This Saturday, a fantastic opportunity to visit Marine Institute’s facility in Mayo

If you fancy taking a look at the Marine Institute’s facility in Mayo, this Saturday’s open day is a golden opportunity!

The research facility, located in the ecologically important Burrishoole Valley, which forms one of the greatest natural laboratories for studying migratory fish in Europe, will be open to visitors to learn about the work of the marine scientists and the history of the facility.

The Marine Institute’s facility in Newport is a unique research centre, where a range of cutting edge research is undertaken including genetics work across several species of salmon, sea bass, pollock and bluefin tuna, as well as research on catchment ecosystems events, climate change, oceanography and aquaculture.

The facility, which has been in operation since 1955, includes laboratories, a freshwater hatchery, fish rearing facilities, fish census trapping stations, a salmonid angling fishery and a monitored freshwater lake and river catchment. Visitors will be able to learn more about the history of the facility and the research projects taking place at the site.

Researchers, scientists and staff will be on hand to answer questions and talk about the Newport facility. A number of PhD candidates will also be available to talk to students about their subject choices and potential careers in the marine sector.

Visitors can look through microscopes to see freshwater invertebrates, view fish species up-close in the aquarium displays and learn how to read a salmon scale. There’s also the chance to visit the manual climate station and see the instruments used to collect daily data for Met Éireann. Children will be entertained by a Storyteller/Magician, and will also enjoy creating patterns in kinetic sand with the INFOMAR Augmented Reality Sandbox.

So from budding marine scientists to the just curious, the Marine Institute’s Research Facility in Furnace, Newport, Co Mayo is open to you this Saturday (14th April) from 11am to 4pm.