AQW 19748/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the investigation into the fish kill event along the river at Three Mile Water.
Asked by John Blair MLA on 1 June 2021
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Priority
- Tabled
- 1 June 2021
- Answer due by
- 9 June 2021
- Answered
- 15 June 202114 days after tabling
- Priority question
- Yes
Answer
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) was made aware of a pollution incident impacting on the Three Mile Water River, Whiteabbey, at 20:35 on Monday 31 May 2021. A Senior Water Quality Inspector from NIEA was on site to carry out an investigation at 21:10.
From the ongoing investigation by officials from NIEA and DAERA Inland Fisheries, I can confirm that there have been a significant number of native brown trout mortalities and a number of sticklebacks were also lost. The native brown trout mortalities were as follows: Age Class, 0+ 105, 1+ 67, 2+ 21 and 3+ 2 i.e. a total of 195 brown trout. The fish kill has been classified as ‘Major’ using set criteria.
Unfortunately, I am unable to provide you with further details regarding the investigation at this time as it is NIEA policy to treat all aspects of an ongoing case as ‘sub judice’.