Recording inshore fish biodiversity

[corbyeire]

Hi all,

We all talk about how good the fishing used to be and how things have gotten so bad, less fish, smaller hooks, smaller fish, less species etc.

Here is your chance to do something about it.

The National Biodiversity Data Centre records species numbers of everything, http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/index.php Its main goal is to document our native wildlife and how it is changing etc.

They have volunteers across the country inputting records of every animal, plant fungi etc. They then have professional biologists and statisticians going through this data and making recommendations to the policy makers. The more records they have the stronger the cases they can make for protective measures.

Most reports on our inshore sea waters either have limited records or are using data from trawls. In this case it will be the fish available to us in the first 100m of water, in shallow water (our angling effort) that will be recorded - we will be directly recording and hopefully protecting our angling resource.

Now for all you naysayers thinking this data will go straight to BIM or the Marine Institute for exploitation - it wont
The data centre only holds the information and does not give it to third parties. This system has been developed between NBDC and the IFSA. The data will not go to a 3rd party unless the IFSA agrees.

Also those worried about the resolution on their favourite bass spots etc. again this grid ref. resolution can be given to 10km x 10km output only

Here is the link http://records.biodiversityireland.ie/s ... saFishSite

Next time you put a report up - think of taking 2mins more and entering the data in here
Also old records are most welcome from your log books

Thanks for taking the time to read this

Brian Reidy Conservation/Pollution officer IFSA

[corbyeire]

I should have said their primary interest is species number not fish number, the records will be accepted without numbers of fish if you dont want to give them.

[pollachius virens]

This is something I would take a good deal of interest in. I assume the federation will be submitting data from open competitions?

[corbyeire]

at the moment this is all voluntary - the IFSA Central Council is recommending that the national recorder and provincial recorders input data - we would like to think club recorders would be interested in doing this, as well as individual anglers

so all going to plan, ideally, there will be submissions from open competitions

[corbyeire]

At the moment there are only records from myself - please add your species when you can, thanks

[pete]

Records of sharks and rays would certainly be of use i'd say

[Al and Jordan]

that's me started on it brian