Fisherman and wildlife photographer Plunket Scullion knew something was seriously wrong when he discovered hundreds of dead fish in his local river.
A slurry spill had polluted the water creating what was described at the time as a “dead zone”.
It was just one of 65 separate pollution incidents in rivers and waterways that have killed more than 50,000 fish in the last five years.
It has put him off returning.
“It’s not just our wee river, it’s all over the country, when you hear 50,000 fish killed, I think it’s an absolute disgrace,” Scullion said.
Of the 50,000-plus fish killed in Northern Ireland because of water pollution incidents, most took place in counties Armagh, Tyrone and Fermanagh.
In almost half, authorities took no further action.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said where the source of the pollution could not be identified, no enforcement action was taken.
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