Eligible Species – Marine Species
Ireland’s climate and its location on the far west of Europe mean it is uniquely placed to benefit from sub-tropical influences and still have a large number of cold water species. The Gulf Stream ensures that even in the coldest winter the west of Ireland enjoys milder weather. This in turn leads to a more diverse mix of species than might otherwise be expected when the summer rolls around. Boat anglers, surfcasters and shore fishermen all benefit.
While it is possible to catch sea breams, triggerfish and other warmwater species on one drop, the next might bring you cod, haddock or even halibut. And on the subject of big fish if you use the right gear in the right place you may even strike into bluefin tuna of 1000 lbs or more.
The Irish Record Weight and Specimen Weight is presented in different units, both imperial measures (lbs) and metric system (kg), dependant on the value on which it was reported. To aid in the conversion between both systems, please use the weight conversion calculator provided (see right sidebar)
| Species | Irish Record Weight | Specimen Weight | Length Based Specimen | Species Identification Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angel Shark (aka Monkfish) (Squatina squatina) | 73 lbs | No Specimen Weight | ≥125cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | ||
| Angler Fish (Lophius piscatorius) | 42.985 kg | 8.0 kg | 17.64 lbs | Photos or Body | ||
| Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) | 17 lbs | 13 ozs | 4.536 kg | 10 lbs | ≥75cm Total Length | |
| Black Sole (Solea solea) | 6.32 lbs | 0.6 kg | 1.32 lbs | |||
| Black Bream (Spondyliosoma cantharus) | 1.46 kg | - | 0.79 kg | 1.75 lbs | ≥36cm Total Length | Photos or Body |
| Bluemouth (Helicolenus dactylopterus) | 1.32 kg | 0.9 kg | 1.9845 lbs | ≥38cm Total Length | Photos | |
| Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) | 9 lbs | 8 ozs | 1.6kg | 3.53 lbs | Photos or Body | |
| Coalfish (Pollachius virens) | 15.1 kg | 6.0 kg | 13.23 lbs | ≥86cm Total Length | Photos | |
| Cod (Gadus morhua) | 42 lbs | 7.0 kg | 15.43 lbs | ≥88cm Total Length | ||
| Conger Eel (Conger conger) | 72 lbs | 18.144 kg | 40 lbs | ≥165cm Total Length | ||
| Dab (Limanda limanda) | 2 lbs | 5.5 ozs | 0.6 kg | 1.32 lbs | ≥37cm Total Length | Photos or Body |
| Dogfish - Blackmouthed (Galeus melastomus) | 1.33 kg | 1.0 kg | 2.205 lbs | ≥67cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Dogfish - Lesser Spotted (Scyliorhinus caniculus) | 4 lbs | 4 ozs | 1.474 kg | 3.25 lbs | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Dogfish - Greater Spotted (Scyliorhinus stellaris) | 23 lbs | 13 ozs | 7.257 kg | 16 lbs | ≥115cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat |
| Dogfish - Spur (Squalus acanthias) | 11.06 kg | 5.443 kg | 12 lbs | ≥105cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Flounder (Platichthys flesus) | 4.91 lbs | 1.1 kg | 2.4255 lbs | ≥45cm Total Length | Photos or Body | |
| Garfish (Belone belone) | 1.729 lbs | 1.0 kg | 2.205 lbs | ≥89cm Total Length | Head and gills | |
| Garfish (Belone svetovidovi) | 1.11 lbs | 0.3 kg | 0.875 lbs | Head and gills | ||
| Gilthead Bream (Sparus aurata) | 3.505 kg | 1.4 kg | 3.08 lbs | ≥42cm Total Length | Photo (whole body, head shot showing mouth & eyes) | |
| Gurnard - Gray (Eutrigla gurnardus) | 3 lbs | 1 ozs | 0.600 kg | ≥40cm Total Length | Photos or Body | |
| Gurnard - Red (Aspitrigla cuculus) | 3 lbs | 9.5 ozs | 0.907 kg | 2 lbs | ≥45cm Total Length | Photos or Body |
| Gurnard - Tub (Trigla lucerna) | 12 lbs | 3.5 ozs | 2.0 kg | 4.41 lbs | Photo (pectoral fins must be fully expanded | |
| Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglifinus) | 5.39 kg | 2.5 kg | 5.51 lbs | ≥63cm Total Length | ||
| Hake (Merluccius merluccius) | 25 lbs | 5.5 ozs | 2.2 kg | 4.85 lbs | ≥68cm Total Length | |
| Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) | 156 lbs | 12 kg | 26.46 lbs | |||
| Herring (Clupea harengus) | 0.48 kg | 0.34 kg | 0.75 lbs | Photos or Body | ||
| John Dory (Zeus faber) | 7 lbs | 8 ozs | 1.814 kg | 4 lbs | ||
| Ling (Molva molva) | 55 lbs | 11.34 kg | 25 lbs | ≥125cm Total Length | ||
| Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) | 4 lbs | 2 ozs | 1.0 kg | 2.5 lbs | ≥44cm Total Length | Photos or Body |
| Megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) | 1.85 kg | 0.794 kg | 1.75 lbs | ≥49cm Total Length | Photos or Body | |
| Mullet - Gray, thick lipped (Chelon labrosus) | 9.1 lbs | 2.268 kg | 5 lbs | ≥55cm Total Length | Photos or Body | |
| Mullet - Golden Gray (Liza aurata) | 1.52 kg | 0.68 kg | 1.5 lbs | Photos or Body | ||
| Mullet - Thin Lipped (Liza ramada) | 2.95 kg | 1.5 kg | 3.31 lbs | Photos or Body | ||
| Mullet - Red (Mullus surmuletus) | 0.82 kg | 0.4 kg | 1.0 lbs | Photos or Body | ||
| Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) | 8.23 lbs | 1.2 kg | 2.65 lbs | ≥48cm Total Length | ||
| Pollack (Pollachius pollachius) | 19 lbs | 3 ozs | 5.0 kg | 11.02 lbs | ≥80cm Total Length | Photos |
| Pouting (Trisopterus luscus) | 4 lbs | 13.5 ozs | 1.361 kg | 3 lbs | ||
| Ray - Blonde (Raja brachyura) | 37 lbs | 11.34 kg | 25 lbs | ≥100cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Ray - Cuckoo (Raja naevus) | 5 lbs | 11 ozs | 1.6 kg | 4.0 lbs | ≥63cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat |
| Ray - Electric (Torpedo nobiliana) | 40 kg | 9.072 kg | 20 lbs | Photo on measuring mat | ||
| Ray - Homelyn (Raja montagui) | 8.28 lbs | 2.268 kg | 5 lbs | ≥65cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Ray - Painted (Raja microocellata) | 17.21 lbs | 4.536 kg | 10 lbs | ≥80cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Ray - Sting (Dasyatis pastinaca) | 33.2 kg | 13.0 kg | 30 lbs | ≥90cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Ray - Thornback (Raja clavata) | 37 lbs | 7.0 kg | 17.64 lbs | ≥100cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Ray - Undulate (Raja undulata) | 18 lbs | No specimen weight | ≥85cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | ||
| Ray's Bream (Brama brama) | 6 lbs | 4.25 ozs | 2.0 kg | 4.41 lbs | Photos or Body | |
| Red Sea Bream (Pagellus bogaraveo) | 9 lbs | 6 ozs | 1.0 kg | 4.0 lbs | ||
| Rockling – Shore (Gaidropsarus mediterraneus)† | ≥30cm Total Length† | Photo on measuring mat | ||||
| Rockling, Three Bearded (Gaidropsarus vulgaris) | 3 lbs | 1 oz | 0.794 kg | 1.75 lbs | ≥40cm Total Length | Photos or Body |
| Scad (Trachurus trachurus) | 1.97 lbs | 0.680 kg | 1.5 lbs | ≥44cm Total Length | Photos or Body | |
| Shad – Allis (Alosa alosa) | - | - | 1.814 kg | 4 lbs | Scales | |
| Shad - Twaite (Alosa fallax) | 1.54 kg | ≥50cm Total Length | Scales No weight based claims, unless new record |
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| Shark - Blue (Prionace glauca) | 206 lbs | 45.359 kg | 100 lbs | ≥185cm Fork Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Shark - Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) | - | - | 90.718 kg | 200 lbs | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Shark - Porbeagle (Lamna nasus) | 365 lbs | No Specimen weight | ≥180cm Fork Length | Fish to be measured in water alongside vessel with 180 cm mark clearly visible on measuring device | ||
| Shark - Six-Gilled (Hexanchus griseus) | 480 kg | 45.359 kg | 100 lbs | Photo on measuring mat | ||
| Shark – Thresher (Alopias vulpinus) | - | - | 54.431 kg | 120 lbs | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Short Spined Sea Scorpion (Myoxocephalus scorpius)† | 0.26 | .573 | ≥25cm Total Length† | |||
| Skate - Flapper (Dipturus intermedius) | 221 lbs | No Specimen Weight | ≥180cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat Previously know as Skate - Common (Raja batis) |
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| Skate – Long Nosed (Raja oxyrinchus) | - | - | 36.287 kg | 80 lbs | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Skate - White (Raja alba) | 165 lbs | No Specimen Weight | ≥180cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | ||
| Smooth-Hound (Mustelas asterias) | 11.27 kg | 4.5 kg | 9.94 lbs | ≥103cm Total Length | Photo on measuring mat | |
| Stone Basse (Polyprion americanus) | 11.72 lbs | 3.628 kg | 8 lbs | |||
| Tope (Galeorhinus galeus) | 34.02 kg | 8 ozs | 18.144 kg | 40 lbs | ≥155cm Total Length P | Photo on measuring mat |
| Torsk (Brosme brosme) | 4.858 kg | 2.0 kg | ≥40cm Total Length | Photos or Body | ||
| Trigger Fish (Balistes carolinensis) | 2.54 kg | 1.474 kg | 3.25 lbs | Photo | ||
| Tuna - Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) | 29.96 kg | 12 kg | 26.46 lbs | Photo | ||
| Tuna - Bluefin (Thunnus thynnus) | 440 kg | suspended from listings | ||||
| Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) | 34 lbs | 5 kg | 11.02 lbs | |||
| Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) | 4 lbs | 14.5 ozs | 1.361 kg | 3 lbs | ≥54cm Total Length | |
| Wrasse Ballan (Labrus bergylta) | 4.3 kg | 2.154 kg | 4.75 lbs | ≥48cm Total Length | Photo | |
| Wrasse – Corkwing (Symphodus melops)† | 0.015 | 0.033 | ≥24cm Total Length | Photo | ||
| Wrasse Cuckoo (Labrus mixtus) | 2 lbs | 7 ozs | 0.567 kg | 1.25 lbs | ≥35cm Total Length | Photo |
N.B. Where species identification states body required, high quality photographs (see Rule 4) may suffice.
† Claims are invited for these species (Corkwing Wrasse, Shore Rockling & Short Spined Sea Scorpion) in order to set specimen thresholds.