Fish Stock Survey of Transitional Waters in the Shannon International River Basin District – Limerick Dock, Shannon Upper, Shannon Lower, and Fergus Estuaries 2017
This report presents fish capture data collected during Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) surveys of transitional waterbodies. Surveys which were conducted within the Shannon estuary complex, Ireland’s largest transitional waterbody are discussed. It was conducted primarily to designate an ecological status based on fish populations, as per the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC). The populations of species of angling of conservation importance are also discussed.
A number of fish sampling methods were used across the two surveys, which ensured that a range of habitat types were sampled, thus making it likely that all fish species present in the estuary were captured. Across both surveys, a total of 49 species and 6750 individual fish were captured. Where applicable, current data was compared to previous surveys to assess how fish populations and ecological status have changed in the intervening years. Fish population status has improved since previous surveys. The presence of juvenile dab and common sole, as well as smelt throughout the estuary complex, highlights this estuary’s importance as a habitat for these important species.
Topics: Transitional Waters 2017 |