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Case study 01 · Fisheries science and management
Reopening the northwest herring fishery through genetics
We worked with the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation and international partners to change that. Together, we developed a genetic stock identification method that combines a panel of genetic markers with a machine-learning model. This allows us to assign individual herring to their population of origin with high confidence.
Industry knowledge, vessel access for sampling, and our scientific expertise all played a part in building a robust genetic baseline and the tools to use it. The EU’s EASME (the European Commission’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises) funded the work from 2018 to 2020. Later sampling and sequencing costs were met through the EU Data Collection Framework.
We submitted the new assessment approach to ICES, which benchmarked it in 2022. For the first time, this allowed separate stock assessments for the 6.a South population, northwest of Ireland, and the 6.a North population, west of Scotland. On the strength of those assessments, the 6.a South herring fishery reopened in 2023 after eight years of closure. The advised catch has since climbed to 3,269 tonnes for 2026.
The benefits go beyond economic recovery for the Irish fleet. The method has reduced uncertainty in stock assessments and built stakeholder confidence through transparent, science-based advice. We have since extended the same approach to genetic stock identification work on horse mackerel.
Case study 02 · Marine spatial planning and policy
Ecosystem-based planning for the Celtic Sea: the MarinePlan project
Through the EU Horizon Europe-funded MarinePlan project, which ran from 2022 to 2025, we worked as a lead partner with an international consortium to build those tools.
Over three years, we co-developed spatial planning scenarios and decision-support frameworks tailored to the Celtic Sea. We modelled different future combinations of offshore wind, fisheries exclusion zones, and Marine Protected Area designations. This allowed planners and policymakers to weigh the trade-offs and benefits of different choices before committing to them.
The project also brought marine planners, policymakers, and climate scientists together for the first time within the ICES Working Group on Marine Planning and Coastal Zone Management.
MarinePlan’s findings underpin the 2025 paper ‘The opportunity for climate action through climate-smart Marine Spatial Planning’ in npj Ocean Sustainability. It was the first paper to bring climate considerations formally into marine spatial planning methodology.
The project’s outputs have informed our technical contributions to Ireland’s Designated Maritime Area Plans for offshore renewable energy and the ongoing development of the national Marine Protected Area network.
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Supporting publication
Read the research paper associated with the MarinePlan case study.
View all documentsCase study 03 · Marine research cooperation
OKEANO – Connecting science, policy, and communities across the Atlantic
A key focus of OKEANO is ensuring that cooperation delivers practical results. The project supports work on coastal resilience, ocean observation and modelling, polar regions, and sustainable aquaculture.
OKEANO also helps develop future ocean leaders through the All-Atlantic Blue Intergenerational Programme. Initiatives such as the Coastal Resilience Beacon Sites Network and the Intergenerational Dialogue turn shared challenges into collaborative solutions.
Through OKEANO, we play a central role in connecting science, policy, and society across the Atlantic. The project supports the annual All-Atlantic Forum. This brings together researchers, policymakers, funders, early-career ocean professionals, and civil society to agree shared priorities and advance collective action for a sustainable Atlantic Ocean.
Our coordination of OKEANO reflects Ireland’s commitment to international ocean science diplomacy. It also supports action on Atlantic-wide challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, the sustainable blue economy, and coastal community resilience.
By strengthening cooperation across Atlantic countries and communities, OKEANO is helping build a more connected, inclusive, and impactful ocean-research and innovation landscape.