BIVALVE AQUACULTURE AND EXOTIC SPECIES: A REVIEW OF ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Peer-reviewed.Bivalves have been grown and transported for culture for hundreds of years and the introduction of some species outside of their native range for aquaculture has been suggested to be one of the greatest modes of introduction of exotic marine species. However, there has yet to be a thorough assessment of the importance of aquaculture and bivalve culture in particular, to the introduction and spread of exotic species. This paper reviews some of the environmental and ecological implications of the relationship between bivalve aquaculture and the introduction and spread of exotic species, management implications and mitigation strategies. Two broad classes of introductions of exotic species may result from activities associated with bivalve aquaculture. First, the intentional introduction of exotic species into an area for aquaculture purposes, i.e. the ‘‘target’’ species. These are typically foundation or engineering species and may have a considerable influence on receiving ecosystems. Second, the introduction of species that are either associated with introduced bivalves or facilitated by aquaculture activities (i.e. structures or husbandry practices). These may include both ‘‘hitchhiking’’ species (organisms that grow in association with or may be transferred with cultured bivalves) and disease causing organisms.Management options should include the use of risk assessments prior to transfers and quarantines. Various types of mitigation for exotic species have been evaluated but are generally not very successful. Because the risk of exotic species to ecosystems and the bivalve farming industry itself may be great, effort should be directed to better predict and halt introductions of potentially harmful species

Planning and licensing for marine aquaculture

Marine aquaculture has the potential to increase its contribution to the global food system and provide valuable ecosystem services, but appropriate planning, licensing and regulation systems must be in place to enable sustainable development. At present, approaches vary considerably throughout the world, and several national and regional investigations have highlighted the need for reforms if marine aquaculture is to fulfil its potential. This article aims to map and evaluate the challenges of planning and licensing for growth of sustainable marine aquaculture. Despite the range of species, production systems and circumstances, this study found a number of common themes in the literature; complicated and fragmented approaches to planning and licensing, property rights and the licence to operate, competition for space and marine spatial planning, emerging species and diversifying marine aquaculture production (seaweed production, Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture [IMTA], nutrient and carbon offsetting with aquaculture, offshore aquaculture and co-location and multiuse platforms), and the need to address knowledge gaps and use of decision-support tools. Planning and licensing can be highly complicated, so the UK is used as a case study to show more detailed examples that highlight the range of challenges and uncertainty that industry, regulators and policymakers face across interacting jurisdictions. There are many complexities, but this study shows that many countries have undergone, or are undergoing, similar challenges, suggesting that lessons can be learned by sharing knowledge and experiences, even across different species and production systems, rather than having a more insular focus.Output Status: Forthcoming/Available Onlin

CV17001

Since 2011 the Winter Environmental Survey (WES) has operated with an allocated ship-time of up to 13 days on the Celtic Voyager and funded through NDP. These surveys alternate between south-about and a north-about each year with a southerly survey proposed for 2017. The survey cover coastal waters and bays but also shelf waters through offshore transects and as such are complementary to EPAs estuarine water quality monitoring activities. While all previous surveys have had a strong multi-disciplinary component to them incorporating both Chemical and Biological elements, the survey during 2017 was reduced relative to previous years. During 2017, the Chemistry portion of the survey was omitted as a consequence of resource (personel) limitations. The Chemistry Section will focus efforts on surveys (GO-SHIP AO2 line, and Rockall Hydrographic Survey) to be carried out on the Celtic Explorer during Q1/Q2 of 2017. However, during 2017 the survey focused on benthos ecological quality element and some hydromorphological elements. It is expected that the survey will revert to a full multidisciplinary programme in 2018

CV18001

The 2018 survey continues the Marine Institute’s Winter Nutrients monitoring that commenced in 1990/91. The survey has evolved and expanded during this time period with respect to target areas, parameters and sampling strategy. In 2011 this survey was re-established as a winter environmental survey with a broader remit to provide supporting information for OSPAR and Water Framework Directive (WFD - Directive 2000/60/EC) assessments and also to maintain the winter time series on key biogeochemical parameters in Irish waters in response to pressures such as land based inputs of nutrients and climate change. Since 2011 the survey circumnavigates the Island of Ireland every 2 years, alternating southabout (odd years) and northabout (even years), starting in the Irish Sea and ending in Galway. This provides a complete coverage of Ireland’s coastal waters over 2-year periods. However, given the timing of the surveys, winter by necessity to ensure minimal biological activity and therefore highest concentrations of dissolved nutrients, the weather is a significant factor in determining the actual as opposed to planned coverage of the target stations. This work is complementary to inshore water quality monitoring activities of the Irish Environmental Protection Agency and Marine Institute and the annual offshore oceanographic survey/climate section (53N/Rockall Trough) on the Celtic Explorer led by the Oceanographic Science Services group at the Marine Institute. As in previous years, the 2018 survey was designed to collect multidisciplinary information on physical conditions, water chemistry (dissolved nutrients, total alkalinity (TA), dissolved organic carbon (DIC), salinity), sediment chemistry (persistent organic pollutants POPs and trace metals), sediment particle size distribution and benthic macroinvertebrates (at targeted waterbodies around the coast). This contributes to data collection needs of various statutory drivers (WFD and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) - Directive 2008/56/EC) as well as providing a research dataset on status and changing conditions (trends and variations) for key environmental variables