Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (CLAMS)

Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (CLAMS)

The unique Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management Systems (C.L.A.M.S.) process is a nationwide initiative to manage the development of aquaculture in bays and inshore waters throughout Ireland at a local level. In each case, the plan fully integrates aquaculture interests with relevant national policies.

The process has been widely adopted by fish and shellfish farmers in Irish bays and inshore waters as a proactive step to encourage public consultation on their current operations and future plans. The logical management approach is a locally based and all-embracing system designed to maximise production and environmental management through the integration of production goals with minimal conflict with other resource users.

An individual management plan is drawn up for each area, which clearly lays out what fish and shellfish farmers are currently doing in the bay, how they operate and what their future plans are.

Project areas include:

• Navigation Plans
• Deployment of navigation markers
• Re-alignment and rationalisation of mussel lines
• Oyster trestle recycling
• Improvement of mussel training areas
• Beach and pier clean-ups
• Water quality monitoring

Projects vary depending on the type and intensity of aquaculture in the area.

Current Operations and Future Plans

To date we have assisted with CLAMS projects in:

• Killmacanogue Bay
• Roaringwater Bay
• Ardgroom Bay
• Dungarvan Harbour
• Bannow Bay
• Castlemaine Harbour
• Killary Harbour
• Clew Bay
• North Shannon
• South Shannon
• Kilkeran Bay
• Mulroy Bay
• Carlingford Lough

During 2020 we have updated CLAMS documents in five areas:

• Carlingford Lough
• Bannow Bay
• Roaring Water Bay
• Clew Bay 
• Mulroy Bay

In 2021 we plan to update plans for six further bays. These updates prioritise issues in these areas of concern to the producers and will be included in future work plans for the team.

Case Study: Read about our work in Ardgroom Bay

The CLAMS project is part funded through the Knowledge Gateway Scheme which is established under Union Priority 2 of Ireland’s Operational Programme under the EMFF and is co-funded by the Irish Government and the EU.