Shannon water quality declines

Deteriorating water quality is still the most serious threat facing fisheries on the Shannon waterway, according to the annual report of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board.

Farmers have become much more aware of the problems they are causing, but the main difficulty is still general agricultural run-off and farm waste mismanagement, the report states. The board is particularly concerned about malpractices such as spreading liquid manures on land at inappropriate times, including frosty and wet weather conditions.

Nine fish kills were reported last year, which is down on previous years. However, the report warns that this only reflects serious pollution events where fish are present. It points out that fish kills may not occur in other incidents - because they may have been killed in previous or continuing contaminations.

Significantly, recent reports indicate an increase in moderate pollution which causes degeneration of the fish habitat and is a "silent" killer of fish. On the positive side, it records success on the Maigue River, where the board worked during the year with farmers to combat pollution threats.

Also, the implementation of the EU Water Framework is seen as important in improving water quality.

Phosphate inputs into Lough Derg are still unacceptably high, the report states, but water clarity has improved. Unfortunately, this improvement in clarity is due to the spread of the aquatic mollusc, the zebra mussel - a pest which has no effective predator here and which has now spread throughout the Shannon River.

The Shannon Regional Fisheries Board has responsibility for one of the largest inland waterway areas in the State, stretching from north Kerry to Leitrim.

Over 355,000 fish were stocked into the catchment during the year. Almost £2 million was spent on 24 angling projects, leading to a three to four-fold increase in juvenile stocks.

Mr Eamon Cusack, chief executive of the board, said there was a growing awareness among citizens about the need to "work together" to ensure the sustainability and protect the water quality of inland fisheries.