Marine Institute and Nologin Oceanic Weather Systems launch an online platform that provides information on hydrodynamic conditions in Galway Bay, Ireland.
The Marine Institute (Ireland) has partnered with Nologin Oceanic Weather Systems (NOW Systems - Spain) to develop an online platform, NAUI. This platform provides information on hydrodynamic conditions in Galway Bay, Ireland. Recently launched, NAUI provides targeted end-users, particularly those involved in implementing Nature Based Solutions and working in the bivalve mariculture sector, with access to updated customized information from existing monitoring, as well as daily forecasts and Multi-year hindcast model products from the Marine Institute.
INFORMATION:
Galway Bay, situated on the west coast of Ireland, hosts some of the last populations of European native oyster (Ostrea edulis) in the country, along with numerous bivalve mariculture production sites. To aid the restoration of wild native oyster and to support oyster farming in the bay, it is essential to identify areas suitable for both oyster farming and for oyster settlements based on the prevailing environmental conditions.
ROMS (ocean physics) and SWAN (wave) models provide the information of interest to local stakeholders involved in oyster farming and restoration efforts. Alongside the operational 3-day forecasts, which are accessible through NAUI, multi-year, annual, seasonal, and monthly static layers were produced for several hydrodynamic parameters derived from the models. These layers are useful to understand the inter- and intra-annual dynamics in the bay, identify areas under the influence of freshwater, areas with high bottom shear stress and kinetic energy, and areas prone to excessive warming during heatwaves. These factors are all aspects of concern, as they increase oyster mortality.
The development was carried out in consultation with local stakeholders: Cuan Beo, an environmental NGO, and with Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency, in the framework of a project funded by Mercator Ocean International under the Copernicus Marine User EU Coastal Monitoring Pilot Demonstrations (https://marine.copernicus.eu/services/user-engagement).
PARTNERS :
- Marine Institute
- Nologin Oceanic Weather Systems
- Mercator Ocean International
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