‘Significant’ number of dead fish found in river

There has been a fish kill on the Six Mile Water river in Ballyclare, County Antrim.

Members of the Six Mile Water Trust (SMWT) voluntary group said they have seen dead fish being washed downstream and “numerous” others in distress.

They described the numbers as “significant”.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) has confirmed that the incident is being investigated.

The Six Mile Water is one of the main rivers flowing into Lough Neagh.

Jim Gregg from the SMWT said the river was fast-moving due to heavy rain during Storm Amy, and that would help disperse any pollution.

He spoke of finding dead fish for at least two miles along the river and is worried about the wider impact.

“This time of year is when the salmon and trout come to find spawning grounds and we’re seeing some small dead fish, so it could have quite an effect on the populations,” he said.

A spokesperson from Daera said that on Monday at 12:15BST, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) “received a report of water pollution, indicating the presence of a number of dead fish, in the Six Mile Water River at Ballyclare, County Antrim”.

It said that the NIEA “has deployed an inspector to the location to confirm the report and to assess the environmental impact”.

The incident remains under investigation, the department added.

There have been several major fish kills on the Six Mile Water and its tributaries in recent years.