What Fish Species are in the Don Catchment?
The River Don and its tributaries offer prime habitats for a number of fish species. Over time, the modification of our rivers has made it harder for fish to move within them. Obstacles such as weirs, are major challenges to fish and with so many of them within the catchment, species like Atlantic Salmon had not been seen in the upper areas of the catchment for hundreds of years.
DCRT was founded in part with the ambition to address this problem and we have completed many fish pass projects, including the Trust’s first National Lottery Heritage Fund project, Living Heritage of the River Don.
Have a look at our pages about these amazing species
Have a look at our wildlife filmed in the catchment
26 native fish you would expect to find in the Don Catchment
Click the picture to find out more about these fish.
Ruffe
Scientific Name:
Gymnocephalus cernua
Scientific Family:
Percidae
Perch
Scientific Name:
Perca fluviatilis
Scientific Family:
Percidae
Bullhead
Scientific Name:
Cottus gobio
Scientific Family:
Cottidae
Common Bream
Scientific Name:
Abramis brama
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Gudgeon
Scientific Name:
Gobio gobio
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Common Bleak
Scientific Name:
Alburnus alburnus
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Rudd
Scientific Name:
Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Minnow
Scientific Name:
Phoxinus phoxinus
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Mirror Carp
Scientific Name:
Cyprinus carpio
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Dace
Scientific Name:
Leuciscus leuciscus
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Barbel
Scientific Name:
Barbus barbus
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Chub
Scientific Name:
Squalius cephalus
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Roach
Scientific Name:
Rutilus rutilus
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Tench
Scientific Name:
Tinca tinca
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Silver Bream
Scientific Name:
Blicca bjoerkna
Scientific Family:
Cyprinidae
Brown Trout/Sea Trout
Scientific Name:
Salmo trutta
Scientific Family:
Salmonidae
Atlantic Salmon
Scientific Name:
Salmo salar
Scientific Family:
Salmonidae
Grayling
Scientific Name:
Thymallus thymallus
Scientific Family:
Salmonidae
Flounder
Scientific Name:
Platichthys flesus
Scientific Family:
Pleuronectidae
Smelt
Scientific Name:
Osmerus eperlanus
Scientific Family:
Osmeridae
Pike
Scientific Name:
Esox lucius
Scientific Family:
Esocidae
Brook Lamprey
Scientific Name:
Lampetra planeri
Scientific Family:
Petromyzontidae
Sea Lamprey
Scientific Name:
Petromyzon marinus
Scientific Family:
Petromyzontidae
Eel
Scientific Name:
Anguilla anguilla
Scientific Family:
Anguillidae
Three-Spined Stickleback
Scientific Name:
Gasterosteus aculeatus
Scientific Family:
Gasterosteidae
Ten-Spined Stickleback
Scientific Name:
Pungitius pungitius
Scientific Family:
Gasterosteidae
Don Catchment’s Missing Fish
Although many of the original native species of fish have returned to the Don’s river system since it’s regeneration, there are still a number of fish that have been unable to return. They may have been lost due to habitat loss/unsuitability, over fishing and pollution/water quality. Many of these species are now being extinct to Britain therefore unable to recolonise unless they were reintroduced.
Burbot
Scientific Name:
Lota lota
Scientific Family:
Lotidae
Sea Sturgeon
Scientific Name:
Acipenser sturio
Scientific Family:
Acipenseridae
River Lamprey
Scientific Name:
Lampetra fluviatilis
Scientific Family:
Petromyzontidae
