Fish Kill in Ballintubber Stream (Nr. Ballintubber Abbey, Co. Mayo)
2008-06-11
The Western Regional Fisheries Board is investigating the cause of a fish kill in which hundreds of juvenile trout and other aquatic life was wiped out in a 500 meters stretch of the Ballintubber stream near Ballintubber Abbey, Co. Mayo today. The location of the fish kill is in a feeder stream of Lough Carra which is a special area of conservation – part of the three “Great Western Lakes” in the Western Fisheries Region. The cause of the fish kill is still under investigation by staff of the Board and as yet no source has been located. In the meantime the Board is making a special plea to all farmers and contractors to be extremely vigilant at this time of year with the making of silage in particular. 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. The Boards investigations are ongoing.