Fish Stock Survey of Lough Aughrusbeg, August 2021
Aughrusbeg Lough was previously surveyed in 1993 when the lake was found to contain brown trout and rudd. Stickleback were recorded in brown trout stomachs. The authors noted that natural spawning was limited to the short outflowing stream; that natural recruitment may have been poor prior to the survey; that the lake was subject to algal blooms that potentially impacted upon trout populations and that the lake’s brown trout stocks had been supplemented by stocking with summerling trout in 1992.
The lake was subsequently surveyed on three occasions (2007, 2010 and 2013) as part of the WFD
surveillance monitoring programme.
Similar species composition was recorded on each of these latter survey occasions. Rudd, three spined stickleback and eel were recorded in each survey. Brown trout were not recorded in 2007 but were captured in 2010 and 2013.
This report summarises the results of the 2021 fish stock survey carried out on the lake using Inland Fisheries Ireland’s fish in lakes monitoring protocol. The methodology is WFD compliant and enables determination of ecological status based upon fish communities. It also provides insight into current fish stock status in assessed lakes, facilitating comparison within and between lakes.
Topics: Lake Surveys 2021 |