Marine Institute Open Day

The pupils from 1st and 6th class are visiting the Marine Institute this week, but did you know that the Institute is hosting an OPEN DAY this Saturday 14th April - and EVERYONE IS WELCOME!...

The Marine Institute's Research Facility in Furnace, Newport, Co Mayo will open its doors on Saturday 14 April 2018 from 11am to 4pm.

The Open Day is for all, and visitors will have the opportunity to view the facility located in the Burrishoole Valley. The research facility forms one of the greatest natural laboratories for studying migratory fish in Europe.

Visitors will be able to learn more about the history of the facility and the research projects taking place at the site. They will also have the opportunity to speak with researchers, scientists and staff at 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.

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.