Species Spawning and Nursery Areas

This dataset includes the finfish spawning and nursery grounds of commercially important species in the area of the Irish Biologically Sensitive Area and environs, and in particular, hake, mackerel, horse mackerel, cod, herring, megrim, blue whiting, black belly angler monkfish, white belly angler monkfish and whiting. Spawning grounds are areas where finfish leave their eggs for fertilisation. Nursery grounds are areas where young fish grow and mature. Geographic coverage of these grounds include the North Atlantic Ocean, Irish Sea, Saint George's Channel and Celtic Sea around Ireland but mostly within the Biologically Sensitive Area (BSA) off the south-west coast of Ireland. Data collected for the spawning and nursery grounds was for the period 2004-2009. Data collected using latest fisheries science knowledge and information. Data provided by the Fisheries Ecosystem Advisory Services section of the Marine Institute (Ireland). Data completed for the BSA area surveyed.