ANGLERS IN NORTH Cork have expressed fears that there has been a loss of up to 46,000 wild fish in a kill on a 30km section of the River Blackwater between Lombardstown and Killavullen.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) confirm that they are continuing to investigate the large fish kill. They say that present indications suggest that between 8,000 and 10,000 wild fish mortalities have occurred over the stretch of river.

They are basing these numbers on IFI observations and data submitted by local stakeholders.

However, angling clubs say that the numbers are much higher and impact on every species present in the river including trout and salmon parr, stickleback, dace, adult trout, salmon and fresh water eels.

IFI and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have both ruled out any pollution or discharge as the cause of the kill.

Photo of fish kill courtesy of Mallow Trout Anglers Facebook page

Long-time Co Cork angler Dan Dennehy described the fish kill as “devastating” for the area.

“Salmon, eels, trout — thousands and thousands of them. We don’t know the extent of it or what is causing it,” Dennehy said.

“The fish have gone to the labs for testing. They are saying between eight and ten working days to establish what exactly caused it,” he added.

Dennehy, who is the club secretary of Kanturk and District Trout Anglers, added that it was one of the biggest fish kills ever seen in the country.

“This is just massive. Minister Timmy Dooley and Minister Michael Moynihan were there yesterday and they met the local anglers from Mallow, Lombardstown and Killavullen. They had a very constructive meeting. I presume they will bring in experts to regenerate the river.

It is desperate to see. If you see the glory of the trout in the river and then you see them dead there is no comparison. The numbers are just savage.

Dennehy accused the IFI of “playing down” the numbers killed.

Mallow Trout Anglers, anglers in Lombardstown and Killavullen and Salmon Watch Ireland are among those who have been left “horrified” at the sheer scale of the kill.

An Alliance of Game Angling Federations has described the fish kill as a “wipeout of the river.”

Meanwhile, Sean Long, Director of IFI’s South-Western River Basin District, said said that the Marine Institute conducted diagnostic sampling of affected fish on site on August 14th at Mallow in Co Cork.

“IFI expects to receive a related report within 20 days of that date.

“Disease outbreaks can occur in wild fish populations and are influenced by numerous factors including environmental change.

“No evidence of a polluting or harmful discharge has been detected to date in the river,” Long said.

IFI continues to consult with Uisce Éireann, the EPA, Cork County Council and the Marine Institute on the matter.

The Marine Institute’s Fish Health Unit has advised the removal of dead fish from the water is not necessary.

IFI officers will continue to monitor the watercourse in the coming days to further assess the incident.