Irish Specimen Fish Committee Annual Report - 2006

New Record Fish and lots of big fish taken by anglers in 2006
Irish Specimen Fish Committee (ISFC) report 2006 issued on Christmas Eve

 New Records and lots of big specimen fish were recorded in 2006 – that's the message from the ISFC report just issued today. The annual report for 2006 - possibly the only report for the year issued within the year – details the four new Irish record fish taken in 2006 and all of the information about large fish taken in Ireland by anglers this year. A total of 449 specimen fish were claimed for the year.

The new Irish Records are:

Tony Tait, 18 Ashley Park Crescent, York, North Yorkshire, YO3 1HH, England with his new Irish Record Gilthead Bream of 1.680 kg taken in Cork Harbour on 14 August 2006

Noel Lane, 65 Silverheights Avenue, Mayfield, Cork with his new Irish Record Golden Grey Mullet of 1.191 kg taken in Cork Harbour on 24 June 2006

Jan de Bakglaar, Van Lanschotstraat 61, 4885 JE Achtmaal, the Netherlands with the new Irish Record Torsk of 4.858 kg taken out of Downings on 26 June 2006

Bob Moss, Ballydavid, Co. Kerry with the new Irish Record Trigger Fish of 2.54 kg taken off Slea Head, Co. Kerry on 7 August 2006

Other news on the specimen fish front:

• The ISFC is going to use genetic fingerprinting to identify species like roach, rudd and their hybrids in 2007. This means that fish scales will be used to identify these fish which are difficult to distinguish from each other – the study is being conducted in conjunction with the Zoology Department in UCD
• New Awards - Dr. Michael Kennedy, the pioneering fisheries biologist and one of the founders of the ISFC, has a lifelong research interest in mullet species. This new award, the Kennedy Award, is for the best specimen mullet of the year. Funded by Failte Ireland the BEST INTERNATIONAL SPECIMEN FISH AWARD is for the best specimen fish taken by an overseas angler.