Britain's Freshwater Fishes

Introduction 5
Life-cycles of British freshwater fishes 10
Habitats for freshwater fishes 12
How to identify fishes 22
The types of fishes 26
Glossary and technical terms 42
Salmon watching 50

THE SPECIES ACCOUNTS
Introduction to the species accounts 51
Carp and minnow family (Cyprinidae) 52
Rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus 54
Roach Rutilus rutilus 55
Orfe Leuciscus idus 57
Chub Squalius cephalus 58
Dace Leuciscus leuciscus 59
Common Bream Abramis brama 60
Silver Bream Blicca bjoerkna 62
Barbel Barbus barbus 63
Tench Tinca tinca 64
Crucian Carp Carassius carassius 66
Goldfish Carassius auratus 67
Common Carp Cyprinus carpio 70
Grass Carp Ctenopharygodon idella 72
Gudgeon Gobio gobio 73
Minnow Phoxinus phoxinus 74
Bleak Alburnus alburnus 76
Sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus 77
Topmouth Gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva 78
Bitterling Rhodeus sericeus 79
Salmon, trout, charr, freshwater whitefish and grayling family (Salmonidae) 80
Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar 80
Brown Trout / Sea Trout Salmo trutta 84
Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss 86
Grayling Thymallus thymallus 88
Arctic Charr Salvelinus alpinus 89
European Whitefish (Pollan/Powan/Schelly/Gwyniad) Coregonus lavaretus 91
Vendace Coregonus albula 93
Pike family (Esocidae) 94
Pike Esox lucius 94
Perch family (Percidae) 96
Perch Perca fluviatilis 96
Ruffe Gymnocephalus cernua 98
Zander Sander lucioperca 99
Sheatfish catfish family (Siluridae) 100
Wels Catfish Siluris glanis 100
North American freshwater catfish family (Ictaluridae) 102
Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas 102
Sunfish family (Centrarchidae) 103
Pumpkinseed Sunfish Lepomis gibbosus 103
River loach (or hillstream loach) family (Balitoridae) 104
Stone Loach Nemacheilus barbatulus 104
Loach family (Cobitidae) 105
Spined Loach Cobitis taenia 105
Sculpin family (Cottidae) 106
Bullhead Cottus gobio 106
Sturgeon family (Acipenseridae) 108
Common Sturgeon Acipenser sturio 108
Hake and burbot family (Lotidae) 109
Burbot Lota lota 109
Herring, shad, sardine and menhaden family (Clupeidae) 111
Allis Shad Alosa alosa 111
Twaite Shad Alosa fallax 112
Stickleback and tubesnout family (Gasterosteidae) 114
Three-spined Stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus 114
Ten-spined Stickleback Pungitius pungitius 116
Freshwater eel family (Anguillidae) 117
European Eel Anguilla anguilla 117
Lamprey family (Petromyzontidae) 119
Brook Lamprey Lampetra planeri 119
River Lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis 120
Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus 122
Marine visitors 124
Silversides family (Atherinidae) 124
Sand-smelt Atherina presbyter 124
Smelt family (Osmeridae) 125
Smelt Osmerus eperlanus 125
Righteye flounder family (Pleuronectidae) 126
Flounder Platichthys flesus 126
Temperate bass family (Moronidae) 127
European Seabass Dicentrarchus labrax 127
Mullet family (Mugilidae) 128
Golden Grey Mullet Liza aurata 128
Thin-lipped Grey Mullet Liza ramada 128
Thick-lipped Grey Mullet Chelon labrosus 128

Fishy fantasies 130
Conservation and legislation 132
Further reading and useful contacts 139
Acknowledgements and photographic credits 140
Index 142