Environmental Quality and Carrying Capacity for Aquaculture in Mulroy Bay, Co. Donegal

Abstract

Concerns over recent expansion of the aquaculture sectors in Mulroy Bay have lead to several investigations on environmental quality within the area, including a recent report (in 2000) for the Irish Marine Institute by the Centre for Marine Resources and Mariculture (C-Mar, 2000). This study reported on changes in the physical and chemical environment within Muloy Bay over a two year data collection period, and from data collected by Marine Harvest Ireland, and related observed changes to aquaculture (notably salmon farming) outputs. The study also involved sediment bioassays using sediment collected in Mulroy Bay and a variety of test organisms to investigate whether any toxicants were present that may affect the benthic community. The current study was commissioned by the Marine Institute to draw together the results of long term monitoring of water and sediment quality, and hydrography, within Mulroy Bay collected by the Institute of Aquaculture (IoA), Stirling, on behalf of Marine Harvest Ireland since 1986. The study examines trends in the physical and chemical environment within Mulroy Bay (predominantly using IoA data) since recording began, and relates results to the present activities within the bay. The aims of the study are: • to produce a carrying capacity model for Mulroy Bay as a whole • to produce maps of waste dispersion from fish cage sites • to assess the environmental sustainability of current aquaculture activities in Mulroy Bay