Eel Research in 1969

Abstract

Most of the research effort was concentrated on experiments with summer fyke nets on the lines of the 1968 work (leaflet No. 9). Three zoology students, Messrs. Dermot Douglas, Tommy Hayden and Martin O’Grady were employed on bursaries for the field work and the Electricity Supply Board co-operated on the Shannon System. The standard set of eight nets (sixteen traps with eight leaders, arranged in line) was used on the Corrib system. On account of losses and damage to nets only seven were available for the Shannon but it is unlikely that this made any material difference to the results. When possible fishing took place daily. The figures are based, with one exception, on the total number of days when the nets were fishing, including weekends and stormy weather when they were not lifted daily. The exception was Lough Mask where persistent rough weather made lifting the net impossible for a fortnight. It was found in this case that the smaller eels escaped and the catch was therefore not typical of normal conditions. The nets used had a mesh size at the cod end of 10 mm.