Lough Derg Survey

Lough Derg Survey

Fish stock survey on Lough Derg to assess the current status of the fish populations in the lake.

The survey will take place between the 13th June and 1st July 2016 and will involve netting of over 200 sites throughout Lough Derg and Parteen reservoir.  Four different types of survey nets are being used.  Many of these survey nets are being set on the lake bed but a small proportion are being set as floating survey nets on the surface.  A hydroacoustic survey of the deeper parts of the lake is also being undertaken. 

The fisheries research survey will be conducted by IFI under the supervision of Inland Fisheries research staff and will include a total of five boat crews with one of these working at night.

The survey will provide a range of information on the fish stocks in the lake, e.g. size distributions of fish captured, age and growth information for all species, diet of selected species, catch per unit effort (CPUEs) for each fish species, etc.  It will also provide information on the status of the rare and endangered fish species Pollan.  Samples for genetic analyses of brown trout and pike and other species will also be taken. 

The survey crews will be very visible on Lough Derg over the next few weeks and all sets of nets will be marked with distinctive buoys labelled ‘IFI Survey’.   Any anglers or other lake users are asked to be vigilant if out and about on the lake over the next few weeks and to avoid snagging in the nets.