OVER 500 FISH have been found dead in the River Rye, near Maynooth, in Co Kildare.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is investigating the “significant fish kill” which impacted a 4km stretch of the river, but said it’s too early to definitively establish how it occurred.

Species of fish discovered dead include brown trout, lamprey, stone loach, minnow and gudgeon.

IFI environmental officers have been on site since Wednesday evening to investigate the incident, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kildare County Council and the River Basin Management Services have been on the ground investigating today.

Water and fish samples have been taken from the river and will be sent for analysis.

Another fish kill occurred on the River Rye in 2022 when 500 brown trout died in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

Other species of fish were also killed due to the incident which impacted approximately two kilometres of the river.

In a statement, IFI said it is working with other government agencies in line with the new national interagency protocol for investigating significant fish kills.

“An interagency group met today to discuss the fish kill at River Rye and included representatives from Kildare County Council, the EPA, the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service,” they said.

“IFI continues to urge the public to report instances of fish kills, water pollution, habitat destruction, or illegal fishing to its confidential 24/7 number, 0818 34 74 24.”