Marine Sport Fish Tagging Programme

Inland Fisheries Ireland's Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme was initiated in 1970 by the Inland Fisheries Trust, who had responsibility for developing and promoting recreational sea angling. By the late 1960s, results from sea angling competitions were showing a decline in the capture of some of the most important species such as Blue Shark, Tope, Monkfish, Skates and Rays. At that time, virtually all fish caught by anglers were killed and taken ashore for weighing and photographic opportunities.

As little was known at the time about the biology and migration patterns of these species, the Inland Fisheries Trust decided to introduce a tagging programme with the explicit purpose of introducing conservation measures and to learn more about the migratory patterns of sea angling species. All tags used to date in the Marine Sport Fish Tagging Programme can be idetified by their label - "Fisheries Board Ireland Reward". Though the tags appear in a variety of colours and shapes this the text "Fisheries Board Ireland Reward" and a unique id number are present on each tag.

To encourage charter boat skippers to participate in tagging fish the Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme Conservation Award was created. This is award is presented each year to the skipper who tags the most fish. In 2004 the award was presented to Europe's only lady skipper, Mary Gavin Hughes,Shamrock 1 out of Newport, for the third year in a row.

Tagged Fish

Tags are attached to a variety of Marine Fish around the Irish Coastline. If you catch a tagged fish please send details of the location (as accurate as possible) of recapture, date, time and method.

As well as this if you intend to release the fish please record the details on the tag number. If possible also weight (estimate if no scales available) and length (from tip of snout to end of tale) of the fish as well as method of recapture.

If you have killed the fish, please remove and return the tag to the address below with details of weight, length and method of recapture.

Fisheries Board Ireland Reward

All fishermen returning a tag and recapture details will receive an 'Irish Marine Sportfish Tagging T shirt'. They will be provide them with as much information as we have on the fish that they caught. This will include time / place of original tagging, days at liberty, distance covered et cetera.

Contact

Shane O' Reilly (Angling Advisor) can be contacted at:
Inland Fisheries Ireland
Swords Business Campus
Swords. co. Dublin

Tel: +353 (0)1 884 2600
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

or use our online contact form.