to cultivate a more diverse range of species in close proximity to recreate trophic dynamics. For example, at this site, long lines seeded with kelp flank salmon cages to make use of the nutrient inputs from the fin-fish aquaculture. Some of the kelp is then added as a food source to cages with sea urchins, which hang from the structure containing the salmon. Lumpfish are also introduced into the system to control sea lice on the salmon.

For more on IMTA, check out this article

Acquired Skills

Understanding current research needs in aquaculture field

The visits to Kelly Oysters, Red Bank Shellfish, and the Marine Institute's IMTA site have all helped deepen my understanding of the current state of aquaculture in Ireland and the many avenues of research aimed at increasing sustainability. Speaking with our hosts also helped me to understand the history and economic context of this sector.

Networking

My one of my goals for this professional practice was to build connections with researchers, fellow students, and industry stakeholders with similar interests in aquaculture sustainability. Visiting these aquaculture sites and speaking with the researchers and business owners was an incredibly valuable experience and helped me to achieve the goals I had set for myself. I believe that building professional relationships is essential for collaboration and finding future opportunities.