Lough Neagh “isn’t just dying, it’s been killed” by a combination of human-made factors, one conservationist has declared as the crisis around toxic blooms of blue-green algae continues.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Friends of the Earth NI director James Orr says the situation “has literally blown people’s trust in the health of the lough out of the water”.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the lough — which is the source of nearly half of Northern Ireland’s drinking water — is in crisis due at least in part to the affects of pollution from untreated wastewater and agricultural run-off, as anglers and other groups have claimed.

Similar blooms of cyanobacteria have been recorded across the region, such as on the Lower Bann — which has lost at least one long-standing watersport business to the “unsustainable” situation — and with the latest confirmed at Lough Ross in Crossmaglen.

The issue prompted protestors to hold a ‘wake’ for Lough Neagh last weekend, as others lamented the collapse of the lough’s renowned eel fishery and even the Catholic and Anglican archbishops of Armagh were moved to call for immediate government intervention to help reverse “an environmental disaster”.

In recent days the SDLP has made a renewed bid to recall the Stormont assembly to address the crisis — the lack of a functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland since February 2022 being cited as one of a combination of factors that’s led to the current state of affairs.

Peter Harper of the Lough Neagh Partnership tells The Irish Times that other salient factors include the impact of the invasive Zebra mussel as well as climate change, which has raised the temperature at the bottom of the lough by one degree, in turn contributing to wetter weather that feeds the cycle of pollution from farmland and an overwhelmed sewage system.

“The lough’s in crisis,” says Ciara Laverty of the Lough Neagh Partnership. “The ecology’s changing, unless we do something drastic about it now. Decades of neglect have led us to this point.”

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Causeway Coast and Glens councillors have echoed growing concerns over the state of the aquatic environment following recent blooms of toxic blue-green algae, as the Belfast Telegraph reports.

Alliance Councillor Peter McCully tabled a motion at last week’s Environmental Services Committee Meeting that emphasised the “detrimental impact these blooms have had on local businesses”.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, at least one long-standing business on the Lower Bann has announced its closure, claiming its future is “unsustainable” given the likelihood of dangerous cyanobacteria blooms happening “on a yearly basis”.

Cllr MuCully said the response from Northern Ireland’s Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to this summer’s incidents is “not sufficient” and his motion calls for DAERA to convene cross-party talks across all affected council areas to develop and action plan.

Lough Neagh has also been affected by toxic blue-green algae blooms in recent months, with angling groups claiming that the lough is “dying” due to the affects of pollution from untreated wastewater and agricultural run-off.

The lough’s eel fishermen have added their voices to the call for action, saying their industry has collapsed this season.

"Never have I seen so many eel fisherman resorting to scale fishing in order to make some form of income,” one co-op member told the Irish News, which has more on the story HERE.

A ‘substantial’ fish kill affecting trout and young salmon has been discovered in a tributary of the River Finn in Co Donegal.

Donegal Daily reported on Wednesday (13 September) on the incident in what’s described as a “nursery stream” at Crossroads in Killygordon, east Donegal.

It says it understands that hundreds of trout and young salmon have been lost.

In a statement, the Loughs Agency said it was alerted on Tuesday evening (12 September) “to the potential presence of a pollutant into a tributary of the River Finn, allegedly stemming from a commercial premises”.

It continued; “Loughs Agency fishery officers immediately initiated an investigation, where they discovered a discharge of deleterious matter had entered the watercourse.

“Substantial fish mortalities were discovered in the river on Tuesday evening, as well as during searches on the morning of Wednesday 13 September. Samples were collected from the discharge for analysis.

“Loughs Agency has committed significant resources into the clean-up operation, with fishery officers actively working to help ensure additional fish mortalities are mitigated as best as possible. We will have resources at the site of the incident until the investigation is complete.”

A popular destination for watersport on Northern Ireland’s North Coast has blamed governmental inaction over wastewater discharges for its decision to close after nearly three decades.

In a statement on social media, Rob Skelly of the Cranagh Activity Centre said recent blooms of toxic blue-green algae that have affected Lough Neagh and the Lower Bann are travelling out to sea through the river system, past its location.

“With this likely to happen on a yearly basis we feel that our business has become unsustainable and that we have no option but to close,” Skelly added.

He also echoed recent comments from concerned angling groups in saying that “we are seeing the collapse of the ecology of the Lough Neagh and Lower Bann system”.

The Belfast Telegraph has more on the story HERE.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) says it is investigating a water pollution incident which took place Monday morning (14 August) east of Cork city.

The incident occurred on the tidal section of the Glashaboy River downstream from the bridge in Glanmire, Co Cork.

IFI was first alerted to the incident by multiple calls to its hotline number at 0818 34 74 24 and staff were on the scene shortly afterwards.

The pollution appeared to have impacted between one and one-and-a-half kilometres of river and caused a blue/grey discolouration of the water.

The freshwater part of the Glashaboy River upstream was unaffected. No fish fatalities have been recorded so far.

IFI staff have taken water samples for analysis.

The State agency for Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources says is not in a position to confirm the specific cause of the pollution incident at this early stage, but investigations are continuing.

Lough Neagh is “dying” due to the affects of pollution from untreated wastewater and agricultural run-off, angling groups have claimed.

BBC News reports on the concerns which follow recent toxic algal blooms on the lough — which has an important commercial eel fishery — and other waterways in Northern Ireland, including Lower Lough Erne.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, three NI councils issued warnings earlier this summer following the deaths of multiple pet dogs after coming into contact with waters that had confirmed blooms of toxic blue-green algae.

But the situation goes back to at least February, where a fish kill close to Lough Neagh near Crumlin in Co Antrim is feared to have wiped out a whole year’s worth of spawning salmon and trout.

Angling club secretary Nick Hagan suggests that no one is taking responsibility for pollution of rivers that flow into the lough via untreated wastewater or alleged run-off from farms.

“The amount of slurry and raw sewage being pumped into Lough Neagh, it’s just accumulating a huge amount of nutrients,” he says. “From what I can see, the lough's dying.”

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

The Rivers Trust is calling for a complete ban in Ireland on the manufacture, sale, distribution or free offer of single-use disposable vaping devices.

Responding to the recent public consultation on disposable vaping devices, the river conservation charity wants single-use plastic vapes removed from sale because of their increasing pollution impact on inland waterways and the marine environment.

Dr Constanze O’Toole, Ireland development manager for The Rivers Trust said: “Disposable vapes containing plastic, electronics, chemicals and lithium-ion batteries are increasingly leaching harmful waste materials such as mercury and cadmium into our rivers and waterways, which is posing a threat to human health and nature’s biodiversity.

“The prevalence of disposable vapes as a source of litter pollution in Ireland is staggering, with nearly 12.5 million vapes estimated to have been sold last year alone.

“The return and recycle rate for disposable vapes is exceptionally low and the message that they must be recycled is not cutting through to the public. Unfortunately, the improper disposal of these vapes, often due to confusion among consumers on recycling methods, results in a major source of chemical and plastic pollution in our rivers.

“That is why we are calling on Minister Ryan to now ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of single-use disposable vaping devices in Ireland. The current use of such vapes is not compliant with Ireland’s commitments to The Circular Economy Act or the EU Directive on Single-Use Plastics.”

O’Toole emphasised the risks that disposable vapes pose to aquatic life: “Birds, animals, and fish are at risk of ingesting plastic fragments and toxic chemicals, disrupting the delicate balance of our ecosystems. This not only affects aquatic animal, insect and plant species but also poses risks to humans who rely on these waterways for drinking water abstraction and recreational activities.”

She added that The Rivers Trust “firmly believes that a comprehensive ban on single-use disposable vapes is a necessary step towards preserving the health of our waterways.

“By reducing the amount of non-biodegradable waste entering rivers and marine environments, we can mitigate the environmental damage caused by these items. Moreover, such a ban will serve as an opportunity to raise public awareness about the proper disposal of vapes, it also reinforces understanding of the vulnerability of our rivers and the need for all of us to protect them.”

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has secured a prosecution against Uisce Éireann for pollution of the River Liffey at a water treatment plant in Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare.

At a recent sitting of Naas District Court, Judge Desmond Zaidan convicted Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) of water pollution offences in the Liffey, which dated to June 2022.

The conviction was secured against Uisce Éireann on Monday 3 July under Section 171 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, for allowing deleterious matter to enter the River Liffey’s main channel upstream of Ballymore Eustace.

Uisce Éireann pleaded guilty to the charges and was fined €5,000, and ordered to pay an additional €5,500 in costs and expenses.

Commenting on the case, Brian Beckett, Eastern River Basin District Director at IFI said: “Point-source pollution events such as this are entirely avoidable through good on-site management, regular visual checks, and monitoring of discharge points.

“Effluent discharges can significantly impact fish populations and other aquatic life of receiving waters. River Liffey fish populations, comprising several fish species, are under significant ecological pressure.

“Despite this pressure, the River Liffey remains one of only a handful of European capital cities through which a self-sustaining population of Atlantic salmon migrate.

“Fines imposed in this case will be invested in water quality and habitat improvements in the River Liffey catchment.

“IFI is currently working on a number of initiatives in the River Liffey catchment with regulatory and non-regulatory stakeholders with a view to maximising the sustainability of all fish — including Atlantic salmon — and their habitat.”

Members of the public are encouraged to report instances of water pollution, illegal fishing or fish kills to IFI’s confidential number at 0818 34 74 24.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has confirmed recent successful prosecutions against two industries operating at Lough Egish Food Park in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.

At Monaghan District Court, Judge Raymond Finnegan convicted Bio-marine Ingredients Ireland Limited and Stillorgan Trading Post Limited (trading as Swift Fine Foods) of water pollution offences.

Both companies pleaded guilty to the charges and were fined €500 each.

Bio-marine Ingredients Ireland Limited was ordered to pay an additional €3,249.78. Stillorgan Trading Post Limited (trading as Swift Fine Foods) was ordered to pay €2,329.78.

Commenting on the recent convictions, Dr Milton Matthews, North West River Basin District Director at IFI said: “Point-source pollution events such as these are entirely avoidable through good site management and regular visual checks of discharge outlet pipes.

“Unauthorised effluent discharge events can significantly impact the fish stocks and other aquatic life of receiving waters.”

Water quality activists have alleged that people are “getting ill” after swimming at beaches in Northern Ireland, as BelfastLive reports.

Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage suggests that the public is being let down by NI’s water testing system, which currently only runs in the summer months and is limited to 26 beaches.

“It’s time something was done about…the overspills from NI Water and the poor water quality in Northern Ireland,” said Surfers Against Sewage’s local rep Declan McMenamin.

“It’s up to NI Water, DAERA and those involved to start taking it more seriously because people are getting ill. We want answers.”

A spokesperson for NI Water confirmed that the body “does not keep a record of the number of occasions, duration, or actual volumes of overflows into public waterways from its sewerage system”.

BelfastLive has much more on the story HERE.