'Death knell of trout': Fish kill on Limerick river

A MAJOR investigation is underway after a fish kill on the River Deel in West Limerick this Thursday.

It took place in Castlemahon this morning with local fisherman Joe Hurley saying it is “shocking”.

“The whole river is destroyed. There's trout floating everywhere. We don't know how many fish have been killed because the pollution has been going into the river for hours and the fish float away down with it,” said Joe, who took a photo of five dead trout on the riverbank.

He said trout stocks are under pressure all the time and this could be their death knell.

“It could be for the Deel anyway judging by the way the pollution has come down here, and the way it turned them up on their bellies. It's going to be that way, all the way down to Askeaton,” said Joe. 

In response to a query from Limerick Live, a spokesperson for Inland Fisheries Ireland said staff are at the River Deel this afternoon and are “investigating the scene".

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Joe initially thought it was milk in the river due to the substance's white appearance but he says it isn’t milk.

He said it is “very upsetting” as they do their best to mind the fish stocks.

There were no responses to media queries sent to Limerick City and County Council and Uisce Éireann at the time of publication.