My position included field population surveys of juvenile salmon, trout and eel in the west of Ireland using a variety of netting and electrofishing techniques. It involved fish measurement, scale reading and otolith preparation and data processing. Also included were macro-invertebrate surveys in streams and lakes and post-processing samples in the laboratory, including identification and analysis. The position gave me the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of fishery and climate and environmental monitoring programmes.

My placement was predominately in the Aquatic Environment Section and I had responsibility for field sampling rivers and lakes, laboratory sample processing (invertebrate & diatom), data entry and other miscellaneous tasks associated with implementation of the monitoring program for surface waters for the Water Framework Directive.