Special Awards Categories

The Irish Specimen Fish Committee has been in existence for over 50 years. Over that time the Committee has observed several individual anglers catching specimens on a regular basis annually. This ability to catch specimens regularly is rewarded by presenting special awards (e.g. specially commissioned medals, engraved wooden plates and badges) to these anglers based on cumulative catches. The Special Award Winners are published every year in the ISFC Annual Report. The special award categories are as follows

20 SPECIES AWARD

(Engraved Bronze Medal)

Awarded to an angler for 20 different species of specimen fish

10 SPECIES AWARD

(Engraved Bronze Medal)

Awarded to an angler for 10 different species of specimen fish

50 SPECIMENS AWARD

(Gold Badge)

Awarded to an angler for 50 specimen fish

10 SPECIMENS AWARD

(Silver Pin)

Awarded to an angler for ten specimen fish

DR. MICHAEL KENNEDY AWARD

(Engraved Plaque)

SPECIMEN MULLET OF THE YEAR

Dr. Michael Kennedy, the pioneering fisheries biologist and one of the founders of the ISFC, had a lifelong research interest in mullet species. This award, the Kennedy Award, is for the best specimen (highest percentage of the record) and/or a new record of any of the three mullet species for that year.

DR. A.E.J. WENT AWARD

(Engraved Plaque & Token)

YOUNG SPECIMEN ANGLER OF THE YEAR

Dr. Arthur Went, the noted fisheries biologist and one of the two founder members of the ISFC, nominated this award which is for the best specimen of the year (based on the highest percentage of the specimen weight) taken by an angler aged 13 years or younger.

MINISTER’S AWARD

(Mounted Bronze Medal)

Inaugurated by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, this “fish of a lifetime” award is for the best specimen fish of the year (other than a new record), and is presented to the angler who catches a fish which represents the highest percentage of the existing record.

BEST INTERNATIONAL SPECIMEN FISH AWARD

(Engraved Plaque)

This award is for the best specimen fish (calculated as the highest percentage of the current specimen weight) taken by an overseas angler.