Inshore fish ecology and identification

Units covered

Delivered by Steve Colclough and Iain Turner of the IFM

Time: 1pm - 3pm 

What is it?

This is a free training course in the ecology and identification of inshore fishes with experts from the IFM.  Inshore habitats, such as estuaries and shallow coastal areas, support a wide diversity of fishes and are of vital importance as nurseries for commercial and recreational fisheries. Meanwhile, these habitats are heavily impacted by human impacts of pollution, climate change and habitat destruction. Despite their importance, the fish living in inshore habitats, often in extremely shallow and muddy water or in amongst dense vegetation, are easily overlooked. Traditional surveying methods are not equipped for targeting individuals this small and it is imperative to develop novel monitoring techniques for this understudied group. A better understanding of how early life stages use inshore habitats would help support effective conservation and sustainable management of fish populations.

In this course you will learn to identify some of the species and life stages living on our coasts, as well as approaches to study them. You will learn about aspects of the life cycles of these species and how they are influenced by broader natural and human-induced ecological processes. Finally, there will be information on opportunities to participate in the FinVision project, which is working with the fishing sector to gain new insights into the role of inshore habitats in supporting fish populations.

Find out more about FinVision here: FinVision - University of Plymouth”