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Vartry fish kill - pictures attached

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  • 30-06-2012 11:56pm
    #1
    J. Ramone
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭


    Hi Folks,

    Regrettably I am posting to highlight the devastating effect of the recent fish kill on the River Vartry in County Wicklow. IFI press release is provided below.

    http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Press-releases/river-vartry-investigation-continues.html

    I am a member of Vartry Anglers Conservation Club which I am proud to say has maintained an open door policy to new members over the past few years and which has operated throughout it's existence (before my arrival) as a catch and release fly fishing club. I have to hold my hand up to say that I am not an advocate of total catch and release but have made an exception in my principles to the little River Vartry having seen the terrific sport it has provided to anglers old and new over the past few years.

    The Vartry has had a challenging history in terms of pollution and poaching in the short history of the club. Through the fanatical dedication of the club members, the Vartry has surpassed itself in providing sea trout sport to rival any on this isle. For those who can see in the dark, it made great value at €100 per anum.

    I became aware of a major pollution incident at lunch time on Thursday 28 June 2012 when a fellow club member gave me the sorry news.

    From the observations of club members it appears that fish have been killed from a short distance from below Vartry Reservoir dam to Broad Lough (including long tailed sea lice carrying sea trout).

    I would like to express the upset felt by members of our club an I hope none of you ever find yourselves in this situation.

    I would like to appeal to any boardsies who might have experience in dealing in such matters to get in touch.

    Regards,
    JR


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    #2
    J. Ramone
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭J. Ramone


    Apologies - pics have not uploaded, will try tomorrow


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    #3
    wgsten
    Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭wgsten


    That is such a shame, have you found out what caused the fish kill?


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    #4
    junospider
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭junospider


    silage is very wet this year and there is huge runoff from pits.farmers and fishermen need to be aware of this and prevent it from getting into waterways.


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    #5
    J. Ramone
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭J. Ramone


    wgsten wrote: »
    That is such a shame, have you found out what caused the fish kill?

    IFI will not comment at this stage. There are a number of possibilities. I can only hope that the source can be found. All that remains of the Vartry salmon and sea trout is what few fish are in the very small tributaries and the adult fish currently at sea. If there is a recurrance in the autumn there will be a total wipeout.


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    #6
    Snowc
    Registered Users Posts: 613 ✭✭✭Snowc


    Slurry from fields washed in with all the rain we had lately=dead fish


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    #7
    8k2q1gfcz9s5d4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭8k2q1gfcz9s5d4


    junospider wrote: »
    silage is very wet this year and there is huge runoff from pits.farmers and fishermen need to be aware of this and prevent it from getting into waterways.


    doubt its that, all silage pits are made on concrete slabs so the effluent can be collected and stored in tanks.


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    #8
    Zzippy
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Jeremias Big Unicycle wrote: »
    doubt its that, all silage pits are made on concrete slabs so the effluent can be collected and stored in tanks.

    Silage effluent has always been a problem, many pits are faulty and leak effluent. Its been less of a problem in recent years with the switch to baled silage rather than pits, but in wet weather you can still get effluent leaking into rivers.

    With all the rain lately, the dilution factor is pretty high, so its surprising to see a fish kill in this weather - I would imagine whatever caused it was either very potent or there was a lot of it.


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    #9
    J. Ramone
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭J. Ramone


    Due to the short distance from the reservoir dam that the kill started, the drainage catchment is quite small. It could possibly include the storm water from Roundwood village. The amount of agricultural land involved is not very extensive and I would expect that agriculture could be eliminated as a possibe source without a whole lot of effort.

    Nobody is any the wiser yet it seems. I hope the investigation is making progress and perhaps lab tests will shed some light soon.


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    #10
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    What's hopeful about the Vartry situation is that live fish were observed straight after the event, so hopefully the pollutant passed through the system rapidly and dispersed.
    The other good thing is that water levels are high.
    Silage and slurry spillages de-oxygenate the water, so at least with the high water levels, there was a good chance of dilution.

    I don't want to preempt the IFI investigation, or anticipate the origin of the pollutant, just mentioning this to say that all may not be lost.


  • Options
    #11
    Antoennis
    Registered Users Posts: 300 ✭✭Antoennis


    J. Ramone wrote: »
    Hi Folks,

    Regrettably I am posting to highlight the devastating effect of the recent fish kill on the River Vartry in County Wicklow. IFI press release is provided below.

    http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Press-releases/river-vartry-investigation-continues.html

    I am a member of Vartry Anglers Conservation Club which I am proud to say has maintained an open door policy to new members over the past few years and which has operated throughout it's existence (before my arrival) as a catch and release fly fishing club. I have to hold my hand up to say that I am not an advocate of total catch and release but have made an exception in my principles to the little River Vartry having seen the terrific sport it has provided to anglers old and new over the past few years.

    The Vartry has had a challenging history in terms of pollution and poaching in the short history of the club. Through the fanatical dedication of the club members, the Vartry has surpassed itself in providing sea trout sport to rival any on this isle. For those who can see in the dark, it made great value at €100 per anum.

    I became aware of a major pollution incident at lunch time on Thursday 28 June 2012 when a fellow club member gave me the sorry news.

    From the observations of club members it appears that fish have been killed from a short distance from below Vartry Reservoir dam to Broad Lough (including long tailed sea lice carrying sea trout).

    I would like to express the upset felt by members of our club an I hope none of you ever find yourselves in this situation.

    I would like to appeal to any boardsies who might have experience in dealing in such matters to get in touch.

    Regards,
    JR

    Hi JR,

    Would it be ok to use your pictures in an article on this in the July issue of I Shoot and Fish e-zine?

    Thanks
    Anthony


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    #12
    J. Ramone
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭J. Ramone


    You're more than welcome. The pictures are free for anyone to use so long as they are referenced to this incident.


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    #13
    wicklow_hills
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭wicklow_hills


    removed post


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    #14
    dodderangler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    That's horrible mate
    I've passed that river a few times and always looked like a nice river to hold some nice fish
    First the dodder gets hit and now another river being wiped out.


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    #15
    Mr Bumble
    Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    Is that John Wildings' land?? I heard there was a good run of fish a month back and the river still gets some big early spring salmon (and sea trout)....did any of them show up in the kill? Would be a disaster if whatever is left of the early run has been wiped. Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the main run doesn't get going until July/August...hopefully that's the case!! Everything is three or three weeks late at the moment so that might be to your advantage as well..


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    #16
    EireIceMan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 419 ✭✭EireIceMan


    Threads nearly a year old lads.
    Although be interesting to hear did they ever find out what caused it.


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    #17
    Mr Bumble
    Registered Users Posts: 465 ✭✭Mr Bumble


    Never noticed!! Well there's fish in the river so all good then


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    #18
    cuddlycavies
    Registered Users Posts: 970 ✭✭✭cuddlycavies


    yes the Vartry was well well before the Dodder. i have it on reliable info that SDCC were responsible for the Dodder. Something to do with over Chlorination. That was very hushed up as was Varty. Nothing WCC does surprises me.


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    #19
    danbrosnan
    Registered Users Posts: 900 ✭✭✭danbrosnan


    Jeremias Big Unicycle wrote: »
    doubt its that, all silage pits are made on concrete slabs so the effluent can be collected and stored in tanks.

    if you think this is always the case you need to get out and look at more farms... If you think all farmers are law abiding with laws regarding environment then again you need to get out more...


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    #20
    J. Ramone
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭J. Ramone


    I looks like there will not be any prosecution, failure to find any contaminant in samples apparently.


    EireIceMan wrote: »
    Threads nearly a year old lads.
    Although be interesting to hear did they ever find out what caused it.


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    #21
    audam
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭audam


    As a farmer myself and keen angler this is very sad to see. I will make the point that silage has been bone dry going into pits this year, ive never seen it as dry. It should be quite easy find the cause walk along the river and check to see are there any pits in the vicinity.


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    #22
    J. Ramone
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭J. Ramone


    audam wrote: »
    As a farmer myself and keen angler this is very sad to see. I will make the point that silage has been bone dry going into pits this year, ive never seen it as dry. It should be quite easy find the cause walk along the river and check to see are there any pits in the vicinity.

    It was last year and agricultural pollution is extremely unlikely as a cause. The first dead fish were found a couple of hundred metres from the lower reservoir dam so there is very little agricultural catchment.

    Our club estimates in excess of 80% of all fish in the river on the day were killed - thousands of fish from tiny parr to mature salmon and sea trout, the scale would have to be seen to be appreciated.


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    #23
    8k2q1gfcz9s5d4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭8k2q1gfcz9s5d4


    danbrosnan wrote: »
    if you think this is always the case you need to get out and look at more farms... If you think all farmers are law abiding with laws regarding environment then again you need to get out more...

    95% are law abiding, but like everything there will be some that are not.


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