Fish found dead from pollution in River Faughan
THERE is deep shock and anger this evening after over 1,000 fish were killed by in a major pollution in a Co Derry river.
Investigators from the NI Environment Agency was alerted to the incident in Claudy on Monday.
That probe continued on Tuesday when dead fish – salmon, brown trout and sea trout – were finally found.
The Department of Agriculture and the Environment has said the fish kill stretches over several kilometres of river.
The cause of the pollution is still being investigated and it is believed it was in a tributary of the River Faughan, an important salmon river.
Wallace Kennedy, an inspector for the Loughs Agency, said there not been a fish kill in the area “to this scale in a long number of years”.
He added that “virtually everything that would live in the river” has been killed.
“It’s not a total kill in that there are still live fish in the area, but a large number have been killed,” he said.
“We do not know for sure what has caused this, whether it’s chemical or organic.
“The pollution has moved down the river and it’s now a case of trying to locate the source.”
Local resident and keen angler Lucan Newland said the kill was “alarming”.
“The river is the heart and soul of this area and this is going to hit the community hard,” he said.
“Salmon fry have been killed in their thousands, brown trout, sea trout and eels have all been eliminated.
“Whatever it is that’s been introduced to the river, it’s had no mercy.
“The river is dead – it’s very shocking.”
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