Pearl Mussel Project meeting

Wetland Surveys Ireland hosted the first Pearl Mussel Project meeting of the project in Kenmare in June. During the day long meeting the project team team and project special advisors heard a series of excellent presentations given on the Pearl Mussel Project plans (Patrick Crushell), the biology and threats to pearl mussel (Evelyn Moorkens), farm plan guidelines (Derek McLoughlin) and lessons to be learned from the Kerry LIFE project (Richard O’Callaghan). 

The indoor session was followed by a visit to one of the Kerry LIFE demonstration farms in the Kerry Blackwater catchment to see how farm plans have been successfully introduced on one of the farms in the scheme with the help of one of local farmers, Mr. Dan O'Sullivan.

Attendees included: PMP: Patrick Crushell (Project Manager), Derek McLoughlin (Project Scientist), Peter Foss (Publicity and Administrator), Mary Catherine Gallagher (Project Ecologist), Con Curtin (Agri Consultant to PMP), Brendan Kirwan (Project Ecologist, WSI), Daireann McDonnell (Project expert advisor). 

Kerry Life: Richard O'Callaghan (Project Manager), Paul Phelan (Project Scientist), Padraig Cronin (Farm Advisor).

The overriding message from the day for the future of Freshwater Pearl Mussel in Ireland was summed up by Dr. Evelyn Moorkens: 

Fix river flows - fix everything.