Ballintubber fish kill

Fish kill in Ballintubber stream

Áine Ryan

THE Western Regional Fisheries Board (WRFB) expects to identify today (Tuesday) the cause of a fish kill in which hundreds of juvenile trout were wiped out on a 500-metre stretch of the Ballintubber stream near Ballintubber Abbey last week.
The WRFB investigation began after staff, while on routine patrol on Wednesday last (June 11), came across dead fish in the stream, which feeds Lough Carra. The lake is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) – and part of the three ‘Great Western Lakes’ in the Western Fisheries Region.
“While there was only 500 to 600 metres of stream affected, it is a significant kill because Lough Carra depends on a relatively short mileage of streams for trout production,” said board inspector, Mr Martin Butler.
He told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday) that samples which should identify the cause are expected to be returned today.
Meanwhile, the board has made a special plea to all farmers and contractors to be extremely vigilant, particularly during silage making.
“In view of the current high water temperatures and low flows in rivers and streams the general public is being asked to make every effort to avoid any discharges to water courses as they are extremely vulnerable at present,” said Mr Butler.