Arrabawn Dairies was fined €1,000 at Ballinasloe District Court on Thursday, October 1, 2020, following a prosecution by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI).
The court heard that on October 24, 2019, IFI staff noticed a discharge of polluting matter entering Deerpark River from Arrabawn Dairies, Kilconnell, Co. Galway.
Results from samples showed higher than recommended levels for a number of parameters, including Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), ammonia and suspended solids.
Fisheries assistant inspector Arnold Donnelly gave evidence emphasising the polluting nature of the discharge and that it was particularly unfortunate that the discharge occurred at a time of year when fish spawn in the river.
Judge Gearty fined the company €1,000 and awarded costs of €2,659 to IFI.
David Mc Inerney, director of the Shannon River Basin District at IFI, said: “Pollution events such as this have a very negative impact on water quality which is essential for the health of fish.
The Deerpark River System is a tributary of the River Suck and holds excellent stocks of wild brown trout, crayfish and brook lamprey. Protection of water quality and habitats is critical to our rivers and fisheries ecosystems.
IFI has a confidential 24-hour hotline on: 1890-347424; or: 1890 FISH 24 to enable members of the general public to report incidents of illegal fishing, water pollution, fish kills and invasive species.