Salmon Mortalities at Inver Bay and McSwyne’s Bay Finfish farms, County Donegal, Ireland, during 2003

This report details the investigations into a major mortality of farmed salmon at Inver Bay and McSwyne’s Bay, Co. Donegal in July 2003. Previous reports were provided on 29th July 2003 and on 11th August 2003. The information is based upon analysis and research by MI scientists, a review of environmental data, survey reports by external consultants, inputs from veterinary practitioners who visited the site, reports from DCMNR staff in Killybegs, and site visits made by DCMNR / MI inspectors. Following a review meeting of the principal investigators on the 9th October, 2003, MI proceeded to carry out further scientific investigations. DCMNR also commissioned Kirk McClure Morton Consulting Engineers (KMM) to carry out a parallel investigation of the mortalities at Inver Bay and McSwynes Bay salmon farms. MI provided support as required to the KMM study, the report for which was furnished to DCMNR and MI on 11 February 2004. (KMM, 2004) MI wishes to acknowledge the high level of co-operation and assistance that it received from the owners and staff of Creevin Fish Farm Ltd, Eany Fish Products Ltd and Ocean Farms Ltd. It also wishes to acknowledge the assistance of veterinary practitioners, DCMNR staff and others in the course of this investigation.Funder: Marine Institut

Captive breeding of Margaritifera auricularia (Spengler, 1793) and its conservation importance

Margaritifera auricularia is one of the most endangered freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) in the world. Since 2013, the abundance of this species in the Ebro River basin (Spain) has sharply declined, driving the species to the verge of regional extinction. Therefore, any management measures that might facilitate the recovery of this species would be essential for its conservation. During 2014–2016, captive breeding of M. auricularia allowed the production of >106 juveniles, out of which 95% were released into the natural environment, and 5% were grown in the laboratory under controlled conditions. The aim of this experimental work was to establish the best culture conditions for the survival and growth of M. auricularia juveniles in the laboratory. The experiment was divided into two phases: phase I, in which juveniles recently detached from fish gills were cultured in detritus boxes until they reached a shell length of 1 mm; and phase II, in which these specimens were transferred to larger aquaria to grow up to 3–4 mm. The best experimental conditions for juvenile survival and growth corresponded to treatments in glass containers at a density of 0.2 ind. L−1, using river water, with added substrate and detritus, enriched with phytoplankton, and avoiding extra aeration. The highest survival and growth rates attained, respectively, values of c. 60% at 100 days and 2.56 mm in shell length at 30–32 weeks. This is the first study to report on the long‐term survival and growth of juvenile M. auricularia in the laboratory, providing essential information in order to implement future conservation measures addressed at reinforcing the natural populations of this highly threatened species in European water bodies.This project was funded by the Government of Aragón, Department of Rural Development and Sustainability and carried out by the Environmental Service Department of SARGA. Special thanks go to Manuel Alcántara, Miguel Ángel Muñoz, Ester Ginés, Carlos Catalá, and Juan Pablo de la Roche, who were involved in the project. The authors appreciate the work of the reviewer and editor who improved the quality of the manuscript. The Aragón's forest rangers are thanked for their assistance during fieldwork

Coastal waters North East Atlantic geographic intercalibration group: Benthic invertebrate fauna ecological assessment methods

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires the national classifications of good ecological status to be harmonised through an intercalibration exercise. In this exercise, significant differences in status classification among Member States are harmonized by comparing and, if necessary, adjusting the good status boundaries of the national assessment methods. Intercalibration is performed for rivers, lakes, coastal and transitional waters, focusing on selected types of water bodies (intercalibration types), anthropogenic pressures and Biological Quality Elements. Intercalibration exercises are carried out in Geographical Intercalibration Groups - larger geographical units including Member States with similar water body types - and followed the procedure described in the WFD Common Implementation Strategy Guidance document on the intercalibration process (European Commission, 2011). The Technical report on the Water Framework Directive intercalibration describes in detail how the intercalibration exercise has been carried out for the water categories and biological quality elements. The Technical report is organized in volumes according to the water category (rivers, lakes, coastal and transitional waters), Biological Quality Element and Geographical Intercalibration group. This report gives a description of the intercalibration of the different benthic assessment approaches for in coastal waters in the North East Atlantic Geographical Intercalibration Group (NEA-GIG) for types NEA 1/26 (Exposed or sheltered, euhaline, shallow waters), NEA 3/4 (Wadden sea type) and NEA 7 (Deep fjordic and sea loach systems). The benthic assessment approaches of nine European Member States (Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom) and Norway are intercalibrated. In Spain, the competent authorities for the WFD application are the regions (‘autonomous communities’); therefore for the benthic assessment methods three regions have been considered: Basque Country, Andalusia and Cantabria (no information on Galicia or Asturias). Part D of the report describes the Germany assessment approach for the type NEA 5. This type is not shared with the rest of the Members Stares, and therefore, the Intercalibration is not possibleJRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource