This presentation was given at the 2019 Catchment Management Network meeting, which was held on the 11 October in Tullamore. All our local authorities and other bodies responsible for implementing the Water Framework Directive in Ireland attended to share knowledge and learn from each other.

1. Pearl Mussel Project EIP
Designing a results-based locally-led agri-environment programme
for Freshwater Pearl Mussel in Ireland’s top-eight catchments

2. Pearl Mussel Project
• Top 8 catchments in Ireland: c.35% of European Freshwater Pearl
Mussel population
• Funding by DAFM under Article 35 of Rural Development
Regulations
• European Innovation Partnership (EIP) with total budget of 10
million, one of the largest EIP projects in Europe, 5 year project
– Locally adapted
– Key stakeholders: farmers, ecologists, farm advisors, managing authorities
Pearl Mussel Project EIP

3. Pearl Mussel Project

4. Creating a market
• Putting market value on the services that High Nature Value farmland
provides
Pearl Mussel Project

5. Environmental trends
Pearl Mussel Project
Habitats within western upland areas:
• Article 17 report on Annexed habitats show bad status and declining
Freshwater Pearl Mussel:
• Endangered (one of the 365 most endangered species on earth) IUCN
• 80% of national population in top 8 catchments (c.30% of EU
population)
• Overall Status in Ireland: Bad and declining
General Freshwater quality:
• Ten-fold decline in pristine waters required by Freshwater Pearl Mussel
since the late 1980’s

6. Freshwater Pearl Mussel
Margaritifera margaritifera
• Biology
– Complex life cycle
– Live to 120 years
– Indicator of exceptionally
clean and healthy
environment
• Pressures
– Flow
– Sediment
– Nutrients
Pearl Mussel Project

7. Bundorragha, Co Mayo
Contract Offers: 54
Signed Contracts: 53
Dawros, Co Galway
Contract Offers: 47
Signed Contracts: 46
Owenriff, , Co Galway
Contract Offers: 40
Signed Contracts: 37
Catchment Coverage 2019
(62% of all private farmland)
Currane, Co Kerry
Contract Offers: 50
Signed Contracts: 45

8. PMP design approach
Pearl Mussel Project
• Challenge posed by aquatic target species
• Results-based approach
• Reward for good quality habitats whilst incentivising farmers to
address problems and improve low scoring lands
• Catchment scale & whole-farm
• Surrogates to assess results
• Grassland
• Peatland
• Scrub
• Drainage and watercourses & Floodplain function
• Quality of each habitat assessed using scorecards

9. Results-based payment scale
Pearl Mussel Project

10. Floodplain Payment
Pearl Mussel Project
• Reward depends on quality (habitat score) of active floodplains on
farmers’ lands along pearl mussel habitat
Caragh, September 2019

11. Whole-farm assessment
• Connectivity with water courses
• Farmyard and nutrient management
• Farm score adjusted based on result of assessment
Pearl Mussel Project
Result based payment
(before watercourse
assessment)
€1000
Whole-farm
assessment
Final payment
Excellent (x 1.2) €1200
Good (x 1) €1000
Inadequate (x 0.6) €600
Poor (x 0.3) €300

12. Watercourse and drainage
characterisation
• Near complete coverage of
participant farms
• Characterised all watercourses
and drainage features on farms
• Important baseline monitoring
• Inform whole-farm assessments
Pearl Mussel Project

13. How to calculate payment
• Results-based Payment
– Habitat Quality Payment
– Floodplain Payment (if applicable)
Pearl Mussel Project
To improve payment the first thing farmer should address is any whole-farm
issues, as these have a major effect on payment

14. Potential Supporting Actions
• Examples of some options:
– Water troughs
– Drain management
– Farm access (bridging, etc.)
– Conversion to lighter breeds
– Fencing
– Many measures will be ‘bespoke’
• Consider environmental benefit
• Farmer-led solutions
• Locally adapted and site specific
Pearl Mussel Project

15. Payments
Pearl Mussel Project
Supporting
Actions
Payments
Results Payments
Habitat Quality Payment
+
Floodplain Payment
X
Whole-farm score

16. Online map and data submission
• Develop and maintenance of online web app
• Launched in June
• Advisors input all data through web app portal
Pearl Mussel Project

17. What services are being provided?
• Biodiversity
• Carbon sequestration
• Protection of soil
• Clean water
• Flood management
• Aesthetic value
• Recreation + well-being
Pearl Mussel Project

18. Pearl Mussel Project EIP
www.PearlMusselProject.ie
Results-based Agri-
environment Payment Scheme
pilot project
www.rbaps.eu
Pearlmusselproject
@pearl_mussel