Lough Sheelin anglers have been invited to become part of a new Citizen Science project.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), is launching a new survey - Fisher's Local Ecological Knowledge Surveillance Indicators (FLEKSI) - that will tap into the knowledge of trout anglers in Lough Sheelin.
The survey will feature questions about trout catch as well as about different aspects of the fishery now compared with when anglers first started fishing on the lake.
Lough Sheelin is one of Ireland’s most important wild brown trout fisheries.
Each participant will have the opportunity to enter into a prize draw for angling tackle; a €200 voucher; and two €100 vouchers.
Meanwhile, Dr Samuel Shephard, a Senior Research Officer with Inland Fisheries Ireland and one of the developers of the FLEKSI method said the opportunity to observe “track changes” at Lough Sheelin had now presented itself.
“‘We know how important anglers are as stewards of our fisheries resource and how attuned they are to changes in the lake environment from year to year,” he continued.
“Anglers develop in-depth knowledge about their local lake fisheries over their angling career which can provide an important resource for fisheries science.
“With this new survey we want to use this unique insight to help track changes in Lough Sheelin’s trout stocks and ecosystems.”
For more details log onto: www.fisheriesireland.ie/fleksi-survey-sheelin-anglers-2022
