KiEco Ecology: Freshwater Fish
Natural Resources Wales
Description
Freshwater fish are used as an indicator of stock status, water and habitat quality, artificial obstacles to migration and river flow requirements due to specific life-cycle requirements. This dataset is made up of the species count and length values from the freshwater river fish surveys conducted across Wales by Natural Resources Wales and former Environment Agency Wales. These surveys are conducted as part of on-going monitoring of fish in their natural environment for legislative requirements and to meet business drivers.
Geographic Description
Wales
Methods
A strict methodology is applied when sampling for freshwater river fish. There is a core network of sites which are monitored on an annual basis, and also catchment-wide surveys on a six-year rolling programme. These sites are located in habitat types suitable for the respective fish species. In addition, sites may be sampled for investigative work, or on an ad hoc basis. Sampling areas are commonly 50 metres long and the full width of the river and may embrace different flow types and substrate. Electric fishing is the most commonly used sampling method, although alternative methods are available for different strategies, such as netting and trapping. Once a sample of fish is collected, they are immediately identified in the field, measured and counted and then released alive into the same section of river from where they were captured. Freshwater fish survey data is available from 1974 to present. A caveat being that historical data are sporadic until 2001. This is because fish survey data collected before 2001 were often saved in local databases and not the national ones (KiEco and formerly NFPD).
Citation
Natural Resources Wales. ([Insert year of download]) KiEco Ecology: Freshwater Fish. Occurrence dataset accessed through the NBNAtlas
Rights
© CNC/NRW
Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.
Attribution statement: Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved.
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