MulkearLIFE - 6 minute highlights video

This is the majestic Mulkear River. Home to a wide variety of fish species, the Mulkear catchment drains an area of 650 square kilometres spanning counties Limerick and Tipperary. The EU funded MulkearLIFE project has been ongoing since late 2009. It’s main objective is to restore and enhance habitat for Atlantic Salmon, Sea Lamprey and European Otter through in-stream restoration works and riparian management. For almost 140 years, the Mulkear Catchment has been subjected to extensive drainage works which has led to a degradation of habitat, and a decline in the Atlantic Salmon population. MulkearLIFE has been working to enhance the salmon population through specific in-stream works and by removing barriers to passage and upstream migration. The Mulkear River hosts a healthy population of sea lamprey but they face many challenges on their return migration when attempting to move upstream to spawn. The work MulkearLIFE has undertaken has included tracking and monitoring sea lamprey to see how they cope with the obstacles they face, and removing these barriers. European Otter are known to be widespread in the Mulkear catchment. MulkearLIFE’s work is sustaining the otter population. Five catchment wide otter surveys have been conducted to map otter density and distribution. MulkearLIFE has also installed a large number of artificial otter holts and carried out habitat enhancement works, predominantly on old oxbow lakes and smaller streams. Riparian management is another key focus of MulkearLIFE. The riverbanks have faced major problems over the years due to the threat posed by non-native invasive plants such as Giant Hogweed, Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam. Dense infestations of these non-native plants can significantly limit the growth and abundance of native riparian vegetation. This can have a negative and damaging impact on the riparian environment and river’s ecosystem. An important part of MulkearLIFE’s work is to raise public awareness of the importance of rivers and the habitats they support. This work is undertaken through community outreach work. The Environmental Education Programme engages local primary and secondary schools as to the importance of protecting our natural resource. MulkearLIFE also raises awareness through the practical conservation work of the Mulkear Conservation Volunteers, seminars, conferences, training workshops and local events.