Marine Fishes

In 2010, as part of the initiative to review the State of Knowledge on Ireland’s Biological Diversity the National Biodiversity Data Centre produced an inventory of sources of biodiversity data. The inventory was developed by inviting recognised national experts to identify the state of knowledge.

The Biodiversity Inventory is laid complete in sections following taxonomic grouping with an overview. Each section follows the same format; Irish checklist, number of species, primary sources of distribution data, National conservation assessment, and monitoring or repeat surveys in place. This layout allows the reader to compare the state of knowledge of different groups.

Long-spined sea scorpion (Taurulus bubalis) – Dave Wall

Irish checklist

No Irish specific-species checklist published since Went & Kennedy (1976). General reviews by Wheeler (1992); Quigley (1996 & 2000), Purcell (1996), Wheeler et al. (2004), Ferriss et al. (2009).

Updated draft List of Irish Marine Fishes (Quigley 2010, 563 species).

Painted Goby (Pomatoschistus pictus) – Dave Wall

Number of species of marine fishes

563+ (a complete checklist is being prepared by D. Quigley and will be available in 2011)

  • 245 species inshore (<200m depth) (130 exclusively inshore)
  • 435 species offshore (>200m depth) (321 exclusively offshore)

Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) – Dave Wall

Primary sources of distribution data

  • Comprehensive records held by Declan Quigley for 142+ species (majority published in the Irish Naturalists Journal 1984-2010)
  • Rare marine fishes taken in Irish waters from 1786 to 2008 (Declan Quigley)*
  • Marine Institute: Acoustic Surveys, Mackerel and Horse Mackerel Egg Surveys, Deepwater Survey, Biological Survey, Anglerfish Survey,Irish Groundfish Survey
  • Bord Iascaigh Mhara: Bluefin Tuna tagging (Cosgrove et al. 2008)
  • Database of Elasmobranchs in Irish waters (under development by the National Biodiversity Data Centre)
  • Inland Fisheries Ireland: Water Framework Directive Database – fish in transitional waters (estuaries and lagoons), Marine Sports Fish Tagging Database (elasmobranchs – shark, tope, monkfish, common skate and ray)
  • Database of flatfish surveys on the west coast of Ireland 2000-2007 (David McGrath)*

*Databases held by the National Biodiversity Data Centre and made accessible through Biodiversity Maps

Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus mixtus) – Dave Wall

National conservation assessment

  • Commercial species: Fisheries Science Service 2010. The Stock Book: Annual Review of Fish Stocks in 2010 with management advice for 2011. Marine Institute Galway.
  • King, J.L., Marnell, F., Kingston, N., Rosell, R., Boylan, P., Caffrey, J.M., FitzPatrick, Ú., Gargan, P.G., Kelly, F.L., O’Grady, M.F., Poole, R., Roche, W.K., Cassidy, D., 2011 Ireland Red List No. 5: Fish, amphibians and reptiles. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland (includes fish in transitional waters).

No National conservation assessment of other species.

Lesser-spotted Dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) – Dave Wall

Monitoring or repeat surveys in place

  • Commercial species: Fisheries Science Service. 2010. The Stock Book: Annual Review of Fish Stocks in 2010 with management advice for 2011. Marine Institute Galway.
  • Fish in transitional waters are monitored through the Water Framework Directive Fish Monitoring Programme, approx 65 species (Inland Fisheries Ireland).