Cultivating Palmaria palmata - Bord Iascaigh Mhara

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storage tank, followed by fine filtering using, for example, cartridge filters (10, 5 and 1 μm pore size) and
a final Ultra-Violet (UV) sterilisation unit with 2-3 UV light units in a row to kill microorganisms.
Seawater treated in this way is suitable for Palmaria cultivation, including the processes of spore
release and settlement, as well as cultivation of seeded material.
Drainage: All on-shore aquaculture facilities require an aquaculture licence and a seawater discharge
licence. Information on legal requirements can be obtained from the relevant authorities such as the
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ireland (DAFF) in the Republic of Ireland, and the
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland (DARD; see Appendix 1). Once a
licence is granted, discharge activities will be monitored on a regular basis by the responsible
authorities.
The capacity of the drainage system needs to be carefully considered. It should be over- rather than
under-sized and should cope with drainage of 1000-L tanks. In a flow-through system, a suitable
capacity would be 5-10 times the overflow.
Light: Light units for culture tanks are fitted with cool white fluorescent tubes providing an even
illumination of tanks or areas with smaller culture vessels. The height of the light units should be
adjustable or they should be connected to a dimmer so that the light intensity can be changed during
cultivation. Light periods, i.e. day lengths, are controlled by timers.
Air: Aeration of culture vessels is essential. Without proper aeration and the resulting movement of
water around the algal culture vessels and tanks, the algal material will start to deteriorate quickly.
An airblower needs to be installed in a separate, well aerated shed or separate room because it
generates noise and heat. The capacity of airblower required depends on the size of the hatchery
facility.
From the airblower, the air is conducted to the culture room via PVC pipes. Multiple outlet sites are
necessary to serve a large culture room. Therefore, the room should be fitted with a ring system of
pipes with a number of outlet valves which can, in turn, be fitted with multiple outlets to which 3-4 mm
tubing can be connected for aeration of the culture vessels and tanks. The diameter of the aeration pipe
is progressively reduced to allow the pressure to be maintained.