Club Meeting President’s Invitational Challenge -

Speaker: Maureen Jerman, President’s Invitational Challenge - Freshwater Fish of Great Britain.

The topic, from Stuart’s list, was chosen as I know very little about freshwater fish! As a reminder - the Invitational Challenge is to research the chosen topic for no more than one hour and to present findings to the club.

Most of us encounter fish by seeing them in rivers and canals, fish markets or eating them in restaurants/in the comfort of our own homes. Anglers hoist the poor souls from their watery home and throw them back! My encounters are mainly trying to work out what flavour of fish an osprey has caught to complete monitoring records at Rutland Water.

Members were challenged to guess the number of freshwater fish in the world? Answers ranged from not very many to thousands! The closest was Robin who was awarded a much sought after bath toy in the shape of a fish. Even so, he was 3000 short of the 18075 quoted. Allegedly freshwater fish make up 51% of all fish species and 25% of all vertebrates.

Sadly, due to a technology hitch, those present could only view a list of UK freshwater fish at distance on a 14 inch laptop! Although research revealed different numbers, it is probably safe to say there are around 40 species of freshwater fish in the UK - some of these are introduced rather than native, including catfish, zander, topmouth gudgeon and pumpkinseed. To groans from the assembled jokes interspersed the talk!