Freshwater Pearl Mussel

Distribution Description Only three substantial populations remain in Northern The freshwater pearl mussel is a large (up to 140mm) Ireland – Cladagh (Swanlinbar) River, Upper and solid bivalve shell which lives in fast-flowing, Ballinderry River and Owenkillew River. clean rivers. Like some marine bivalves, it can produce pearls from the mother-of-pearl nacre secreted on the Action inside of its valves. Semi-commercial fisheries for Northern Ireland Species Action Plan which was pearls were common until quite recently, but severe published in March 2005 andUK Species Action Plan decline over most of its range has placed it on the which was published in 1995. conservation agenda and commercial exploitation has halted. 1. The Cladagh (Swanlinbar) River, the Owenkillew River and the Upper Ballinderry River are designated as ASSIs and SACs. 2. Hatchery and reintroduction programme at Ballinderry Fish Hatchery 3. Monitoring of existing populations 4. Implementation of the Nitrates and Water Framework Directives to reduce enrichment and pollution.

Further Information http://www.habitas.org.uk/priority/species.asp?item= 6779

MLA Species Champion

© FW Pearl Mussel Images Mrs Sandra Overend Successful breeding requires the presence of healthy Ulster Unionist Party and abundant salmon and trout populations. Pearl Constituency: Mid Ulster mussels produce free-swimming larvae which find the gills of a young salmonid fish within a short time during the summer breeding season. They encyst in the gills of the young fish and are carried around until the following spring when they hatch and fall to the bottom of the river to start life as a mussel. Mussels sit unmoving in sand and gravel beds on the bottom of streams for up to 50 years filtering microscopic plants from the water as food.

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