The five-year project will aim to enhance seagrass and oyster restoration, improve water quality in Kerry’s coastal habitats, and boost community engagement.

A new project aiming to restore important marine habitats in Co Kerry has been granted €7.9m in funding from the Irish Government.

The Tralee Bay Marine Diversity Restoration Project will work over the next five years on the restoration of sensitive eelgrass meadows and native oyster beds in Kerry’s coastal habitats.

Specifically, the project aims to enhance seagrass production, restoration and expansion of existing meadows; increase the size and distribution of native oyster beds by developing a consistent oyster seed supply chain; and enhance water quality and carbon sequestration through restoration and biodiversity measures.

A central element of the project will also be improving public engagement with and awareness of the Tralee Bay System through a range of initiatives designed to increase awareness, foster local stewardship and strengthen community participation in coastal conservation.

While based in Tralee Bay Nature Reserve, the project will benefit a number of the county’s wider habitats, including Ireland’s first marine national park – Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí.

“Eelgrass meadows and native oyster reefs provide essential habitats for marine wildlife,” said Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan, TD, who announced the project funding today (6 August).

“They also improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, support fisheries and contribute to climate resilience.

“This flagship project represents a significant investment in the future of Ireland’s coastal ecosystems. Tralee Bay provides a unique opportunity to restore these fragile habitats of national and international importance by applying on-the-ground restoration measures with cutting-edge research.”

The five-year initiative is funded and overseen by the National Parks and Wildlife Service – a Government agency responsible for the protection and conservation of Ireland’s natural heritage and biodiversity – and is led by University College Cork (UCC) in partnership with Tralee Oyster Society and Tralee Bay Hatchery.

“The Tralee Bay Marine Biodiversity Restoration Project represents a unique opportunity to restore two of Ireland’s most important marine habitats – native oyster reefs and eelgrass meadows – within one of the country’s most ecologically significant coastal systems,” said principal investigator Prof Sarah Culloty, a zoologist and marine biologist at UCC.

“By bringing together researchers, fishermen, conservation agencies and local communities, we are creating a living laboratory for nature restoration that will deliver benefits for biodiversity, water quality, climate resilience and sustainable coastal livelihoods.

“Tralee Bay has the potential to become a national and international exemplar of how science, conservation and community stewardship can work together to restore our marine environment for future generations.”

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