Traditionally, fisheries management in the Foyle and Carlingford areas focused on salmon and trout. In recent years, however, there has been an increased awareness of the importance of fully-functioning aquatic ecosystems.
The habitats of the Foyle and Carlingford areas support a wide variety of fisheries biodiversity. Loughs Agency has developed a series of projects to monitor rare fish and other non-commercial species. While some species may not have direct commercial value, they are vitally important to the ecosystem.
Our rare fish monitoring projects focus on European smelt, brook lamprey, river lamprey, sea lamprey and Arctic char. Surveys of these species have been running since 2010.
The information we collect is shared with relevant bodies including the national biodiversity recording centres.
By improving our understanding of the ecology and population dynamics of rare species locally, we contribute towards wider conservation efforts.