Muckanagh_mini_report_2009 - Inland Fisheries Ireland

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The Central and Regional Fisheries BoardsFig. 1.1. Location map of Muckanagh Lough showing locations and depths of each net1.2 MethodsMuckanagh Lough was surveyed over two nights between the 9 th and the 11 th of September 2009. Atotal of three sets of Dutch fyke nets, 12 benthic monofilament multi-mesh (12 panel, 5-55mm meshsize) CEN standard survey gill nets (4 @ 0-2.9m, 4 @ 3-5.9m, 2 @ 6-11.9m and 2 @ 12-19.9 and twosurface monofilament multi-mesh (12 panel, 5-55mm mesh size) CEN standard survey gill nets weredeployed randomly in the lake (17 sites). The netting effort was supplemented using three benthicbraided survey gill nets (62.5mm mesh knot to knot) at three additional sites. Survey locations wererandomly selected within each depth zone using a grid placed over a map of the lake. A handheldGPS was used to mark the precise location of each net. The angle of each gill net in relation to theshoreline was randomised.All fish apart from perch were measured and weighed on site and scales were removed from all browntrout, rudd and pike. Live fish were returned to the water whenever possible (i.e. when the likelihoodof their survival was considered to be good). Samples of fish were returned to the laboratory forfurther analysis.3
The Central and Regional Fisheries Boards1.3 Results1.3.1 Species RichnessA total of seven fish species were recorded in Muckanagh Lough during the survey, with 91 fishbeing captured (Table 1.1). Perch was the most abundant fish species recorded. Eels were recordedin good numbers in fyke nets only.Table 1.1. List of fish species recorded (including numbers captured) during the survey onMuckanagh Lough, September 2009Scientific name Common name Number of fish capturedBenthicSurfaceBenthicmonomonobraidedmultimeshmultimeshgill netsgill netsgill netsPerca fluviatilis Perch 38 0 0 0 38ScardiniuserythropthalmusRudd 13 0 3 0 16Esox lucius Pike 7 1 0 0 8Salmo trutta Brown trout 2 0 0 0 2Gasterosteus aculeatus Three-spined stickleback 1 0 0 0 1Tinca tinca Tench 0 0 0 1 1Anguilla anguilla European eel 0 0 0 25 25FykenetsTotal1.3.2 Fish abundanceFish abundance (mean CPUE) and biomass (mean BPUE) were calculated as the mean number/weightof fish caught per metre of net. For all fish species except eel, CPUE/BPUE is based on all nets,whereas eel CPUE/BPUE is based on fyke nets only. Mean CPUE and BPUE for all fish species aresummarised in Table 1.2.The differences in the mean perch CPUE between Muckanagh Lough and four other similar lakeswere assessed and found to be statistically significant (Kruskal-Wallis, P
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Muckanagh_mini_report_2009 - Inland Fisheries Ireland

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