Hydroacoustic Surveys in Irish Lakes –Recent Advances in Freshwater Fish Biology
Lynda Connor, Emma Morrissey and Fiona Kelly (Inland Fisheries Ireland).
The Water Framework and Habitats Directive’s require the monitoring and reporting of the
ecological and conservation status of fish in Irish lakes. Traditional quantitative sampling
methods for monitoring fish populations such as gill netting are often fatal to fish, therefore
alternative sampling methods are being developed in regard to monitoring threatened and
endangered fish species such as shad, pollan and Arctic char. A standard monitoring method
using hydroacoustic technology is currently being developed by Inland Fisheries Ireland as a
method to deliver information on endangered fish populations with the objective of
facilitating a reduction in the gill netting effort required, while maintaining the ability to
quantitatively monitor these fish populations. The use of this technology to assess the status
of an endangered fish species in Lough Ree is presented.