Toxic substance in river kills 500 fish at Castleisland
Dr Patrick Buckley, regional director of the inland fisheries, which is based in Macroom, confirmed an investigation has commenced into the incident.
He appealed to farmers and property owners in the southwest to be diligent in the use of pesticides and herbicides.
The incident occurred in the Dirtogue River, west of Castleisland.
The river is an important salmon and trout nursery and is a tributary of the River Maine, one of Kerry’s major rivers that runs into Dingle Bay at Cromane.
The kill was discovered after dead fish had been spotted in the river running alongside the Castleisland bypass road.
It is suspected a toxic substance may have been involved, Dr Buckley said.
The fisheries authority, he said, is appealing to all land and property owners along rivers and lakes in Cork and Kerry to ensure they are diligent and follow best practice when using herbicides, pesticides or other potentially polluting substances.
