Thousands of fish wiped out in pivotal Munster river after suspected chemical spill

It is feared that at least 5,000 fish, including salmon, trout, and lamprey were killed along a 4km stretch of the Allow, in north Cork, an important tributary of the Blackwater. 

The Allow supports a population of the endangered and protected freshwater pearl mussel. The pollution incident occurred in the Freemount catchment, north of Kanturk, in a Special Area of Conservation, in a noted spawning habitat for fish, and where millions in EU funding has been spent to try to restore water quality.

Inland Fisheries Ireland officials and Uisce Éireann are among the bodies involved in the probe.

“IFI officers are still attempting to determine the scale of the kill, with fish mortalities observed up to four kilometres downstream of the source,” the IFI said.

Species of fish discovered dead include juvenile Atlantic salmon, brown trout, lamprey, eel, stone loach, roach, and dace. 

“Water samples have been taken from the river to gather evidence of the discharge, and source point of contamination, to advance any potential prosecution.”

But in a statement, Uisce Éireann said it is investigating a reported spillage at the Freemount water treatment plant, north of Kanturk.

“Uisce Éireann has engaged with IFI and the EPA has been notified,” it said.

Cork County Council said the National Parks and Wildlife Service has also been notified.

IRD Duhallow chairman Michael Twohig, who is a committee member of Kanturk and District angling club, said the incident has devastated the river and put this weekend’s Irish Fly Fishing Championship on the adjoining river Dallo at risk. Mr Twohig said: 

It’s soul destroying. I have never seen such a fish kill. 

“This is a designated pearl mussel river. It is part of an EU programme to protect the pearl mussel.

“We have done huge work with local farmers along the river to improve its water quality.

“Special fencing has been installed, special water troughs for cattle have been installed, silt traps installed, and it was all done and we have seen the water quality in the river improve, and then this incident at a facility owned by the government.”

“I have already told one local TD that we need a meeting with Environment Minister Eamon Ryan, this is so serious.

“Irish Water has been a sham since its inception and this is more proof of it.” 

Tom Ankettle, the chairman of Kanturk and District Anglers Club, said it will take the river years to recover.

“We are talking about years and years of work and generations of people that have been cleaning the river and making it accessible to anglers,” he said.

“We have a lot of tourist anglers coming in here every year and everybody’s made to feel welcome.

That’s a huge part of our club water gone now. There will be nobody fishing in that river for a good few years again. 

“That’s how long it will take to get the river back to its former glory.” 

The Allow rises north of Rockchapel close to the Cork Limerick border and flows eastwards and then south towards Kanturk, where it joins the Dallo, which in turn flows south into the Blackwater, a few kilometres west of Mallow.