This is a list of species of fish found in the waters of Ireland. A separate list of freshwater fish is given at the bottom. The list includes fish from the Rockall Trough, which extends as deep as 3500 metres. None of those deep-water fish have been caught from shore or boat. ("Ireland claims an extended continental shelf ... up to more than 500 nautical miles (926 km), particularly in the Hatton–Rockall area".)
Class Myxini (hagfish)
Order Myxiniformes
Family Myxinidae
Atlantic hagfish, Myxine glutinosa White-headed hagfish, Myxine ios
Hyperoartia
Order Petromyzontiformes (lampreys)
Family Petromyzontidae European river lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis European brook lamprey, Lampetra planeri Sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus
Infraphylum Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates)
Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)
Subclass Elasmobranchii
Superorder Selachimorpha (sharks and dogfish)
Order Squatiniformes (angelsharks)
Family Squatinidae (angelsharks) Angel shark, Squatina squatina
Order Squaliformes (dogfishes and relatives)
Family Centrophoridae (gulper sharks) Little gulper shark, Centrophorus uyato Leafscale gulper shark, Centrophorus squamosus Gulper shark, Centrophorus granulosus Birdbeak dogfish, Deania calcea Rough longnose dogfish, Deania hystricosa Family Dalatiidae Kitefin shark, Dalatias licha Family Echinorhinidae (bramble and prickly sharks) Bramble shark, Echininorhinus brucus Family Etmopteridae (lantern sharks) Black dogfish, Centroscyllium fabricii Great lanternshark, Etmopterus princeps Velvet belly lantern shark, Etmopterus spinax Family Oxynotidae (rough sharks) Sailfin roughshark, Oxynotus paradoxus Family Somniosidae (sleeper sharks) Portuguese dogfish, Centroscymnus coelolepis Longnose velvet dogfish, Centroselachus crepidater Smallmouth velvet dogfish, Scymnodon obscurus Knifetooth dogfish, Scymnodon ringens Greenland shark, Somniosus microcephalus Little sleeper shark , Somniosus rostratus Velvet dogfish, Zameus squamulosus Family Squalidae (spiny dogfishes) Spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias
Order Hexanchiformes (frilled and cow sharks)
Family Chlamydoselachidae (frilled sharks) Frilled Shark, Chlamydoselachus anguineus
Family Hexanchidae (sixgill sharks) Bluntnose sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus Sharpnose sevengill shark, Heptranchias perlo
Order Carcharhiniformes (ground sharks) Family Pseudotriakidae False catshark, Pseudotriakis microdon Family Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks) Blue shark, Prionace glauca Family Scyliorhinidae (catsharks) Iceland catshark, Apristurus laurussonii White ghost catshark, Apristurus aphyodes Ghost catshark, Apristurus manis Black roughscale catshark, Apristurus melanoasper Smalleye catshark, Apristurus microps Blackmouth catshark, Galeus melastomus mouse catshark, Galeus murinus Lesser spotted dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula Nursehound, Scyliorhinus stellaris Family Sphyrnidae (hammerhead sharks) Smooth hammerhead, Sphyrna zygaena Family Triakidae (houndsharks) Tope, Galeorhinus galeus Starry smooth-hound, Mustelus asterias
Order Lamniformes (mackerel sharks) Shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus Porbeagle shark, Lamna nasus
Family Alopiidae (thresher sharks) Common thresher, Alopias vulpinus Bigeye thresher, Alopias superciliosus Family Cetorhinidae (basking sharks) Basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus
Family Lamnidae (mackerel sharks) Shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus Porbeagle, Lamna nasus
Superorder Batoidea (rays, skates and sawfishes)
Order Torpediniformes (electric rays) Atlantic torpedo, Tetronarce nobiliana Spotted torpedo, Torpedo marmorata
Order Myliobatiformes (rays) Family Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays) Common stingray, Dasyatis pastinaca Pelagic stingray, Pteroplatytrygon violacea Family Myliobatidae (eagle rays) Common eagle ray, Myliobatis aquila Family Mobulidae (devil rays) Devil fish, Mobula mobular
Order Rajiformes (skates)
Family Rajidae (skates) Thorny skate, Amblyraja radiata Blue skate, Dipturus batis Norwegian skate, Dipturus nidarosiensis Long-nosed skate, Dipturus oxyrinchus Flapper skate, Dipturus intermedius Sandy ray, Leucoraja circularis Blue ray, Neoraja caerulea Blonde ray, Raja brachyura Thornback ray, Raja clavata Shagreen ray, Raja fullonica Small-eyed ray, Raja microocellata Spotted ray, Raja montagui Cuckoo ray, Raja naevus Undulate ray, Raja undulata Deepwater ray, Rajella bathyphila Bigelow's ray, Rajella bigelowi Round ray, Rajella fyllae Bottlenosed skate, Rostroraja alba Richardson's ray, Bathyraja richardsoni
Subclass Holocephali
Order Chimaeriformes (chimaeras)
Family Rhinochimaeridae (longnose chimaeras) Narrownose chimaera, Harriotta raleighana Broadnose chimaera, Rhinochimaera atlantica Family Chimaeridae (shortnose chimaeras) Rabbit fish, Chimaera monstrosa Opal chimaera, Chimaera opalescens Smalleyed rabbitfish, Hydrolagus affinis Large-eyed rabbitfish, Hydrolagus mirabilis Pale chimaera, Hydrolagus pallidus
Superclass Osteichthyes (boned fish) - class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish)
Subclass Chondrostei
Order Acipenseriformes (sturgeons) Family Acipenseridae (sturgeons) European sea sturgeon, Acipenser sturio
Subclass Neopterygii
Infraclass Holostei
Superorder Clupeomorpha
Order Clupeiformes (herring and anchovies)
Family Clupeidae (herring and sardines) Allis shad, Alosa alosa Twaite shad, Alosa fallax Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus Pilchard, Sardina pilchardus European sprat, Sprattus sprattus sprattus Family Engraulidae (anchovies) European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus
Superorder Elopomorpha
Order Anguilliformes (true eels)
Family Anguillidae (freshwater eels) European eel, Anguilla anguilla Family Congridae (conger eels) European conger, Conger conger Family Muraenidae (moray eels) Mediterranean moray, Muraena helena Family Nettastomatidae (duckbill eels) Whipsnout sorcerer, Venefica proboscidea Family Synaphobranchidae (cutthroat eels) Deepwater arrowtooth eel, Histiobranchus bathybius Ilyophis arx Ilyophis blachei Muddy arrowtooth eel, Ilyophis brunneus Kaup's arrowtooth eel, Synaphobranchus kaupii Family Derichthyidae (oceanic eels) Narrownecked oceanic eel, Derichthys serpentinus Duckbill oceanic eel, Nessorhamphus ingolfianus Family Nemichthyidae (slender snipe eels) Slender snipe eel, Nemichthys scolopaceus Avocet snipe eel, Avocettina infans Shortgut fintail snipe eel, Labichthys carinatus Family Serrivomeridae (saw-tooth eels) Bean's sawtooth eel, Serrivomer beanii
Order Notacanthiformes (halosaurs, spiny eels) Family Halosauridae (halosaurs) Abyssal halosaur, Halosauropsis macrochir Sahara halosaur, Halosaurus johnsonianus Family Notacanthidae (spiny eels) Shortfin spiny eel, Notacanthus bonaparte Snub-nosed spiny eel, Notacanthus chemnitzii Longnose tapirfish, Polyacanthonotus challengeri Smallmouth spiny eel, Polyacanthonotus rissoanus
Order Saccopharyngiformes (gulper eels) Family Eurypharyngidae (pelican eels) Pelican eel, Eurypharynx pelecanoides Family Saccopharyngidae (gulper eels) Gulper eel, Saccopharynx ampullaceus
Superorder Ostariophysi
Order Cypriniformes
Family Cyprinidae (carp and relatives) Common bream, Abramis brama Gudgeon, Gobio gobio Common dace, Leuciscus leuciscus Common minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus Common roach, Rutilus rutilus Common rudd, Scardinius erythrophthalmus European chub, Squalius cephalus Tench, Tinca tinca Family Nemacheilidae (stone loaches) Stone loach, Barbatula barbatula
Superorder Protacanthopterygii
Order Alepocephaliformes
Family Platytroctidae (tubeshoulders) Bighead searsid, Holtbyrnia anomala Maul's searsid, Maulisia mauli Multipore searsid, Normichthys operosus Schnakenbeck's searsid, Sagamichthys schnakenbecki Koefoed's searsid, Searsia koefoedi Family Alepocephalidae (slickheads) Risso's smooth-head, Alepocephalus rostratus Longfin smooth-head, Conocara macropterum Elongate smooth-head, Conocara microlepis Murray's smooth-head, Conocara murrayi Salmon smooth-head, Conocara salmoneum Agassiz' smooth-head, Leptochilichthys agassizii Blackhead salmon, Narcetes stomias Abyssal smooth-head, Rinoctes nasutus Softskin smooth-head, Rouleina attrita Bluntsnout smooth-head, Xenodermichthys copei
Order Argentiniformes Family Argentinidae (herring smelts or argentines) Lesser argentine, Argentina sphyraena Greater argentine, Argentina silus Family Microstomatidae (pencil smelts) Slender argentine, Microstoma microstoma Greenland argentine, Nansenia groenlandica Nansenia oblita Family Bathylagidae (deep-sea smelts) Goiter blacksmelt, Bathylagus euryops
Family Opisthoproctidae (barreleyes) Barrel-eye, Opisthoproctus soleatus
Order Osmeriformes (smelts, etc.) European smelt, Osmerus eperlanus
Order Salmoniformes (salmon, trout, whitefish) Family Salmonidae (salmon, trout, whitefish) Irish pollan, Coregonus autumnalis Common whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar Brown trout, Salmo trutta Sea trout, Salmo trutta trutta Arctic char, Salvelinus alpinus alpinus Cole's char, Salvelinus colii Coomsaharn char, Salvelinus fimbriatus Gray's char, Salvelinus grayi Blunt-snouted Irish char, Salvelinus obtusus
Superorder Stenopterygii Order Stomiiformes
Family Gonostomatidae (bristlemouths) Longray fangjaw, Bonapartia pedaliota Bristlemouth, Cyclothone alba Spark anglemouth, Sigmops bathyphilus Family Sternoptychidae (hatchefishes and relatives) Mueller's pearlside, Maurolicus muelleri Diaphanous hatchetfish, Sternoptyx diaphana Constellationfish, Valenciennellus tripunctulatus Family Phosichthyidae (lightfishes) Rendezvous fish, Polymetme corythaeola Polymetme thaeocoryla Family Stomiidae (dragonfishes) Large-eye snaggletooth, Borostomias antarcticus Grammatostomias flagellibarba Leptostomias gladiator Boa dragonfish, Stomias boa ferox Threelight dragonfish, Trigonolampa miriceps
Superorder Cyclosquamata
Order Aulopiformes (grinners, lizardfishes)
Family Notosudidae (waryfishes) Blackfin waryfish, Scopelosaurus lepidus Family Paralepididae (barracudinas) Duckbill barracudina, Magnisudis atlantica Sharpchin barracudina, Paralepis coregonoides Sudis hyalina
Superorder Scopelomorpha
Order Myctophiformes (lanternfishes)
Family Myctophidae (lanternfishes) Glacier lanternfish, Benthosema glaciale Spothead lantern fish, Diaphus metopoclampus White-spotted lantern fish, Diaphus rafinesquii Chubby flashlightfish, Electrona risso Spotted lanternfish, Myctophum punctatum Topside lampfish, Notolychnus valdiviae Diamondcheek lanternfish, Lampanyctus intricarius Rakery beaconlamp, Lampanyctus macdonaldi Cocco's lantern fish, Lobianchia gemellarii Arctic telescope, Protomyctophum arcticum Large scale lantern fish, Symbolophorus veranyi
Acanthomorpha
Order Lampriformes
Family Lampridae (opahs) Opah, Lampris guttatus Family Trachipteridae (ribbonfishes) Dealfish, Trachipterus arcticus
Order Zeiformes (dories, etc.)
Family Zeidae (dories) John Dory, Zeus faber
Family Oreosomatidae (oreos) False boarfish, Neocyttus helgae
Order Gadiformes (cod and relatives)
Family Gadidae (cod and relatives) Silvery cod, Gadiculus argenteus argenteus Silvery pout, Gadiculus argenteus thori Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua Whiting, Marlangius merlangus Haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus Blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou Pollock, Pollachius pollachus
Saithe, Pollachius virens Tadpole fish, Raniceps raninus Norway pout, Trisopterus esmarkii Pouting, Trisopterus luscus Poor cod, Trisopterus minutus Family Lotidae (lings) Cusk, Brosme brosme Fivebeard rockling, Ciliata mustela Northern rockling, Ciliata septentrionalis Fourbeard rockling, Enchelyopus cimbrius Arctic rockling, Gaidropsarus argentatus Bigeye rockling, Gaidropsarus macrophthalmus Shore rockling, Gaidropsarus mediterraneus Three-bearded rockling, Gaidropsarus vulgaris Burbot, Lota lota Blue ling, Molva dypterygia Spanish ling, Molva macrophthalma Common ling, Molva molva Family Macrouridae (grenadiers or rattails)