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INLAND FISHERIES IRELAND is investigating a significant fish kill incident on the Crover River in county Cavan, which is a tributary of Lough Sheelin.
Officers from the Shannon River Basin District became aware of the incident, covering a 1.5 kilometre stretch of water, late on Friday evening, 12 August.
Inland Fisheries Ireland, the state agency responsible for the protection and conservation of freshwater fish and habitats, estimates that over 1,000 juvenile trout could have been killed in the incident.
Other aquatic species were also found dead, such as crayfish, lamprey, stone loach and invertebrates.
While investigations into this fish kill incident are ongoing, a spokesperson said Inland Fisheries Ireland is “not in a position to confirm the cause of the fish kill”.
The agency last week warned that there was a high risk of fish kills as water temperatures rose due to the recent heatwave.
To report fish kills or water pollution, members of the public are encouraged to call the IFI’s new confidential 24-7 hotline number on 0818 34 74 24.
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There is literally an article like this every week. Our rivers are a dumping ground for agricultural and industrial waste, and again and again wild animals are murdered. There needs to be far stronger prosecuting powers for entities that are destroying our rivers. If you’re killing a river, your business doesn’t deserve to exist
@Seán Hogan: it’s not agricultural waste and its not heatwaves. Its someone deliberately polluting the river. Irish water were fined last time there was a big fish kill in cavan.
@Owen: Fines for these big companies are nonsense as the fine is probably less that what it would cost to dispose of it correctly. Times to start giving jail sentences as its the only thing that would work
@Shaun Gallagher: I agree. Where illegal activities take place, whether with bad building materials or dumping into rivers or fly tipping, individuals should be liable for prosecution and not be able to hide behind companies paying fines or going into liquidation. There must be personal accountability outside of the corporate protection for individuals who knowingly break the law and, further, there individuals should be required to make recompense for damages and loss to state or private property.
@Owen: I have fished Sheelin for years and have family in the area. Farmers do not give a flying fish about the lake. Saw a farmer washing out his slurry tank in the lake some years ago. Hope this guy gets more than a slap on the wrist.
Awful news. The Sheelin catchment has suffered terribly over the years. The lake is still recovering from Slurry pollution in the early 90s. You could smell it fishing there for years afterwards. I hope the culprits are caught and dealt with severly.
It has nothing to do with higher temperatures and nothing to do with climate change. That is a cop out. Someone deliberately polluted the river.
@Owen: I wouldn’t go jumping to conclusions, there was a fish kill in a small lake close to me last summer due to the water temperature, the higher the water temps the lower the oxygen levels.
And even if they do somehow get caught for polluting the river after a lengthy investigation, they’ll get at most a fine that is probably less than the coat of disposing of the waste correctly. The bleeding heart liberal justice system here does not disincentivise crime.
nothing will be done…. :(
Farmers need to understand .. they may own their land .. but are duty bound to protect Irelands assets. Their neighbours often rely on angling tourism. This requires severe punishment.
have your say