A serious fish kill incident which took place recently in Co. Mayo is being investigated by Inland Fisheries Ireland.
The state agency responsible for the protection and conservation of freshwater fish and habitats is investigating the incident at the Glore River in Kiltimagh.
In a statement on the matter, a spokesperson for Inland Fisheries Ireland said:
“Environmental and Fisheries Officers from the Western River Basin District in Ballina were alerted to the incident on Friday, September 3.
“Water and fish samples were taken from the scene and removed for scientific analysis at an independent laboratory.
“Inland Fisheries Ireland estimates that there could be in excess of 500 mortalities of young salmon and trout.”
The spokesperson added that investigations are ongoing and that Inland Fisheries Ireland is not in a position to comment on the cause of the fish kill at this stage, “pending further analysis of samples taken”.
The authority highlighted that the River Glore is an important spawning river for trout and salmon within the Moy catchment area.
“To report fish kills, members of the public are encouraged to call Inland Fisheries Ireland’s confidential hotline number on: 1890-347424, which is open 24 hours a day,” the authority spokesperson stressed.
This follows an incident earlier this year where an estimated 2,000 fish were found dead on the Ilen River in Skibbereen, west Cork.
Alerted to the incident by a call from a member of the public early on the morning of Wednesday, July 21, officers estimate that there were around 2,000 fish mortalities across several species including sea trout, salmon, eel and flounder.
Fish mortalities were detected over a 2km stretch of the River Ilen, downstream from the centre of Skibbereen town. Water and fish samples were taken from the scene by Inland Fisheries Ireland officers and removed for scientific analysis at an independent laboratory.