Mayo oyster company hosts marine ecosystems initiative

A MAYO oyster company has been thanked by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for organising an initiative involving TY students to highlight the importance of the management of marine ecosystems.

Clew Bay Oyster Co-op welcomed members of the BIM Seafood Development Agency and TY students from local schools to help work on its native oyster nursery in Murrisk this month. The initiative was to highlight the importance and benefits of integrating complementary aquaculture and restoration practices in the management of marine ecosystems.

Marine ecosystems, particularly native oyster reefs, play a crucial role in providing essential ecosystem services such as coastal protection, carbon sequestration, water filtration, and supporting fisheries production. By using aquaculture techniques to support restoration efforts, people are not only enhancing the resilience of these ecosystems but also contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Since 2020, BIM, in partnership with the Marine Institute and industry stakeholders, has been actively involved in enhancing European flat oyster populations through the application of complementary aquaculture and restoration practices. The primary goal of this collaborative work is to support the restoration and management of existing native oyster fisheries, using innovative tools to facilitate compliance with the proposed EU Nature Restoration Regulation.

Through the establishment of spatting ponds and the careful management of environmental parameters, we have successfully reared spat on shell under different nursery scenarios. Last year, BIM broadcast stock onto protected beds and closely monitored their growth and survival. This year, their focus is on investigating the potential advantages of bottom culture systems in combating the parasitic rhizarian Bonamia ostreae, which poses a threat to oysters above 60mm in size.

This ongoing work is made possible through the support of the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and the Government of Ireland. BIM say they are committed to leading the restoration and sustainability of native oyster fisheries.