Overview
Monitoring evidence for environmental assessment
The Marine Institute supports aquaculture regulators by assessing how activities may affect the marine environment and advising on licensing applications for sites located on or near the seabed. Seabed communities can provide an early signal of environmental stress from natural processes or human activities.
What seabed surveys help to assess
Seabed monitoring turns field observations into evidence that can support aquaculture regulation, environmental reporting, marine planning, protected-area work, and research.
Baseline conditions
Surveys help establish baseline conditions before a new aquaculture site is developed.
Environmental and conservation status
Monitoring helps assess the environmental and conservation status of existing sites.
Seabed health over time
Survey results help monitor seabed health over time, including as part of national programmes such as the Water Framework Directive.
Planning and protected areas
The Marine Institute collects and manages seabed data to support marine spatial planning and the designation of protected areas.
Seabed and macro-invertebrate surveying
Water Framework Directive benthic macro-invertebrate sampling
Benthic macro-invertebrates are one of the biological quality elements used for monitoring transitional and coastal waters under the Water Framework Directive. A comprehensive benthic sampling programme is carried out in targeted water bodies at least twice in every six-year reporting period.
The data is analysed and reported using an index of invertebrate quality, known as the Infaunal Quality Index or IQI, which has been developed jointly by the UK and Ireland. The results are reported to the Environmental Protection Agency to contribute to the national assessment.
Finfish aquaculture benthic monitoring
Finfish farming, mostly Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), is carried out along the western seaboard of Ireland. These activities result in inputs to the marine environment in the form of wasted feed and faecal material. This organic matter falls to the seafloor and can result in stress on the benthos.
Aquaculture operators are obliged to monitor the benthic environment annually with a view to assessing the impacts. The reports are submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which is the regulatory body. The Marine Institute reviews these reports for DAFM to ensure that they comply with the standards outlined in the monitoring protocols for offshore finfish sites.
Bird monitoring
Ornithology monitoring for aquaculture
As part of the aquaculture licensing process, the Marine Institute provides scientific and technical advice to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on the possible impacts of aquaculture activities on marine bird species.
Monitoring sites
Sites where ornithology data is held
The Marine Institute holds ornithology monitoring data for several bays and harbours where aquaculture occurs.
Northern and western sites
Trawbreaga Bay, Poulnasherry Bay, Tralee Bay and Castlemaine Harbour.
South and south-east sites
Dungarvan Bay, Tramore Harbour, Bannow Bay and Ballyteigue Bay.
East coast site
Carlingford Lough.
Data, reports and next steps
Monitoring outputs support informed decision-making for regulators, aquaculture operators, researchers, and environmental-interest users.
Seabed datasets
Relevant seabed datasets are available through the ERDAP data portal.
NBDC website
The source states that relevant datasets are also available through the NBDC website.
Ornithology monitoring reports
Monitoring reports are available for surveys at all listed sites.
Data request form
Ornithology data is available by completing a data request form.
Request monitoring data
Monitoring reports are available for surveys at all listed sites, and ornithology data is available by completing a data request form.