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.
The Atlantic hagfish The European river lamprey , Lampetra fluviatilis 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)
Hexanchus griseus Family Chlamydoselachidae (frilled sharks)
Family Hexanchidae (sixgill sharks)
Scyliorhinus canicula in the Natural History Museum , LondonFamily Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks)
Family Scyliorhinidae (catsharks)
Family Sphyrnidae (hammerhead sharks)
Family Triakidae (houndsharks)
Family Alopiidae (thresher sharks)
Family Cetorhinidae (basking sharks)
Comparison between a shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrhinchus ) above, and porbeagle (Lamna nasus ) below Family Lamnidae (mackerel sharks)
Family Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays)
Family Myliobatidae (eagle rays)
Family Mobulidae (devil rays)
Raja clavata Family Rajidae (skates)
Thorny skate , Amblyraja radiata NE
Blue skate , Dipturus batis CR
Norwegian skate , Dipturus nidarosiensis NT
Long-nosed skate , Dipturus oxyrinchus VU
Sandy ray , Leucoraja circularis NT
Blue ray , Neoraja caerulea NT
Blonde ray , Raja brachyura NT
Thornback ray , Raja clavata LC
Shagreen ray , Raja fullonica VU
Small-eyed ray , Raja microocellata LC
Spotted ray , Raja montagui LC
Cuckoo ray , Raja naevus
Undulate ray , Raja undulata
Deepwater ray , Rajella bathyphila
Bigelow's ray , Rajella bigelowi
Round ray , Rajella fyllae
Bottlenosed skate , Rostroraja alba Family Rhinochimaeridae (longnose chimaeras)
Family Chimaeridae (shortnose chimaeras)
Family Acipenseridae (sturgeons)
European sea sturgeon Family Clupeidae (herring and sardines)
Family Engraulidae (Anchovies)
Moray eel 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)
Irish pollan , Coregonus autumnalis
Common whitefish , Coregonus lavaretus
Atlantic salmon , Salmo salar
Brown trout , Salmo trutta
Sea trout , Salmo trutta trutta
Arctic char , Salvelinus alpinus alpinus
Cole's char , Salvelinus colii
Coomsaharn char , Salvelinus fimbriatus
Gray's char , Salvelinus grayi
Blunt-snouted Irish char , Salvelinus obtusus Stomias and Grammatostomias speciesFamily Gonostomatidae (bristlemouths)
Family Sternoptychidae (hatchefishes and relatives)
Family Phosichthyidae (lightfishes)
Family Stomiidae (dragonfishes)
Family Notosudidae (waryfishes)
Family Paralepididae (barracudinas)
Family Myctophidae (lanternfishes)
Glacier lanternfish , Benthosema glaciale
Spothead lantern fish , Diaphus metopoclampus
White-spotted lantern fish , Diaphus rafinesquii
Chubby flashlightfish , Electrona risso
Spotted lanternfish , Myctophum punctatum
Topside lampfish , Notolychnus valdiviae
Diamondcheek lanternfish , Lampanyctus intricarius
Rakery beaconlamp , Lampanyctus macdonaldi
Cocco's lantern fish , Lobianchia gemellarii
Arctic telescope , Protomyctophum arcticum
Large scale lantern fish , Symbolophorus veranyi Family Lampridae (opahs)
Family Trachipteridae (ribbonfishes)
Family Zeidae (dories)
John Dory Family Oreosomatidae (oreos)
Melanogrammus aeglefinus Family Gadidae (cod and relatives)
Pollachius pollachius Family Lotidae (lings)
Cusk , Brosme brosme
Fivebeard rockling , Ciliata mustela
Northern rockling , Ciliata septentrionalis
Fourbeard rockling , Enchelyopus cimbrius
Arctic rockling , Gaidropsarus argentatus
Bigeye rockling , Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus
Shore rockling , Gaidropsarus mediterraneus
Three-bearded rockling , Gaidropsarus vulgaris
Burbot , Lota lota
Blue ling , Molva dypterygia
Spanish ling , Molva macrophthalma
Common ling , Molva molva Family Macrouridae (grenadiers or rattails)
Hollowsnout grenadier , Coelorinchus caelorhincus
Spearsnouted grenadier , Coelorinchus labiatus
Abyssal grenadier , Coryphaenoides armatus
Coryphaenoides brevibarbis
Carapine grenadier , Coryphaenoides carapinus
Günther's grenadier , Coryphaenoides guentheri
Ghostly grenadier , Coryphaenoides leptolepis
Mediterranean grenadier , Coryphaenoides mediterraneus
Deepwater grenadier , Coryphaenoides profundicolus
Roundnose grenadier , Coryphaenoides rupestris
Glasshead grenadier , Hymenocephalus italicus Macrourus berglax Family Merlucciidae (hakes)
Family Moridae (codlings)
Family Phycidae (forkbeard hakes)
Family Trachyrincidae
Family Berycidae (alfonsinos)
Family Melamphaidae (bigscales)
Family Diretmidae (spinyfins)
Silver spinyfin, Diretmus argenteus Family Trachichthyidae (roughies and slimeheads)
Series Ophidiimorpharia [ edit ] Family Aphyonidae
Family Bythitidae (viviparous brotulas)
Family Carapidae (pearlfishes)
Family Ophidiidae (cusk-eels)
Series Gobiomorpharia [ edit ] Family Gobiidae (gobies)
Transparent goby , Aphia minuta
Jeffrey's goby , Buenia jeffreysii
Crystal goby , Crystallogobius linearis
Couch's goby , Gobius couchi
Red-mouthed goby , Gobius cruentatus
Black goby , Gobius niger
Rock goby , Gobius paganellus
Two-spotted goby , Gobiusculus flavescens
Lesueurigobius friesii
Lozano's goby , Pomatoschistus lozanoi
Common goby , Pomatoschistus microps
Sand goby Pomatoschistus minutus
Painted goby , Pomatoschistus pictus
Leopard-spotted goby , Thorogobius ephippiatus Series Scombrimorpharia [ edit ] 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)
Series Carangimorpharia [ edit ] Family Xiphiidae (swordfish)
Family Carangidae (jacks and relatives)
Family Pleuronectidae (righteye flounders)
Turbot 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)
Suborder Triglioidei (searobins and gurnards)[ edit ] Family Triglidae (searobins and gurnards)
Family Sebastidae (rockfishes)
Suborder Cottoidei (sculpins, eelpouts, sticklebacks and relatives)[ edit ] Infraorder Zoarcales (eelpouts, wolffishes and relatives)[ edit ] Atlantic wolf fish Family Anarhichadidae (wolffishes)
Family Pholidae (gunnels)
Family Stichaeidae (pricklebacks)
Family Zoarcidae (eelpouts)
Infraorder Gasterosteales (sticklebacks, etc.)[ edit ] Family Gasterosteidae (sticklebacks)
Infraorder Cottales (sculpins, snailfishes, lumpfishes and relatives)[ edit ] Family Cottidae (sculpins)
Family Cyclopteridae (lumpsuckers)
Lumpsucker, Cyclopterus lumpus Family Liparidae (snailfishes)
Family Psychrolutidae (fatheads and blobfishes)
Family Moronidae (temperate basses)
Family Sparidae (seabreams and progies)
Family Cepolidae (bandfishes)
Family Caproidae (boarfishes)
Suborder Lophoidei (monkfishes)[ edit ] Family Lophiidae (monkfishes)
Monkfish 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]
European river lamprey , Lampetra fluviatilis
European brook lamprey , Lampetra planeri
Sea lamprey , Petromyzon marinus
European eel , Anguilla anguilla
Allis shad , Alosa alosa
Twaite shad , Alosa falax fallax
Common dace , Leuciscus leuciscus
Common minnow , Phoxinus phoxinus
Gudgeon , Gobio gobio
Common roach , Rutilus rutilus
Common rudd , Scardinius erythrophthalmus
European chub , Squalius cephalus
Common bream , Abramis brama
Stone loach , Nemacheilus barbatulus
Tench , Tinca tinca
Northern pike , Esox lucius
European smelt , Osmerus eperlanus
Atlantic salmon , Salmo salar
Arctic char , Salvelinus alpinus alpinus
Cole's char , Salvelinus colii
Coomsaharn char , Salvelinus fimbriatus
Gray's char , Salvelinus grayi
Blunt-snouted Irish char , Salvelinus obtusus
Brown trout , Salmo trutta
Irish pollan , Coregonus autumnalis
Three-spined stickleback , Gasterosteus aculeatus aculeatus
Nine-spined stickleback , Pungitius pungitius
European bullhead , Cottus gobio
Norway bullhead , Taurulus lilljeborgi FishBase Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. FishBase . World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, (June 2018)
Irish Natural History Literature Online
Went, A. E. J. (1957). List of Irish Fishes . Department of Lands, Fisheries Division, Dublin. 31 p.
Went, A. E. J. (1973). Supplement to List of Irish Fishes , Irish Fisheries Leaflet, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Fisheries Division)
Went, A. E. J. & Kennedy, M. (1976). List of Irish Fishes Stationery Office, Dublin ISBN 0707600243
Whitehead, P. J. P.; Bauchot, M.-L.; Hureau, J.-C.; Nielsen, J. & Tortonese, E. (eds.) (1986). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean . UNESCO, Paris. Vols. I-III:1473 p.
Whitehead, P. J. P. (1985). FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeoidei). An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of the Herrings, Sardines, Pilchards, Sprats, Shads, Anchovies and Wolf-Herrings . FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1): 1-303. Rome: FAO.
Quigley, D. T. G. series of papers in Irish Naturalists' Journal and records of rare marine fish species taken in Irish waters by fishing vessels and sea anglers from 1786 to 2008. National Biodiversity Data Centre data set online
Wheeler, A. (1992). A list of the common and scientific names of fishes of the British Isles. Journal of Fish Biology . 41 (Suppl. A).
Wheeler, A. C.; Merrett, N. R. & Quigley, T. G. (2004). Additional records and notes for Wheeler's (1992) List of the Common and Scientific Names of Fishes of the British Isles Journal of Fish Biology . December 2004 doi :10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.0prelims.x
Invertebrates:
Vertebrates: