Rare Fish Reporter is a way to engage local communities through citizen science and creates a platform for the general public where observations and information on selected rare fish in Ireland can be fed into an app or website. This allows you to pass on your observations, sightings, photos of fish such as lamprey, shads, pollan, char, smelt - to name a few - into a centre managed by fisheries scientists who can use this information to increase our l knowledge of these species in Ireland.
Using the Rare fish reporter app you can send in reports of any rare fish you come across in Ireland. Use our downloadable identification guides to identify fish and learn about Ireland’s amazing aquatic wildlife.
Rare Fish Reporter is a way for YOU to become actively involved in conservation in Ireland and make a difference.
Rare Fish Reporter wants to tap into the knowledge that already exists among people who enjoy Irelands beautiful rivers and lakes. Anglers, kayakers, walkers or anybody who spends time on, or around, rivers and lakes will have, over the years, encountered many animals and fishes. We just need to gather this information so that we can get an idea of how all of our rare fishes are doing. This information will complement and support the work being undertaken in our third level institutions, in state bodies and in Local Authorities.
We are appointing YOU, the public, as our Citizen Scientists. YOU can make a difference to conservation and hopefully together we can increase the general awareness of our rare species in Ireland.
Rare Fish Reporter aims to build a network of Citizen Scientists around Ireland who can send us reports of rare fish species as you encounter them. If you need help identifying what you are seeing please see our identification guides or contact us through our app or website. Rare Fish Reporter will also be running Citizen Science training days so if you would like to get involved please let us know!
Why do we need Rare Fish Reporter?
Despite the extensive research being carried out world-wide to examine the conservation issues surrounding many species, fishes still seem to be low down on the priority scale when compared with more traditionally charismatic, fluffy and cute species. A lot of the time the problem is that people simply arent aware of the more rare species or those that are never seen in the camera lens or on TV.
In Ireland we have several fish species that have been here since the last Ice Age! Atlantic salmon and brown trout are well-known and are an important part of our culture and leisure time…..but who is familiar with our three species of lamprey, our shads or the pollan of the Shannon lakes?
Starting with lampreys in 2016, Rare Fish Reporter wants to engage the public in fish conservation and increase awareness of the issues surrounding these rare species in Ireland.
Conservation is about people but effective conservation requires both people having the right knowledge and being able to direct their knowledge and pass this on to where it can be of value. Today, web-based information and app-downloads provide a means to collect information and to pass back information.