List of fishes of Ireland

This article gives a list of all species of fish found in the waters of Ireland.

A separate list of freshwater fish is given at the bottom.

Family Squatinidae (angelsharks) Family Centrophoridae (gulper sharks) Family Dalatiidae Family Echinorhinidae (bramble and prickly sharks Family Etmopteridae (lantern sharks) Family Oxynotidae (rough sharks) Family Somniosidae (sleeper sharks) Family Squalidae (spiny dogfishes) Family Chlamydoselachidae (frilled sharks) Family Hexanchidae (sixgill sharks) Family Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks) Family Scyliorhinidae (catsharks) Family Sphyrnidae (hammerhead sharks) Family Triakidae (houndsharks) Family Alopiidae (thresher sharks) Family Cetorhinidae (basking sharks) Family Lamnidae (mackerel sharks) Family Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays) Family Myliobatidae (eagle rays) Family Mobulidae (devil rays) Family Rajidae (skates) Family Rhinochimaeridae (longnose chimaeras) Family Chimaeridae (shortnose chimaeras) Family Acipenseridae (sturgeons) Family Clupeidae (herring and sardines) Family Engraulidae (Anchovies) Family Anguillidae (freshwater eels) Family Congridae (conger eels) Family Muraenidae (moray eels) Family Nettastomatidae (duckbill eels) Family Synaphobranchidae (cutthroat eels) Family Halosauridae (halosaurs) Family Notacanthidae (spiny eels) Family Eurypharyngidae (pelican eels) Family Saccopharyngidae (gulper eels) Family Cyprinidae (carp and relatives) Family Nemacheilidae (stone loaches) Family Platytroctidae (tubeshoulders) Family Alepocephalidae (slickheads) Family Microstomatidae (pencil smelts) Family Opisthoproctidae (barreleyes) Family Salmonidae (salmon, trout, whitefish) Family Gonostomatidae (bristlemouths) Family Sternoptychidae (hatchefishes and relatives) Family Phosichthyidae (lightfishes) Family Stomiidae (dragonfishes) Family Notosudidae (waryfishes) Family Paralepididae (barracudinas) Family Myctophidae (lanternfishes) Family Lampridae (opahs) Family Trachipteridae (ribbonfishes) Family Zeidae (dories) Family Oreosomatidae (oreos) Family Gadidae (cod and relatives) Family Lotidae (lings) Family Macrouridae (grenadiers or rattails) Family Merlucciidae (hakes) Family Moridae (codlings) Family Phycidae (forkbeard hakes) Family Trachyrincidae Family Berycidae (alfonsinos) Family Melamphaidae (bigscales) Family Diretmidae (spinyfins) Family Trachichthyidae (roughies and slimeheads) Family Aphyonidae Family Bythitidae (viviparous brotulas) Family Carapidae (pearlfishes) Family Ophidiidae (cusk-eels) Family Gobiidae (gobies) Family Callionymidae (dragonettes) Family Mullidae (goatfishes) Family Syngnathidae (seahorses and pipefishes) Family Bramidae (pomfrets) Family Centrolophidae (medusafishes) Family Gempylidae (snake mackerels) Family Nomeidae (driftfishes) Family Scombridae (tuna, mackerel and bonitos) Family Trichiuridae (cutlassfishes and scabbardfishes) Family Xiphiidae (swordfish) Family Carangidae (jacks and relatives) Family Pleuronectidae (righteye flounders) Family Scophthalmidae (turbots) Family Soleidae (true soles) Family Belonidae (needlefishes) Family Scomberesocidae (sauries) Family Atherinidae (silversides) Family Mugilidae (mullets) Family Gobiesocidae (clingfishes) Family Blenniidae (combtooth blennies) Family Ammodytidae (sandlances) Family Trachinidae (weeverfishes) Family Uranoscopidae (stargazers) Family Labridae (wrasses) Family Epigonidae (deepwater cardinalfishes) Family Polyprionidae (wreckfishes) Family Percidae (perches) Family Triglidae (searobins and gurnards) Family Sebastidae (rockfishes) Family Anarhichadidae (wolffishes) Family Pholidae (gunnels) Family Stichaeidae (pricklebacks) Family Zoarcidae (eelpouts) Family Gasterosteidae (sticklebacks) Family Cottidae (sculpins) Family Cyclopteridae (lumpsuckers) Family Liparidae (snailfishes) Family Psychrolutidae (fatheads and blobfishes) Family Moronidae (temperate basses) Family Sparidae (seabreams and progies) Family Cepolidae (bandfishes) Family Caproidae (boarfishes) Family Lophiidae (monkfishes) Family Oneirodidae (dreamers) Family Molidae (molas) Family Tetraodontidae (pufferfishes) It has been argued that only nine species of freshwater fish are truly native to Ireland — five char species, pollan, eel, brown trout and Atlantic salmon — as Ireland's fresh water was entirely frozen during the last glacial period, only diadromous fish could repopulate Irish waters after the Ice Age.

All other freshwater species were introduced, mostly from the Middle Ages onwards.

[2] Vertebrates: