Stradbally-based company to boost fish populations in Irish rivers

A STRADBALLY-based company has created a new machine that will see the population of spawning fish in Irish rivers receive a vital boost.

Aquatic Harvesting Ireland Ltd have used Laois Partnership Company funding to develop a hydraulic platform that loosens the gravel on riverbeds to allow salmon and trout to bury their eggs deeper.

This protects eggs from predators, flash floods and heavy rain, and increases the numbers of juvenile fish in Irish rivers, thus improving the quality of their natural habitat.

Aquatic Harvesting Ireland Ltd was established in 2011 by Portlaoise native David Graham, whose background is in engineering, business management and law.

“As we were doing other work, we were noticing that gravel beds in rivers where salmon and trout are laying their eggs seemed to be incredibly uniform and firm underfoot. What we discovered was that a medium, ten-pound hen salmon is laying thousands of eggs, and the mortality rate is massive,” says David.

He continues: “Where 95 per cent of juvenile fish just aren’t being incubated, if you can change that by five or 10 per cent, it means thousands of fish. If we can increase the number of juvenile fish, then it’s not so bad if you lose some”.

The technology is expected to do in days what would have previously taken a team of ten men months to complete.

“It has an arm that goes out and a specially designed bucket with teeth on it. It goes into the gravel bed, lifts it and lets the water wash and loosen the gravel, then leaves it back down,” explains David.

The company acquired its funding through the Laois Partnership Company’s LEADER 2023-2027 Programme, which is co-funded by both the EU and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. It provides financial grants to groups keen to improve their community or entrepreneurs who are keen to set up a business.