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1. INTRODUCTION
The term ‘conservation fish species’ is used to refer to those species or groups of fish that have a limited perceived ‘value’ in terms of commercial fisheries or rod-and-line angling fisheries. The group is a mixed bag, in taxonomic terms, and is considered to include the three species of lamprey, three forms of shad as well as smelt, char and pollan. Both the lamprey and shad groupings are listed in the EU Habitats Directive as Annex II species, requiring the designation of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in member states.
Investigations in regard to shad and lampreys were carried out by Central Fisheries Board (CFB) in the period 1997-2000 in the context of major flood relief works proposed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) for the Suir (Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel) and Nore (Kilkenny). Information on the status of the so-called Killarney shad was compiled by CFB during a fish population study on Leane in 1999. In the course of discussion with Duchas in 2000-2001, in which the conservation status of the various conservation fish species was overviewed, that agency undertook to provide some support funding to assist further studies by CFB on the conservation species in 2001.
The principal aims of the investigations in 2001 were
- To compile additional information on the life history and distribution in fresh- and estuarine waters of twaite shad
- To add to the developing baseline on spawning effort by sea lamprey in freshwater.
However, the study trawled far and wide in trying to elucidate information and data was also compiled on smelt, allis shad, river lamprey and, in one study the catchment-wide distribution of juvenile lamprey. Data was collected in the context of on-going CFB investigations on catchment-wide distribution of target species (primarily salmon and trout), during studies relating to development of major flood relief schemes for OPW and arising from the Duchas funding. Additional funding became available in autumn 2001 from the Dept. of the Marine and Natural Resources under the Catchment Management initiative. This enabled a fyke netting survey to be undertaken to examine the autumn migration of river lamprey into rivers from the sea.
The programme of work was focussed primarily in the south-east of the country. It was considered that, as resources were limited, it would be more prudent and informative to confine the geographical extent of operations. Furthermore, the majority of SACs or candidate SACs designated by Duchas in regard to lamprey and shad lie in the south-east. The survey and information programmes were carried out with the support of the Eastern and Southern Regional Fisheries Boards (RFBs) and their staff.
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