Rare ferox trout tagging project undertaken on Lough Mask
2008-06-30
The Western Regional Fisheries Board has just commenced a high-tech study of ferox trout on Lough Mask, in conjunction with Dr. Paddy Gargan of the Central Fisheries Board and Dr. Finn Oakland from Norway, a leading expert in fish tagging. The project involves catching the large and rare Ferox trout on the lake and the attaching of a tag to these fish prior to their release. Over the past few days staff of the Board have successfully caught tagged and released 25 of these fish in Lough Mask. Subsequently the Board staff will be able to trace the movements of these fish when they run rivers to spawn. Very little is known about the spawning habits of these unique fish on Lough Mask and it is important to locate their spawning grounds so that they can be afforded adequate protection. The survey follows on from a similar project on ferox trout in Lough Corrib, which identified the primary spawning location of these fish in the Corrib catchment. Due to the unique and rare status of these fish the spawning grounds will be better protected by bye-law in the future. Ferox trout are genetically distinct from brown trout, and have spawned separately in these lakes since the last Ice Age some 10,000 years ago. They grow to very large sizes, feeding on other fish, and have been caught at up to 22lbs weight in Corrib. There is concern about the conservation status of the species, as they are heavily targeted by anglers, and there is growing concern that their numbers will decline significantly following from the introduction of Zebra Mussels to the Corrib. Results from the project will be used to inform management on the possible conservation measures required for ferox trout in Lough Mask. Tagged trout can be identified by the presence of a wire antenna and a yellow plastic tag near the dorsal fin. Anglers who catch any such fish are asked to note the number on the small yellow tag and return the fish alive to the water in order to help with the study. They should also subsequently report the tag number and location where the fish was caught to the Western Regional Fisheries Board.