Louth fish kill 'devastating for biodiversity' - minister

A significant fish kill in a Co Louth river in which an estimated 20,000 fish died is "devastating for biodiversity", a Government minister has said.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) said yesterday that a file for potential prosecution is being prepared following what it described as a "harmful ecological event" on the River Glyde in the Tallanstown area.

The impacted area spanned from Aclint Bridge, Co Monaghan to Lynns Weir, Castlebellingham, Co Louth.

Fish mortalities included Atlantic salmon, eel, brown trout, pike, minnow, and coarse fish species.

Speaking this morning, Minister of State with Responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan said the incident came as "quite a shock".

The Fianna Fáil Cork South West TD said an investigation was ongoing into the incident.

He said the incident was "devastating for the biodiversity" in the area where it happened and while he was "limited" in what he could say about it because of the live investigation that was ongoing.

Mr O'Sullivan said he did not know the "exact number" of criminal prosecutions for fish kills in Ireland in the last ten years, but there has been "a number".

"It certainly hasn't been a good week when it comes to nature, especially in the context of the fact that we are in the midst of putting together a nature conservation plan," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

He said "extraordinary work" was being done in "trying to restore and rehabilitate and protect nature" so yesterday's incident had come as "quite a shock".

IFI officers have been conducting sampling and clean-up operations on the river, and deploying kayak, drone and foot patrols to assess the affected area.

Water samples taken at the river have been sent for laboratory analysis.