By Lisa Ramsden
AN investigation has been launched after a major fish kill at Kilkeel River.
A large stretch of the waterway, which in total spans approximately five miles and runs from the Silent Valley reservoir down to the town’s harbour, has, according to members of the local angling club, been “left void of life”.
Members of the public reported sightings of large numbers of dead fish on the river to local anglers last Thursday afternoon and, once they arrived on scene, the scale of the devastation was, according to one of those present, “immediately visible”.
When contacted about the incident, a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs told the Mourne Observer that “whilst no active discharge was found, a line of enquiry is being followed”.
He added that when the incident was reported, “inspectors immediately responded,” and went on to say the investigation is “ongoing”.
Kilkeel Angling Club’s members have described the fish kill as “the worst we have ever seen in Mourne,” adding that thousands of trout, eels, Brook lamprey, salmon and seatrout have died.
The club’s secretary, William Graham, explained that “basically every fish has been killed” along a three-mile stretch of the waterway.
He said that it could take up to a decade for the river and its environment and population to fully recover.
The local man added that when NI Environment Agency staff attended last Thursday, “they did a partial count on a section of the river” and “there were thousands of dead trout, eels and brook lamprey” in addition to dead salmon and young sea trout.
He explained that some club members, who joined when it was set up around 40 years ago, said they had never witnessed a pollution incident of this severity.
Mr Graham added that in all its time, the club counted itself very fortunate that this river had escaped any form of a fish kill.
“The river is devastated, and it is devastating to see. Basically, every fish has been killed,” William continued.
