Lack of clarity following extensive inquiry described as 'deeply regrettable' by Minister
An investigation into a pollution incident which killed thousands of fish in the Blackwater river in North Cork has failed to establish a source or cause, Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley, said on Thursday.
The inter-agency investigation by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), the Environmental Protection Agency, Cork County Council, the Marine Institute and Uisce Éireann confirmed the mass kill was due to a chemical pollutant entering the Blackwater.
Mr Dooley said that testing of 28 brown trout taken from the river, alongside inter-agency investigations to date, have found that no specific factors could be conclusively established as to the cause of death.
He said technical teams concluded the most likely cause of the fish mortality was an irritant in the water, but the source and specific compound cannot be determined based on investigations.
"It is deeply regrettable that the extensive work carried out to get to the bottom of this incident has not yielded any definitive results," he said.
[ Angling groups call for new authority to protect water quality following spate of fish killsOpens in new window ]
"I have requested a comprehensive inter-agency report on the investigation into this incident, as it will be important to understand how we can streamline our cross-agency response to these incidents, and ensure that we are identifying the sources of toxic pollutants in our catchments as quickly as possible.
"More importantly, we need to intensify our efforts to prevent these incidents from occurring in the first place. These fish kills have a devastating impact on the local community, the angling community, and everyone in these areas."
Mr Dooley said that angling is continuing on the Blackwater, with no water quality issues currently detected. Uisce Éireann has been monitoring the Mallow Water Treatment Plant and found the water there was safe to drink.
He said while fish populations are expected to recover, IFI and other agencies recognise the significant impact the incident has had on the area. All agencies are continuing to carry out routine surveys and inspections to identify potential risks, both in the Blackwater catchment and more widely across other watercourses.