Why the new weir is dead in the water

ON January 25 last Thomas Butler from Freshford and I went down to the tail of the Pococke river. The site was sickening. Even though the visibility was not great due to a recent flood, we videoed 15 dead fish. All the hen fish were in full spawn.

For certain this was only the tip of the iceberg because we only filmed a small stretch of river.

Here was the sad result of our new weir. This beautiful construction was built last year. Everyone was happy. Then our spawning salmon started to return and very soon it was obvious that they were failing to scale the new weir.

Immediate action was needed, but it wasn’t taken. This was where the real harm was done. Those who preached all along that the fish were getting up river may now hold their heads in shame.

This year’s damage is done; the spawning fish are dead or dying.

Let the OPW and the South-Eastern Fisheries Board get cracking. They should admit their mistake. The present fish-pass is an utter failure. Block it off permanently, go elsewhere on the weir and build a new one that will work.

Dick Keoghan

Threecastles

Freshford

Co Kilkenny