Bring back bailiffs says Councillor

A local councillor has called for a return to the old style system of bailiffs operating on rivers in a bid to halt what he claims is ever increasing incidences of pollution.

Councillor Price McConaghy accepts that while there are people appointed to 'police' rivers, he says that the present system is far from satisfactory.

At a recent meeting of Moyle District Council, Cllr. McConaghy revealed that he had reports of a pollution incident on the River Bush near the salmon station at Bushmills and he was worried it could be a "serious problem".

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Councillor McConaghy informed the Northern Ireland Environment Agency as well as Environmental Health at Moyle, but was subsequently informed that there was nothing untoward.

"I was told that the low level of water in the river, a change of direction in wind may have led to the appearance of pollution and that there was nothing to worry about. Quite frankly I thought this was nonsense," the Cllr. said.

His comments come at a time when there is growing concern amongst anglers that the River Bush and its tributaries are being polluted on a regular basis and that the situation is not only destroying the fish, but has also virtually wiped out plant life, vital to the survival of fish.

One angler told the Times: "The state of the Bush and catchment areas such as the Moss Water, Dougherty, Blackwater, Iderown and Stracam are appalling. There needs to be people responsible for an area of the river to look after.

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"A few salmon get to spawn in late December in the upper reaches and maybe one in a thousand smolt (a young, silvery salmon over two years old, but still living in a river and leaving for the sea in the Spring) survive."

The angler, who did not wish to be named, bemoaned the fact that fish were simply not surviving given the state of the Bush and felt the situtation was getting worse with the eco symstem virtually non-existent.

"There are tens of thousands of fish being put into the Bush , but the survival rate is infinitesimal. There is too much silt and muck in the rivers and plants which are necessary for the hatching of flies, etc., to feed the fish is just not there any more," he added.

Cllr. McConaghy said that while he recognised that the River was monitored, he felt that the return of the old style bailiff could substantially improve the situation.

NEA response

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There have been seven substantiated water pollution incidents on the River Bush in the period 1 January 2009 to date. All water pollution incidents that are reported to NIEA Water Management Unit are investigated within set procedures and enforcement action will be taken where appropriate under the terms of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.

On 23 May 2010, following a report of foaming in the River Bush, just upstream of Bushmills, a Water Quality Inspector was tasked to the area to carry out an investigation. The Inspector observed extensive foaming in the watercourse, however, from the investigation, no polluting discharge was confirmed. There were no dead or distressed fish in the river and staff at the local salmon station had experienced no adverse effects. An algal bloom is a possible cause of such foam.

On 8 June 2010, a Water Quality Inspector responded to a further water pollution report and again confirmed the presence of foam in the river. As previously, investigation showed no evidence of pollution or odours associated with sewage or agricultural discharge. Samples were taken for analysis. Staff at the Salmon Station informed the Inspector that they had fish mortalities during the previous weekend. NIEA had not been informed of this at the time and the investigation into the foam is on-going with the waterway being kept under observation.

In relation to the 'policing' of the river system, NIEA carry out regular inspections and consent compliance sampling of Northern Ireland Water Ltd and Industrial sites in the Bush Catchment. There is also a routine sampling programme with samples taken on a monthly basis at certain points on the river. The River Bush is also monitored by local Angling Club bailiffs.

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For information, in December 2009, NIEA published River Basin Management Plans providing information on the condition of the water environment which listed objectives for improvement and measures necessary to deliver those improvements. The Plans are being implemented through use of Local Management Areas. NIEA are working with stakeholders, through Catchment Stakeholder Groups (CSGs), to develop and implement local plans on a three-year rolling program. The Bush is one of nine areas that NIEA are focusing on in 2010. The Bush and Glens CSG, which last met on the 13 May 2010, provides a forum for anyone interested in local water issues to raise their concerns. Stakeholders can also raise catchment issues with the Bush and Glens Catchment Management Officer for the area.

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