Northern Ireland

‘These pollution incidents are the reason our beautiful Lough Neagh system is in tatters’ - slurry linked to major Co Antrim fish kill

Daera confirms 1,109 brown trout killed in Four Mile Burn pollution incident

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk 19-5-2024 A major pollution incident has occured on the Four Mile Burn, a tributary of the Sixmilewater River in County Antrim. Hundreds of dead juvenile fish including salmon , trout and dollaghan are reported by the local Antrim and District Angling Association. This time of year is particularly important as young salmon smolts are making their way from the upstream spawning areas down to the sea where they will live before returning to their home rivers 3-4 years later as mature fish. The dollaghan are indigenous to Lough Neagh and like the salmon migrate from the lough upstream to spawn. One angry local angler called it a disaster that will have ramifications for years to come. He said : “ This is an eco crime and should be dealt with accordingly. Whoever is responsible should be made an example of by the courts. This is happening too regulary and the people responsible usually get a slap on the wrists and a ridiculously small fine. The Minister at Stormont and the Justice Minister shoud get together to make sure there are proper deterrents in place for the guilty parties.”
A major pollution incident has been declared on the Four Mile Burn in Co Antrim. (Alan Lewis - Photopress Belfast/Photopress Belfast)
By Ryan McAleer

More than 1,000 brown trout have been killed following a major pollution incident in Co Antrim.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) has linked the Four Mile Burn fish kill incident to slurry.

The waterway in Newmills, close to Doagh, is a tributary of the Six Mile Water river.

Anglers were notified by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) of the fish kill on Friday.

In a statement and video posted on its Facebook page, the Antrim and District Angling Association (ADAA) said it was the latest major pollution incident to hit the area.

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“Several of our members walked three miles of that stream and counted hundreds of dead fish from last year’s crop, and perhaps thousands from this season’s crop,” said the group statement.

“It’s incredibly frustrating that we find ourselves here again. Enough is enough, this has to end.

“These pollution incidents are the reason our beautiful Lough Neagh system is in tatters.”

The ADAA has called on Agriculture and Environment Minister Andrew Muir “to get a handle” on the situation.

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk 19-5-2024 A major pollution incident has occured on the Four Mile Burn, a tributary of the Sixmilewater River in County Antrim. Hundreds of dead juvenile fish including salmon , trout and dollaghan are reported by the local Antrim and District Angling Association. This time of year is particularly important as young salmon smolts are making their way from the upstream spawning areas down to the sea where they will live before returning to their home rivers 3-4 years later as mature fish. The dollaghan are indigenous to Lough Neagh and like the salmon migrate from the lough upstream to spawn. One angry local angler called it a disaster that will have ramifications for years to come. He said : “ This is an eco crime and should be dealt with accordingly. Whoever is responsible should be made an example of by the courts. This is happening too regulary and the people responsible usually get a slap on the wrists and a ridiculously small fine. The Minister at Stormont and the Justice Minister shoud get together to make sure there are proper deterrents in place for the guilty parties.”
A major pollution incident has been declared on the Four Mile Burn in Co Antrim. (Alan Lewis - Photopress Belfast/Photopress Belfast)

Mr Muir’s Alliance Party colleague John Blair said fines and penalties should be increased for polluters.

“It is the only way polluters will learn and stop acts which risk our environment and its rich biodiversity,” he said.

The South Antrim MLA said he had reported another suspected pollution in the Three Mile Water River just days earlier.

“It’s immensely disappointing such occurrences are still happening, particularly when they take place in the catchment area of Lough Neagh,” he added.

“It destroys wildlife, damages natural habitats and threatens our environment as a whole. This incident has impacted salmon, which were already endangered locally.”

In a statement, Daera confirmed water quality inspectors from NIEA had been deployed to the area to assess the environmental impact.

A spokesperson said a joint investigation had been launched in tandem with Inland Fisheries.

Daera said the source of the pollution had been traced and NIEA officers had engaged with the owner of the premises involved on Saturday in a bid to prevent further spillage.

“From the assessment of the impact on the fishery, a major fish kill has been confirmed, with 1,109 brown trout of varying ages being killed.”