Native oysters (Ostrea edulis) were once widespread across the Island of Ireland, particularly in the sea loughs. These provided a range of ecosystem services that have subsequently been lost. Since industrialization, many of these water bodies have become highly modified, often through land reclamation and dredging for shipping access, as well as reducing water quality due to human population density and activities. Ports and Harbours play a crucial role in the economy, but also face unique challenges from sea level rise and coastal erosion under climate change. Restoring marine habitats within and adjacent to such areas may provide notable benefits in reducing the impact of climate change as well as promoting biodiversity and wider ecosystem resilience.
This project will work closely with Belfast Harbour and Ulster Wildlife to develop restoration options for the native oyster within the Harbour estate. It will focus on a trial site to identify techniques for promoting restoration, using best available knowledge and through a thorough physical and biological understanding of site characteristics and best practice of restoration from further afield. Native oysters will be introduced to the trial site, and a range of reef restoration performance indicators, including oyster survival and recruitment, biodiversity and sediment stabilization will be developed in collaboration with researchers across the BRICONS project partnership. Initial monitoring of these metrics will be completed and results compared to remnant native oyster beds in the west coast of Ireland (used as reference sites) and/or other restoration sites. Furthermore, how oyster restoration techniques influence larval transport to assess potential connectivity with other oyster populations will be considered under changing climate scenarios. Finally, the project will support development of guidance and toolkits for stakeholders, such as Harbour and Port authorities, to encourage adoption of such nature-based solutions.
A range of techniques will be utilized throughout the project, including field-based surveys (physical and ecological), numerical modeling and crucially ongoing stakeholder engagement.
Funding Notes
Funding is provided via The BRICONS Project (Grant-Aid Agreement No. PBA-BIOD-24-11), which is carried out with the support of the Marine Institute under the Marine Research Programme, and funded by the Government of Ireland.
This award includes:
- Annual stipend of €25,000 for 4 years – Tuition fees for postgraduate research students from Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Great Britain ONLY.
- Candidates from outside Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland or Great Britain are eligible to apply but must provide evidence of sources of additional funds to cover excesses associated with international fees.
Application deadline: April 18, 2025
