Working together to enhance the management of marine and freshwater ecosystems.

The METRODIVER project, led by CNRS in France examines how marine protected area design influences trophic diversity and ecosystem health.

This research is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and runs from 2020-2023. It is conducted in collaboration with Institute of Technology Tralee, The Environment Agency (UK), Environmental Research Associates (UK).

FishKOSM aims to increase our operational understanding of sustainable yields in mixed and multi-species fisheries.

The goal of this project is set up a set of novel tools for the detection and monitoring of marine invasive species in Irish coastal waters. This project is funded by the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

This research explored the use of environmental DNA technologies for monitoring pollan (Coregonus autumnalis) in Irish waters

MFRC researchers are collaborating with IT Sligo to investigate antimicrobial peptides in Atlantic Salmon.

The Hen Harrier Project aims to improve the sustainability of rural areas within areas designated as Special Protection Areas for Hen Harriers.

This project aims at developing state-of-the-art molecular tools for the rapid and cost-effective screening of plankton samples for the presence of bivalve and crustacean species of commercial value. This project is in collaboration with BIM and is funded by the European Maritime Fisheries Fund.

This project assessed the conservation status of the white-clawed crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes, in all fifteen Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in Ireland

This collaborative project with the Marine Institute takes a whole life cycle approach to investigate how commercial fish stocks are responding to climate change.

MicroplastiX (JPI-Oceans) aims to overcome knowledge gaps concerning microplastic weathering, degradation and fragmentation processes.

This EPA funded research project (2020-2023) is led by ATU Galway City and aims to gather and assess baseline data on oligotrophic lakes

The aim of this project is to investigate the influence of environmental and observational effects on Harbour Porpoise survey counts from the NPWS monitoring programme conducted across three spatial areas of conservation in 2007, 2008, 2013-2016 and 2018.

MFRC PhD student Ms Kristina Steinmetz, is using non-invasive techniques to assess management units and conservation priorities for grey and harbour seals in Irish and north-western European waters

This collaboration with the Marine Institute is unlocking the value of fish scale and otolith collections to marine ecosystem and climate change research.

This research aims to improve corncrake conservation status in Ireland by enhancing the SPA network and surrounding farmland.

Oisre aims to chart the extent and biodiversity of remnant native oyster beds in Kilkieran and Bertraghboy Bay, in Connemara, Galway coupled with restoration and rejuvenation trials. These beds will be used as reference habitats for ecological restoration in Ireland and elsewhere and protected as sanctuary areas. In turn that would allow the sustainable management of these important biogenic habitats.

SeaMonitor is a novel and comprehensive project, the first of its kind in Europe, which will establish a number of large scale marine telemetry arrays to track mobile marine fauna in the seas around Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the west of Scotland.