Aquaculture

Breeding, rearing and harvesting of aquatic organisms in varied water environments

Most valuable asset to Irish Aquaculture

Atlantic Salmon

Ecological factors for start ups

Water supply/quality, climate, soil/land

Biological factors for start ups

Species, resources, type/size

Economic/social factors for start ups

Ownership/regulations, markets, staff

Types of marine aquaculture

Cages/ pens/ aquarium trade

Types of freshwater aquaculture

Fish farms/ aquarium trade

Nitrogen Cycle

Ammonia- Nitrite- Nitrate

Nitrogen fixating bacteria

Nitrosomonas/ nitrobacter

RAS System stages

Clarification, biofiltration, gas stripping, oxygenation

Common aquatic feed

Rotifers, artemia

Batch culture system

Single inoculation of cells into fertilised water

Continuous culture system

Fertilised water pumped into culture, excess washed out

Forms of culturing mussels

Bottom, intertidal, rope culture

Native Oyster (scientific name)

Ostrea edulis

Pacific Oyster (scientific name)

Magallana gigas

Larviparous

Fertilised within shell

Broadcast spawning

Fertilised in water column

Aquaculture production stages

Brood stock, live feed culturing, hatchery, nursery, grow out system

Time period of mussels to reach marketable quality

2-3 years

Scientific name of blue mussel

Mytilus Edulis

Challenges to shellfish industry

Diseases, overstocking, seed shortage, damage to benthic habitat (dredging), fouling, biotoxins/phytoplankton

Organic certification

Organic status, MSC cert, Green Origin, Certified Quality Aquaculture

Oyster culturing system

Bag + Basket system

Shellfish Hygiene 1

Hygiene of foodstuffs

Shellfish Hygiene 2

Hygiene rules of food of animal origin

Shellfish Hygiene 3

Regulation to ensure food and feed law

Irish organisations involved in shellfish monitoring

Sea-fisheries protection authority, Marine Institute, Food Safety Authority of Ireland

MSSC

Molluscan Shellfish Safety Committee

Harvest areas judged on sanitary quality using

E.coli readings

How often are production areas tested for E.coli

Every Month

Organisations involved in shellfish safety

Marine Institute, Veterinary Inspection Services (DAFM)

Human virus obtained through infected or raw shellfish

Norovirus

Income of the Irish Salmon industry (2024)

142 million

Scientific name for salmon

Salmo Salar

Salmon life cycle

Eggs- Alevin- Fry- Parr- Smolt- Adult

Juvenile Salmon freshwater phase length

2-3+years

Adult Salmon saltwater phase length

1-2+years

Smoltification definition

Period of development of a salmon's seawater tolerance

When in their development are salmon smolts transferred to sea cages?

8-16 months

Challenges to salmon aquaculture

Diseases, sea lice, interactions between wild and cultured stocks, pollution

Sea lice control measures

Medication, cleaner fish, filtration, thermal/freshwater exposure

Lice per fish in Spring

0.5

Lice per fish in other seasons bar Spring

2