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Commonly found Sea Fish
Species in Ireland
Tope (Galeorhinus galeus)
Dutch:Ruwehaai,
German: Hundai, French: Milandre
Tope is a medium sized
shallow water shark, fairly common on all coasts of Ireland
during summer. Greyish in colour with short, triangular pectorals
and a deeply notched tail fin. Very popular sport fish,
particularly with inshore boat anglers. Male fish to 30lbs are
often encountered in packs (Dingle, Westport, Galway Bay,
Blacksod and Lough Swilly) but much larger females are either
loners or are found in small groups. Grows to 80lbs. Specimen
Weight 18.14 kg (40lbs)
Mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
Dutch: Makreel,
German: Mackrele, French: Maquereau
Very common on all coasts
in summer when they can be taken by both boat and shore anglers
in very large numbers at times. Easily identified by dark, wavy
stripes of green upper body and silver undersides. Mackerel are
an important bait for other fish species. Specimen weight. 1.13
kg (2.5lbs)
Monkfish (Squatina squatina)
Dutch: Zeengel,
German: Meerengel, French - Ange de Mer
Large ugly, squat
cartilaginous fish which resemble a cross between a shark and a
Skate. Dark Brown in colour. Localised in distribution but common
at one time in several bays on the west coast of Ireland i.e.
Blacksod Bay, Clew Bay and Tralee Bay. Grows to about 100lbs.
Specimen weight, 22.7 kg (50lbs)
Pollack (Pollachius pollachius)
Dutch: Pollak,
German: Pollack, French:Lieu
Very popular sport fish.
Can be taken from both boat and shore on most coasts. Common over
areas of rough ground, reefs and sunken wrecks. Easily identified
by from its near relation, the Coalfish by the protruding lower
jaw and by the shape of the lateral line which is bent over the
pectoral fin. Tail is forked. Usually brown or bronze on back and
flanks. Grows to over 20lbs. Specimen weight, 5.44 kg (12lbs)
Cod (Gadus morhua)
Dutch: Kabeliauw,
German: Dorsch, French: Morue
Common on most Irish coasts
and unlikely to be mistaken for any other species, even though
the colour of adults varies. Caught over a wide range of seabed
from reefs and wrecks to areas of shingle and sand and in many of
the larger estuaries. Cod are available throughout the year, but
generally peak fishing times are May and June (boat angling) and
December and January (shore fishing). Grows to over 50lbs.
Specimen weight, 9.07 kg (20lb)
Skate (Raja spp)
Dutch - Vleet,
German - Glattoche, French - Pocheteau
Three species of Skate have
been recorded by anglers in Irish waters. They are White Skate
(Raja alba) 54.43 kg specimen weight: 120lbs); Long Nose Skate
(Raja oxyrinchus) 36.29 kg (80lbs); and the Common Skate (Raja
batis) (specimen weight suspended). In the interests of
conservation, the Irish Specimen Fish Committee removed the
Common Skate from its list of acceptable species in 1976. Since
then, all Common Skate taken by anglers have been returned alive
to the water. In recent years, fish to almost 200lbs have again
re-appeared at a number of west coast venues.
Conger Eel (Conger
conger)
Dutch: Kongerall,
German: Meeraal, French: Congre
Dorsal, caudal and anal
fins continuous, no pelvic fins. Dorsal begins about level with
tip of pectoral. Body rather stout and muscular. Large mouth, the
upper jaw the larger. Grows to over 100lbs. Offshore, inshore and
in lower reaches of large estuaries. Specimen weight: 18.14 kg
(40lbs)
Flounder (Platicthys flesus)
Dutch: Bot, German:
Flunder; French; Flet
Eyes and colour normally on
the right side, but 'reversed' examples are more common amongst
flounders than among other flatfishes. Conspicuous enlarged
rough, hard scaled on head ridge, anterior part of lateral line
and along bases of dorsal and anal fins on the eyed side. Dark
brown to greenish- grey, sometimes with vague orange spots; blind
side uniform opaque white. Grows to about 5lbs. Often occur in
fresh water well above the limits of the tide. Specimen weight
1.36 kg (3lbs)
Ling (Molva molva)
Dutch: Leng,
German: Leng, French: Lingue
Long, eel like, member of
the cod family which has a large barbell under the chin and a
mouth of needle sharp teeth. Olive or red-brown in colour,
sometimes mottled. A very popular sport fish, particularly with
reef and wreck anglers. Almost exclusively a boat caught fish.
Grows to about 50lbs. Specimen weight, 11.34 kg (25lbs)
Wrasse (Labrus spp)
Dutch: Gevlekte
Lilsch, German: Geflecter Lippfisch, French: Vielle Commune
Large family of deep
bodied, hard scaled fish. Two species are of interest to Irish
anglers: the Ballan Wrasse (labrus bergylta) which grows to about
10lbs: Specimen weight: 2.15 kg (4.75lbs) and the colourful
Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus mixtus) which grows to about 2lbs Specimen
weight: 0.57 kg (1.25lbs). Both are very common in Irish waters
particularly where there is rocky areas of weed covered reef.
Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
Dutch: Zeebaars,
German: Meerbarsch, French: Bar
This blue backed, silver
cousin of the American striped bass is one of Ireland's most
sought after sport fish. It is equally at home in the turmoil of
the Atlantic surf beach or in the quietness of an estuarine back
water. Most common below a line drawn from Galway to Dublin, but
localised populations exist beyond this area. A protected species
by law, with a bag limit of 2 fish per angler in any 24 hour
period and minimum size of 40 cms. Grows to about 20lbs. Specimen
weight: 4.53 kg (10lbs)
Shark (Species)
There are five species of
Shark which anglers may contact in Irish waters. They are the
Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), specimen weight: 90.72 kg (200lbs).
Thresher (Alopias vulpinus), Specimen weight: 54.43 kgs (120lbs).
Six gilled (Hexanchus griseus), Specimen weight: 45.36 kg
(100lbs). Porbeagle (Lamna nasus) specimen weight 68.04 kg
(150lbs) and the Blue (Prionace glauca): Specimen weight: 45.36
kg (100lbs). Of these, only the latter two are fished regularly,
the others being mainly accidental catches. Shark fishing is very
popular during the summer months on the south and west coasts of
Ireland.
Ray (Raja spp)
Normally found in shallow
water during the summer months. There are eight species of Ray
recorded by anglers in Irish waters. They are the Thornback Ray
(Raja clavata), Specimen weight 9.07 kg (20lbs); Blonde Ray (Raja
brachyura) 11.34 kg (25lbs); Cuckoo Ray (Raja naevus) 2.04 kg
(4.5lbs); Electric Ray (Torpedo nobiliana) 9.07 kg (20lbs);
Homelyn Ray (Raja montagui) 2.27 kgs (5lbs); Undulate Ray (Raja
undulata) 6.35 kgs (14lbs); Painted Ray (Raja microcellata) 4.54
kg (10lbs); Sting Ray (Dasyatis pastinaca) 13.60 kg (30lbs)
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