The South Western Regional Fisheries board and the Department of the Marine said they would investigate a report of salmon escaping from fish farms on the Kenmare river, south Kerry and the Castletownbere area.
An environmental organisation located in the south west, Friends of the Irish Environment, described the escapes as "pervasive". Mr Tony Lowes, spokesman for FIE, said yesterday that Murpet Ltd, the parent company of three fish farms known as Beara Atlantic Salmon in the area, had gone into receivership and there appeared to be a lack of management.
However, a spokesman for Bord Iascaigh Mhara, said they were surprised by the allegations as escapes normally took place in poor weather.
BIM checked the allegations and said those currently managing the company were reporting no escapees. Although in receivership, the company was trading and fish were being harvested. BIM's concern was that the farms which employed many people would remain in a healthy state and be sold as a going concern.
These remarks were repeated by Mr Ritchie Flynn, executive secretary of the Irish Salmon Growers Association. The cage sites were being managed properly and divers were attending to them, he said. It was a difficult time for the industry and he was critical of the allegations at such "a painful time" for the farms.