This project was a co-operative venture between two aquaculture farms, namely PDS in Arvagh, Co. Cavan and Moneycarragh Trout Farm in Dundrum, Co. Down and the project enabled the two aquaculture producers to share technological know-how, share facilities, improve their competitiveness and develop new products to new markets.
Aquaculture project management expertise was provided by The Cross–Border Aquaculture Initiative Team (EEIG) while aquaculture RTD (Research, Technology, Development) expertise was provided by the Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology (RIFCH) at Vodnany, Czech Republic.
A central objective was to establish an innovative polyculture of two novel and emerging indigenous species in the aquaculture sector in the Island of Ireland. The crayfish in question are the native species Austropotamobius pallipes (A. pallipes). This project used crayfish from an existing licensed hatchery in Co. Down to on-grow these at a perch farm in Co. Cavan. This strategy helped maximize the efficiency of production methods in the perch farm and created an opportunity for a second cash crop of crayfish from the existing farm structures. In return the Crayfish hatchery benefited immensely from PDS’s hatchery know how and up to date facilities.
