Ballynakill Harbour multi-use co-operative, Connemara District, Ireland

Ballynakill Harbour is located on the northwest part of Connemara, a region on the west coast of Ireland. Use of the harbor has moved from predominantly single-use, involving commercial and domestic fishing, to multiple uses including: fishing for shrimp, white fish, and salmon; as well as finfish and shellfish aquaculture, oyster farming, and marine tourism. The case study focuses on the activities of the North Connemara Marine Co-operative which was formed through collective action between the operators of a productive salmon farm in the Ballynakill Bay and fishermen wishing to revitalize derelict flat oyster beds in the Ballynakill Harbour in 1991.

The case study has also subsequently been used in comparative analyses regarding Ostrom's Design Principles (see bibliography).