White-clawed Crayfish Research
White clawed-crayfish surveys and management
The white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes is listed on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive. This species is still widespread in lakes and rivers over much of Ireland, but it is becoming increasingly restricted to headwater streams elsewhere in Europe.
European Eel Research
The European eel Anguilla anguilla is a fish of significant ecological importance. It is one of only 15 native fishes present in Ireland’s freshwater ecosystems and is perhaps the most recognisable of all our fauna. In recent decades, this species has undergone a dramatic decline throughout its range. The European Eel is a unique indicator of the environmental health and integrity of our oceans, estuaries and freshwaters, and its recent decline is seen as a serious environmental matter.
Lamprey Surveys and Research
Three species of lamprey occur in Ireland: brook lamprey Lampetra planeri; river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis and sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus. All three Irish lamprey species are listed on Annex II of the European Union Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). This directive legally protects each of these species in designated Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and requires the monitoring and protection of lamprey species coupled with the conservation and maintenance of their preferred habitat.
