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This article gives a list of all species of fish found in the waters of Ireland . A separate list of freshwater fish is given at the bottom.
EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Family Squatinidae (angelsharks)
Family Centrophoridae (gulper sharks)
Family Dalatiidae
Family Echinorhinidae (bramble and prickly sharks
Family Etmopteridae (lantern sharks)
Family Oxynotidae (rough sharks)
Family Somniosidae (sleeper sharks)
Family Squalidae (spiny dogfishes)
Family Chlamydoselachidae (frilled sharks)
Family Hexanchidae (sixgill sharks)
Family Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks)
Family Scyliorhinidae (catsharks)
Family Sphyrnidae (hammerhead sharks)
Family Triakidae (houndsharks)
Family Alopiidae (thresher sharks)
Family Cetorhinidae (basking sharks)
Family Lamnidae (mackerel sharks)
Family Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays)
Family Myliobatidae (eagle rays)
Family Mobulidae (devil rays)
Family Rajidae (skates)
Family Rhinochimaeridae (longnose chimaeras)
Family Chimaeridae (shortnose chimaeras)
Family Acipenseridae (sturgeons)
Family Clupeidae (herring and sardines)
Family Engraulidae (Anchovies)
Family Anguillidae (freshwater eels)
Family Congridae (conger eels)
Family Muraenidae (moray eels)
Family Nettastomatidae (duckbill eels)
Family Synaphobranchidae (cutthroat eels)
Family Halosauridae (halosaurs)
Family Notacanthidae (spiny eels)
Family Eurypharyngidae (pelican eels)
Family Saccopharyngidae (gulper eels)
Family Cyprinidae (carp and relatives)
Family Nemacheilidae (stone loaches)
Family Platytroctidae (tubeshoulders)
Family Alepocephalidae (slickheads)
Family Microstomatidae (pencil smelts)
Family Opisthoproctidae (barreleyes)
Family Salmonidae (salmon, trout, whitefish)
Family Gonostomatidae (bristlemouths)
Family Sternoptychidae (hatchefishes and relatives)
Family Phosichthyidae (lightfishes)
Family Stomiidae (dragonfishes)
Family Notosudidae (waryfishes)
Family Paralepididae (barracudinas)
Family Myctophidae (lanternfishes)
Family Lampridae (opahs)
Family Trachipteridae (ribbonfishes)
Family Zeidae (dories)
Family Oreosomatidae (oreos)
Family Gadidae (cod and relatives)
Family Lotidae (lings)
Family Macrouridae (grenadiers or rattails)
Family Merlucciidae (hakes)
Family Moridae (codlings)
Family Phycidae (forkbeard hakes)
Family Trachyrincidae
Family Berycidae (alfonsinos)
Family Melamphaidae (bigscales)
Family Diretmidae (spinyfins)
Family Trachichthyidae (roughies and slimeheads)
Family Aphyonidae
Family Bythitidae (viviparous brotulas)
Family Carapidae (pearlfishes)
Family Ophidiidae (cusk-eels)
Family Gobiidae (gobies)
Family Callionymidae (dragonettes)
Family Mullidae (goatfishes)
Family Syngnathidae (seahorses and pipefishes)
Family Bramidae (pomfrets)
Family Centrolophidae (medusafishes)
Family Gempylidae (snake mackerels)
Family Nomeidae (driftfishes)Family Scombridae (tuna, mackerel and bonitos)
Family Trichiuridae (cutlassfishes and scabbardfishes)
Family Xiphiidae (swordfish)
Family Carangidae (jacks and relatives)
Family Pleuronectidae (righteye flounders)
Family Scophthalmidae (turbots)
Family Soleidae (true soles)
Family Belonidae (needlefishes)
Family Scomberesocidae (sauries)
Family Atherinidae (silversides)
Family Mugilidae (mullets)
Family Gobiesocidae (clingfishes)
Family Blenniidae (combtooth blennies)
Family Ammodytidae (sandlances)
Family Trachinidae (weeverfishes)
Family Uranoscopidae (stargazers)
Family Labridae (wrasses)
Family Epigonidae (deepwater cardinalfishes)
Family Polyprionidae (wreckfishes)
Family Percidae (perches)
Family Triglidae (searobins and gurnards)
Family Sebastidae (rockfishes)
Family Anarhichadidae (wolffishes)
Family Pholidae (gunnels)
Family Stichaeidae (pricklebacks)
Family Zoarcidae (eelpouts)
Family Gasterosteidae (sticklebacks)
Family Cottidae (sculpins)
Family Cyclopteridae (lumpsuckers)
Family Liparidae (snailfishes)
Family Psychrolutidae (fatheads and blobfishes)
Family Moronidae (temperate basses)
Family Sparidae (seabreams and progies)
Family Cepolidae (bandfishes)
Family Caproidae (boarfishes)
Family Lophiidae (monkfishes)
Family Oneirodidae (dreamers)
Family Molidae (molas)
Family Tetraodontidae (pufferfishes)
It has been argued that only nine species of freshwater fish are truly native to Ireland — five char species, pollan, eel, brown trout and Atlantic salmon — as Ireland's fresh water was entirely frozen during the last glacial period, only diadromous fish could repopulate Irish waters after the Ice Age. All other freshwater species were introduced, mostly from the Middle Ages onwards. [2]
In the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, Carl Linnaeus described the Pisces as:
Always inhabiting the waters; are swift in their motion and voracious in their appetites. They breathe by means of gills, which are generally united by a bony arch; swim by means of radiate fins, and are mostly covered over with cartilaginous scales. Besides the parts they have in common with other animals, they are furnished with a nictitant membrane, and most of them with a swim-bladder, by the contraction or dilatation of which, they can raise or sink themselves in their element at pleasure.
The River Gweebarra is a river in north County Donegal, Ireland.