Red List highlights six Irish freshwater species at risk of extinction

Pollan
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Six of Ireland’s 15 native fish species and one of its three amphibians have been included in the revised Red Data List of Irish Amphibians, Reptiles and Freshwater Fish published by the National Parks and Wildlife Service Link. The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is listed as Critically Endangered and five more fish species (pollan, Artic char, twaite shad, Killarney shad and Atlantic salmon) were found to be Vulnerable. The Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita), is classified as Endangered.

For the first time, the status of naturalised non-native fish is discussed. Two of these, dace and chub, have been identified as invasive requiring management. The report sets out management polices and actions for the preservation of Irish Amphibians, Reptiles and Freshwater Fish.

Fishing on the River Dodder

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

I was walking past a well known Fishing Tackle Shop in Dublin today and saw fishing permits for the River Dodder on sale. It is not a huge river but hugely popular for fishing which is controlled by the Dodder Anglers Club and also of course the riparian owners. The Club supplements the natural fish stocks annually by restocking with brown trout ranging from 4 -16 ounces with sea trout occurring at Ballsbridge. At €10 for adults and €5 for juniors it  really is a remarkably cheap permit, especially as the river flows through Greater and Central Dublin and this is where the best fishing is to be found. A useful introduction to the Dodder is the recent catchment flood report commissioned by Dublin City Council. Link

Water Quality in Ireland 2007-2009

The season for National reports continues with the latest  report on the surveillance programme of Irish water quality dealing with rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwaters has been published by the Environmental Protection Agency. The report Water Quality in Ireland 2007-2009 can be downloaded from the EPA website.

The programme monitors some 13,118 km of river channel comprising 1,700 rivers, as well as 222 lakes, 89 estuarine and coastal sites and 211 groundwater monitoring stations. The problem with all such surveillance programmes is that not all water bodies can be included so there are many gaps in what is being monitored. However, having said that, the overall conclusion is that water quality in Ireland is being maintained but according to the EPA themselves the quality of Irish water quality remains only just above the European average which is disappointing. The reports shows that 70% of river channel is of good quality status in accordance with the Water Framework Directive although the remainder are polluted to varying degrees. Overall, 85% of groundwaters were also of good status and 90% of lake area is in a satisfactory condition. The EPA remain committed to improving water quality in Ireland.

IRCSET PhD Scholarships 2011

Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) ‘EMBARK’ Initiative and the Enterprise Partnership Scheme (EPS) offer opportunities for suitably qualified individuals to pursue a postgraduate degree by research. The Scheme supports basic research in the broad areas of Science, Engineering and Technology. The online application system opens on Wednesday 12th January 2011 for individuals hoping to begin postgraduate research in the Republic of Ireland in September, 2011. The strict deadline for applicants to submit applications is Wednesday 16th February, 2011. Link  Those interested in applying for a PhD with the Water Technology Group or within the Centre for the Environment should contact Nick Gray in the first instance.

Another Alien Alert - Killer Shrimp in the UK



The predatory shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus

 Another invasive species has hit the headlines in the past weeks, the predatory shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus, which preys on a wide range of macro-invertebrates and even small fish. It comes from the Steppe region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The shrimp is much larger (up to 30mm) than the native shrimps such as Gammarus and has obvious strips making it easy to identify.  The shrimp, described by the Environment Agency as 'particularly vicious and destructive'  was discovered by anglers in Grafham Water, a large reservoir in Cambridgeshire. It has rapidly been moving throughout Europe mainly via the River Danube, but it was a shock when it turned up in the UK.  A containment strategy has been put into place with the water leaving the  reservoir passing thorough a double set of coarse and fine mesh, although it is inevitable that the species will escape into the adjacent River Ouse.  All boat movements are being closely monitored.  The Environment Agency have moved very quickly to control this invader and it will be interesting if the strategy succeeds. Link

River Danube at Risk

A number of people have emailed me asking about the chemical nature of the sludge and its potential impact.  Little has been posted about the exact composition of the sludge except that it is very alkaline ( up to pH 13) and contains heavy metals including cadmium and chromium although in low concentrations.  These wastes are also generally rich in fluoride, sulphate and of course aluminate, but other metals such as nickel, manganese, lead arsenic etc. are also present.  Of course it is also rich in ferric oxide which gives the sludge its distinctive red colouration. The sludge now has entered the Danube which is 2,850 kilometers long and so provides a huge potential dilution for the pollution.  Croatia, Serbia and Romania have all begun testing the river every few hours with high pH values initially reported (pH 9-10) making ammonia a critical problem as it shifts into its unionized form.  Key impacts are suspected to be sedimentation of the solids, ammonia and aluminum toxicity (until pH neutralizes) and possible metal interactions.

Mink escape is possible threat to Irish Rivers

Upto 1000 mink have escaped from a mink farm near Ardara in County Donegal putting local wildlife and especially the fisheries in the Rivers Glen, Owenea and Gweebarra at risk. At this particular time of year Salmon will be returning to spawn in these catchments making them easy prey for these voracious predators. Unlike the European Mink (Mustela lutreola), which is an endangered species, the American Mink (Neovison vison) has proved to be a problematic invasive species.  Similar escapes caused by animal rights activists have resulted in large mortalities of these animals within a short time after release; so while it  is unlikely that the majority of the escaped  mink will either survive or escape being trapped, it is inevitable that a large breeding population in the area will become established which will have long term effects on aquatic and waterside species. 

Asian Clam invades Irish Freshwaters

Recent reports have shown that the aquatic invasive species Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea), which was recorded for the first time in Ireland in April this year in the River Barrow in County Carlow,  is more widespread than previously thought. The mollusc has also been recorded in Lough Corrib and the Grand Canal. Canals are trans-catchment waterways that have significantly accelerated the spread of invasive species in other countries.

The clam originally comes from south-eastern Asia and grows very rapidly reaching high densities in a short period of time. Like the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) it significantly damages the food web and excludes the native mussel species. In the US the mussel is estimated to cause in excess of a $1 billion of damage each year. The National Invasive Species Database has asked that any suspected sightings be reported to them with a photograph if possible so that identification can be confirmed. Link

Inland Fisheries Ireland

You may have missed the creation of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) on July 1, 2010 following the amalgamation of the Central Fisheries Board and the seven former Regional Fisheries Boards into a single agency.

Inland Fisheries Ireland is responsible for the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource across the country. Ireland has over 70,000 kilometres of rivers and streams and 144,000 hectares of lakes all of which fall under the jurisdiction of IFI. The agency is also responsible for sea angling in Ireland.