She sees the sea

AIDEEN KEOGH is working as an aquarist. For the past few months she has been studying the make-up and breeding habits of saltwater fish. Her chosen field of study is the sea.

At 20 she has already worked in a number of fish farms. Like a miner digging for gold, she is tapping away steadily and carefully, gathering knowledge and experience about all aspects of the sea, with her 9ye firmly fixed on a particular point: she wants to know everything about marine science. Her ultimate aim is to become a research marine scientist.

Keogh became intensely interested in the sea and all its mysteries while she was growing up in Killarney, Co Kerry. She spent as much time as possible at the seashore in Rosbeigh, searching the rocks for squirming, squidgy specimens. Everything that moved under the seaweed was put in her pocket and brought home for observation under the microscope.

"It was always in the blood," she says. "I was dragged out on fishing trips by my father, but I loved it. The sea is a magnet, I was attracted to it. I wanted to study this going back 10 years ago. I was always interested in marine biology."

To date she has worked in a number of areas within the aquaculture industry in Ireland and Scotland. She worked on an oyster farm in Oban, Scotland, last year, in the centre for "depuration", a process which involves cleansing the oysters systems before they are sent to market.

"I did the loading and unloading and the despatch notes, it was a very interesting job," she says.

She also worked in Templenoe, Kenmare, Co Kerry, on another oyster farm. In 1994 Keogh worked on a mussel farm in Beara, Co Cork.

After her Leaving Cert at St Brigid's Presentation Convent School in Killarney three years ago, "the right course was on in Wales" she says.

"But I thought I'd stick closer to home for the time being and study at Tralee RTC. Hopefully I'll eventually get into the laboratory, the research area."

She graduated with distinction from Tralee with a national certificate in science (aquaculture) in 1995. At the time, the course was new and there were 21 in her class. Twelve graduated.

"We covered a very extensive area," she says. The class studied biology, maths, computers, chemistry, aquaculture practice, business and marketing and engineering studies - a subject that included marine power units, aquatic floatation and technology, metal work, meteorology and occupational health and safety.

All going according to plan, Aideen Keogh hopes to register at Galway RTC at the end of this summer to study for a diploma in marine science. After that she hopes to carry on and do a degree.

She says there is an excitement about the aquaculture industry. "Fish farming is very new to Ireland. A lot of people don't want to see it, people are afraid of what it is going to happen.

"I think it's an excellent idea. Ireland is an island. We are surrounded by water. It's going to be the newest thing in the country."

Keogh's current job at Fenit Sea World outside Tralee involves the upkeep and maintenance of the aquarium. The tanks have to be cleaned and the fish have to be fed once a day. She also acts as a tour guide. There are two touch pools where visitors can feel some of the creatures, such as the starfish, the hermit crabs and the urchins.

She is also learning all kinds of things about fish. Her formal studies to date have looked at species of fish and shellfish which can be farmed, such as salmon, oysters and mussels. At Fenit, however, she can observe fish of all kinds, from her ring to plaice to mackerel to pollock.

Standing beside the huge fish tanks, she can watch as the fish spawn, feed, move in shoals and eat. She can follow their life cycles. Fish of every shape and hue, including some of the more unusual ones such as miniature sharks called spur dogs, as well as trigger fish and lump suckers, are kept here. In fact, examples of much of what swims in Irish waters can be found at the aquarium.

The work is enjoyable, but Keogh says her ambition is to be outside in the open, working on her own in research.