The 2012 ISFC report has just been published. 2012 was a record year for specimen fish claims despite the unsettled summer weather which limited angling opportunities. Two new records were established – Bream and Herring – and the first length based specimen claim (a Tope) was received and ratified. The report will be available in hard copy next week and a pdf is published here to bring the best of angling for large fish in Ireland to you.

2012 was a record year for claims. The following are some of the highlights:

• 2 New Records – Bream and Herring
• Some marine species have shown well in 2012 – Dab specimen numbers are improving, Smooth Hound numbers are at record levels
• Large numbers of ‘exotic’ species recorded  – Gilthead Bream and Golden Grey Mullet
• In freshwater the headline goes to the Lee Reservoir system which is producing extraordinary numbers of cyprinids, particularly cyprinid hybrids.
• First length based specimen claim received in 2012 – a tope landed off Wicklow in September. Spurdog will be placed on the length based specimen list from 2014
• For conservation reasons Porbeagle have been suspended from the listings
• Awards Day is on 16th Feb in Bewleys Airport Hotel – the Irish Angling Show (Swords venue) is on the same day
• Please measure specimen fish length and include on claim form as is very useful information. Fish conservation mats (measuring mat or bragmat) are designed to measure fish and are available from different outlets (retail, IFI, IGFA etc)

See the following link for the full PDF report

IrishSpecimentFish2012.pdf