A New Integrated Approach to Restoring Ireland’s Rivers
Aquatic Harvesting Ireland Ltd is Ireland’s leading river restoration company, providing a complete catchment management and river restoration service that combines advanced hydromorphology, ecological assessment, water quality monitoring, habitat restoration and long-term river management. We believe that restoring Ireland’s rivers requires a new integrated approach, bringing together local authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), community stakeholders and private sector expertise to deliver measurable and lasting environmental improvements.
Our team has extensive experience in river restoration planning and catchment management, including training in Advanced Hydromorphology, Putting Ecology into River Restoration, Freshwater Macroinvertebrate Assessment and the development of Catchment-Wide Restoration Plans. By understanding how water quality, river morphology, aquatic habitats and ecological communities interact throughout an entire catchment, we can identify the root causes of environmental decline and implement targeted restoration measures that deliver long-term benefits.
A successful river restoration programme begins with detailed assessment and monitoring. As exclusive partners for Watersense water quality technology in Ireland and the UK, we provide cutting-edge autonomous water quality laboratories that continuously monitor river systems throughout a catchment. These next-generation monitoring stations collect real-time environmental data, allowing local authorities and stakeholders to make informed, data-driven decisions based on actual river conditions rather than assumptions. Continuous monitoring enables trends to be identified, pollution incidents to be detected quickly and restoration measures to be evaluated over time.
Improving water quality is essential if Ireland is to meet the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. Many river catchments continue to experience pressures from sedimentation, nutrient enrichment, invasive species, altered river morphology and declining aquatic habitats. Our integrated monitoring and restoration approach allows these pressures to be identified and addressed systematically. Through continuous assessment and adaptive management, river systems can move towards achieving and maintaining Good Ecological Status while providing valuable ecosystem services for future generations.
Aquatic Harvesting Ireland operates the most advanced amphibious river restoration machinery available in Ireland. Unlike traditional excavation methods, our specialist amphibious equipment works directly within river systems without disturbing the riverbed structure. This minimises environmental impact while allowing vegetation management, habitat enhancement and restoration works to be carried out safely and efficiently. All machinery operates in accordance with Inland Fisheries Ireland and National Parks and Wildlife Service protocols and uses environmentally responsible operating systems and lubricants to protect sensitive aquatic environments.
Our restoration philosophy is based on working with nature. We utilise nature-based solutions wherever possible, including selective vegetation management, habitat enhancement, floodplain connectivity, invasive species control and spawning habitat restoration. We work closely with IFI, NPWS and local authority representatives to ensure restoration measures are scientifically sound, environmentally sustainable and beneficial to biodiversity.
One of the emerging challenges identified within many Irish rivers is the condition of spawning gravels used by salmon and trout. Through years of observation and field experience, we believe many riverbed gravels have become heavily compacted, calcified or clogged with fine sediments. This condition may reduce the ability of spawning fish to create healthy redds of sufficient depth to protect developing eggs during incubation. A single 10-pound female salmon can lay approximately 15,000 eggs, yet survival rates from egg to juvenile fish remain extremely low in many catchments.
Research published by Marine Institute Ireland on the Burrishoole Catchment in County Mayo reported average annual juvenile salmon survival rates of approximately 1% between 1970 and 2023. While many factors influence fish survival, improving spawning habitat quality must form part of any long-term restoration strategy. Aquatic Harvesting Ireland is introducing innovative gravel cleaning and gravel washing systems for 2027, designed to remove accumulated silt and fine sediments while restoring permeability within spawning gravels. Cleaner gravels provide improved oxygen exchange, healthier conditions for aquatic insects and macroinvertebrates, and better spawning opportunities for salmonid species.
Healthy rivers are not only important for fish populations; they support entire aquatic ecosystems. Freshwater macroinvertebrates, including mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies, are key indicators of river health and form the foundation of aquatic food webs. River restoration measures that improve habitat quality and riverbed condition can increase macroinvertebrate abundance and diversity, ultimately supporting stronger fish populations and healthier ecosystems.
Beyond environmental benefits, river restoration creates significant social and economic value. Cleaner, healthier rivers enhance local amenities and recreational opportunities including angling, boating, swimming, walking and wildlife tourism. Restored river corridors contribute to community wellbeing while supporting rural development and sustainable tourism initiatives throughout Ireland.
We believe every county should have a dedicated long-term river restoration and water quality management programme. Through partnerships with local authorities, Aquatic Harvesting Ireland can provide full-time specialist restoration teams dedicated to individual river catchments. These teams would deliver year-round monitoring, maintenance, habitat improvement, invasive species management and water quality assessment, creating continuity of management that is often lacking under short-term project funding models.
Ireland’s rivers require permanent stewardship rather than occasional intervention. By combining advanced monitoring technology, specialist restoration expertise, innovative machinery and collaborative partnerships, we can develop catchment-wide restoration programmes that deliver measurable environmental improvements. Aquatic Harvesting Ireland and Watersense offer a new and innovative solution for managing Ireland’s rivers—one that integrates science, technology and practical restoration to create healthier waterways, thriving fish populations and resilient river ecosystems for generations to come.