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Freshwater Pearl Mussel Plans 2009-2015

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Freshwater Pearl Mussel Plans 2009-2015

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The freshwater pearl mussel is a bivalve, which is a type of mollusc or snail with a body that is almost completely enclosed between a pair of shells. For most of its life it is a filter feeder, and large quantities of water are pumped through the animal’s siphons and food particles are trapped and passed to the mussel’s mouth.

The adult pearl mussel burrows to two-thirds of its shell depth, and is almost sessile in nature, often not moving for 100 years. There are two types of pearl mussels in Ireland, one called Margaritifera margaritifera and the other is the very rare Margaritifera durrovensis, which is only known from the Nore Catchment.

The pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera has attracted a lot of interest in recent years due to its interesting ecology, life cycle, ability to produce pearls and, most importantly, its decline which has left the species in danger of extinction.

As their name suggests, Margaritifera has the ability to occasionally produce pearls. However, there is currently no sustainable way to extract pearls (Moorkens 2004), and thus pearl fishing is illegal. This was not always the case, when pearl mussel populations were very abundant the pearl fishery was highly prized, and has been cited as the underlying reason for the invasion of Britain by the Romans (Johnston, 1850). When adult numbers were very high in certain rivers, pearls were an important cultural aspect of the river (Lucey 2005).

Populations of Margaritifera margaritifera are known from North America, northern, western and central Europe and Russia. The species is in very serious decline throughout its range and is listed in the IUCN red data book as endangered worldwide.

These plans for Irish Freshwater Pearl Mussels were prepared as part of the 1st Cycle of River Basin management Plans for 2009-2015.


FileAction
AA for Freshwater Pearl Mussels Natura 2000 Sites.pdf  Download  
Caragh Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Bundorragha Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Bandon Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Leannan Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Gearhameen Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Owencarrow Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Kerry Blackwater Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Dereen Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Owenagappul Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Eske Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Aughavaud Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Cloon Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Clodiagh Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Allow Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Mountain Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Owenriff Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Currane Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Licky Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Owenea Morphology Field Work Report 20092.pdf  Download  
Owenmore Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Newport Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Ballymurphy Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Glaskeelan Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Nore Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Munster Blackwater Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Dawros Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Clady Morphology Field Work Report 2009.pdf  Download  
Freshwater Pearl Mussel Environmental Report.pdf  Download  
Sea Scoping Document Sub Basin Mngt Plans.pdf  Download  
NS2 FPM Digest of Written submissions Feb.2010.pdf  Download  
NS2 FPM Monitoring Methods Report 160609.pdf  Download  
Freshwater Pearl Mussel Sub-Basin Management Plan - Literature Review.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Allow Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft Cloon Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft Caragh Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft Bundorragha Sub-Plan March 2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Ownagappul Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Owenriff Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Owenmore Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Owenea Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Owencarrow Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Nore Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Newport Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Munster Blackwater Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Mountain Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Licky Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Leannan Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Kerry Blackwater Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Glaskeelan Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Gearhmeen Sub-Plan Feb.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Eske Sub-Plan March 2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Derreen Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Dawros Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Currane Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Clodiagh Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Clady Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Bandon Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Ballymurphy Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  
Second Draft of Aughavaud Sub-Plan March.2010.pdf  Download  

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Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

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LAWCO

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

DECLG

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.