2013 - University College Cork

RESEARCH PROJECTS
20
Aquaculture and Fisheries
SHELLFISH PRODUCTIVITY IN THE IRISH SEA:
WORKING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
(SUSFISH)
Research Centre/Department/School:
AFDC, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences
Contact PI: Dr Sarah Culloty, s.culloty@ucc.ie
Researchers: Dr Sharon Lynch, Maud Cross, Emer Morgan
Start Year: 2009 – End Year: 2012
Funding Body: ERDF INTERREG 4A Funding Programme
Funding: €618,399
Collaborating Partners: Ireland, Wales
Web: http://afdc.ucc.ie
SUSFISH, a project between University College Cork, Ireland and Bangor University, Swansea
University and Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK, will identify the effects that climate change
will have on shellfish stocks in the Irish Sea and from these findings will produce guidelines for future
fisheries management. Climate change is a global threat and numerous studies have linked the
increased incidence of disease and mortality in marine organisms to climatic alterations and anthropogenic
inputs. The Irish Sea is a rich source of shellfish species, both in terms of abundance
and species diversity. The shellfish industry have concerns about the biological, environmental
and economic impacts of climate change on aquaculture in this region. SUSFISH will identify
strategies for exploiting potential opportunities from the changing climate as well as identifying
how best to mitigate economic losses. An interdisciplinary approach is being taken which will
investigate the biological (bivalve physiology, bivalve and pathogen population genetics, bivalve
disease and development) and environmental impacts (temperature, salinity, acidification) of climate
change in numerous shellfish species (the Pacific oyster, Crassostreagigas, the European flat
oyster, Ostreaedulis, the soft shell clam, Myaarenaria, the razor clam, Ensissiliqua/E. arcuatus, the
edible cockle, Cerastodermaedule, and the blue mussel, Mytilusedulis (wild and cultured stocks))
in the Irish Sea. Mathematical modelling of host parasite interactions is being undertaken on the
collated data. The research carried out at University College Cork will focus on field and laboratory
based trials over the three year duration of the project.
KEY PUBLICATIONS & OUTPUTS
Cross, M.E., Lynch, S.A., Whitaker, A., O’Riordan, R.M., Culloty,
S.C. 2012.“The reproductive biology of the softshell clam, Myaarenaria,
in Ireland, and the possible impacts of climate variability.
Journal of Marine Biology (Open Access).
Lynch, S.A., Carlsson, J., O’Reilly, A., Cotter, E., Culloty, S.C.
2012.“A previously undescribedostreid herpes virus (OsHV-1)
genotype detected in the Pacific oyster, Crassostreagigas, in Ireland.”
Parasitology doi:10.1017/S0031182012000881.
Morgan, E., O’Riordan, R.M., Kelly, T.C. &Culloty, S.C. 2012.The
influence of disseminated neoplasia, trematode infections and
gametogenesis on surfacing and mortality in the cockle, Cerastodermaedule.
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 98: 73-84.