Overview

In operation since the 1950’s, NUIG’s Carna Research Station (CRS) is Ireland’s leading facility for aquaculture research and development on a diverse range of marine finfish, shellfish and seaweed species. Based in south-west Connemara, CRS is the Ryan Institute’s off-campus marine laboratory and specialises in large-scale, exploratory aquatic investigations with a tradition of carrying out applied and basic research on existing and novel species for aquaculture. These include lumpsucker, wrasse, cod, seaweeds, Manila clam, purple sea urchin, Japanese abalone, Pacific oyster, turbot, salmon, trout and sponges.

With direct access to an intricate Atlantic coastline of complex ecosystems, the research station also provides practical support for research opportunities. As a result, many national and international researchers and students (undergraduate and postgraduate) avail of the facilities at Carna for short, medium and long-term projects. CRS also gets involved in community outreach and education by hosting a variety of workshops on a multitude of topics (for example, courses this year have included use of cleaner fish on fish farms and an Irish nudibranch identification course).

The research group at CRS has established links to both commercial and academic partners within the aquaculture sector, and aims to bridge the traditional gap between these two spheres by focusing on scientific research with a scale and scope relevant to industry. We are committed to producing high quality work that contributes to the long-term sustainability and further development of the aquaculture sector in Ireland.