Central Fisheries Board warn of pollution threat

The country’s fisheries agency is warning that our waterways are facing devastating pollution from intensive farming and sewage treatment systems.

It comes following a fish kill in the Mullaghduff River in Co Monaghan.

Chief Executive of the Central Fisheries Board, John O’Connor, says the fertiliser run-off from intensive farming are, along with sewage causing major pollution in the country’s rivers and lakes.

He says a recent report carried out in the North West shows enormous potential damage could occur to waterways because of these two problems.

The board is calling for a shake-up in the building regulations for sewage systems near sensitive waters and the inclusion of proper maintenance as a condition for planning permission.

It is warning that our rivers and lakes, which attract thousands of anglers every year, could be seriously damaged if preventative action is not taken now.