Killary Fjord Shellfish boosts mussel production with €270,000 investment
Renowned Connemara aquaculture business, Killary Fjord Shellfish, has completed a €270,000 investment aimed at meeting rising demand for premium Irish shellfish.
The investment in new harvesting equipment, and the expansion of the farm’s rope-grown mussel system, has resulted in higher yields, reduced fuel consumption and increased efficiencies.
Based in Leehane, Killary Fjord Shellfish secured €118,000 in grant support under the Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme, funded through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
The scheme is co-funded by the government and the European Union and administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency.
Interim CEO of BIM, Richard Donnelly, said: “This investment by Killary Fjord Shellfish demonstrates how Irish aquaculture businesses are innovating to become more efficient and sustainable.
"By adopting modern harvesting systems, the company has reduced operating costs and lowered its carbon footprint, while safeguarding sustainable employment and delivering a high-quality Irish seafood product to the marketplace.”
Killary Fjord Shellfish is owned and operated by Simon Kennedy and his wife Kate O’Connor.
The business is based in the spectacular 16km-long Killary Fjord which borders Galway and Mayo, framed by the Mweelrea, Maumturk and Twelve Bens mountain ranges.
According to Simon Kennedy the investment reflects a long-term commitment to sustainability. “We’ve been farming mussels in Killary Harbour for more than three decades and protecting the resource we rely on has always been central to how we operate.
"This investment has allowed us modernise, reduce energy costs and work more efficiently, while continuing to produce a premium Irish product in a way that makes sense environmentally and commercially.”
He said the new harvesting equipment has also led to a safer working environment and minimised lost hours through maintenance needs.
The business has consistently prioritised sustainable practices, and wherever possible avoids single-use plastics, sourcing recyclable or reusable materials.
Cotton mesh used for mussel bags is compostable and locally sourced, oysters are packaged in wooden boxes, and rope used in growing systems is stripped down and reused annually.
The company specialises in rope-grown blue mussels, oysters and clams, and supplies local restaurants along the Wild Atlantic Way as well as major fish distributors in Ireland.