Research

National Surveys of Annex II listed Aquatic Species

Ecofact Environmental Consultants have been commissioned with preparing a number of national surveys for Annex II listed aquatic species by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. These studies are summarised below.

Lampreys

Three species of lamprey occur in Ireland: brook lamprey Lampetra planeri; river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis and sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus. All three Irish lamprey species are listed on Annex II of the European Union Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). This directive legally protects each of these species in designated Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and requires the monitoring and protection of lamprey species coupled with the conservation and maintenance of their preferred habitat.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG) contracted ECOFACT to undertake catchment-wide surveys in selected river SACs designated for lampreys. To date, ECOFACT has completed lamprey surveys on the Moy, Boyne, Feale, Corrib and Suir catchments. The following reports have been produced and are available to download from www.npws.ie. Alternatively please contact william.oconnor@ecofact.ie.

• O'Connor, W. (2004) A survey of juvenile lamprey populations in the Moy catchment. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 15. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
• O'Connor, W. (2006) A baseline survey of juvenile lamprey populations in the River Feale catchment. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 22. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
• O'Connor, W. (2006) A survey of juvenile lamprey populations in the Boyne catchment. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 24. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
• O'Connor, W. (2007) A survey of juvenile lamprey populations in the Corrib and Suir catchments. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 26. National Parks and Wildlife Service.

White-Clawed Crayfish

The white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes is also listed on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive. This species is still widespread in lakes and rivers over much of Ireland, but it is becoming increasingly restricted to headwater streams elsewhere in Europe. ECOFACT recently completed a contract on behalf of NPWS to provide monitoring baseline data for the conservation status of white-clawed crayfish in 25 Irish lakes. These lakes are located in the Bonet, Boyne, Corrib, Erne, Moy, Liffey and Shannon catchments. The following report was produced and is also available to download from www.npws.ie.

• O'Connor, W., Hayes, G., O'Keeffe, K., & Lynn, D. (2009) Monitoring of White-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes in Irish Lakes during 2007. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 37. National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Or for more information please contact william.oconnor@ecofact.ie.

Eels in the Shannon estuary and lower River Shannon

The European eel Anguilla anguilla is a fish of significant ecological importance. It is one of only 15 native fishes present in Ireland's freshwater ecosystems and is perhaps the most recognisable of all our fauna. In recent decades, this species has undergone a dramatic decline throughout its range. The European Eel is a unique indicator of the environmental health and integrity of our oceans, estuaries and freshwaters, and its recent decline is seen as a serious environmental matter. In response to the decline in eel populations European Council Regulation 1100/2007 "Establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel" has now been adopted in member states.

With funding from the ESB and in co-operation with the National University of Ireland, Galway, a major study on juvenile eels in the Shannon estuary and Lower Shannon and Shannon estuary was undertaken by Dr. William O'Connor of ECOFACT during the period 1995-2003. This major research project included the following detailed studies:-

• Immigration timing and activity rhythms of glass eel in the Shannon estuary in relation to temporal and environmental factors
• Factors influencing the upstream riverine migration of juvenile eel on the River Shannon and selected tributaries of its estuary
• Size structure and development stages of migrant eel populations, and the size selectivity of various trapping methods
• Fish census results at the Ardnacrusha Borland fish-lift, with particular reference to eel
• Interactions of juvenile eel, brown trout Salmo trutta and other predators, in the tidal section of the lower Shannon River
• The assessment of eel densities and population structures in the lower reaches of rivers in the Shannon estuary area using electrical fishing
• Bycatch fish species recorded during the operation of a pilot scale glass eel fishery on the Shannon estuary

For more information on the output of this project please contact william.oconnor@ecofact.ie.