Investigations underway after fish kill in Bridgend in Donegal

Inland Fisheries Ireland confirmed to the Journal is it ‘continuing to investigate a fish kill in Co Donegal’ on Thursday, June 6, ‘in which early indications suggest up to 250 fish may have died’.

They added that the pollution incident ‘occurred on a tributary of the Skeoge River, in Bridgend, Co Donegal, which flows into a Special Area of Conservation’.

A spokesperson for IFI said: “Fish mortalities were observed in a one kilometre stretch of the water.

“Species of fish discovered dead include juvenile Atlantic salmon, brown trout, European eel, and stickleback.

“Inland Fisheries Ireland(IFI) fisheries environmental officers have been on site since early morning, Thursday June 6, to investigate the incident.”

IFI confirmed that a ‘number of samples have been taken from the river to gather evidence of the discharge’.

“Donegal County Council is also carrying out its own investigation into the pollution event.

“IFI is actively probing the cause of this harmful ecological event, but it’s too early to definitively establish how it occurred.

“Monitoring and assessment of the impact will continue to be undertaken to identify the cause of the fish kill, and the quality of the water.

“IFI - the State agency responsible for the protection and conservation of freshwater fish and habitats - continues to urge the public to report instances of fish kills, water pollution, habitat destruction, or illegal fishing to our confidential 24/7 number, 0818 34 74 24.”