Archived press release

Antrim anglers angry at persistent pollution

6 November 2006

Once again the Six Mile Water and a major tributary, the Ballymartin Water, are being polluted on an almost daily basis. The dense slick of pollution, emanating from a drain at a quarry complex in Mallusk, can be seen along 7 km of the Ballymartin Water and 14 km of the Six Mile Water from Paradise Walk, Templepatrick to Antrim. It has been running since 1st August and continues today.

The last time pollution from this drain was detected by Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), it resulted in a prosecution in April 2005. The polluter pleaded guilty to the offence but was given an absolute discharge because the company were carrying out work to prevent further incidents.

This time the pollution is much worse, and is happening over a longer period of time.

Major enhancement work is being completed on the river by the Antrim and District Angling Association with the help of European funding in order to improve fish stocks and provide a fine tourist attraction in the area but the club now have to watch as 75 per cent of their fishery is wiped out.

This pollution clogs the gills of fish causing stress and death, it settles on spawning redds stopping fish from breeding. When eggs are laid, the silt suffocates them and they die. Invertebrate life in the river bed cannot survive and so the food chain is broken and all wildlife along the river corridor is affected.

Walkers and others who use the river bank, who gain pleasure from the diversity along its path, will miss the common sights of kingfishers, herons, dippers, ducks, wagtails, finches, chitty wren, moor hens and otters etc. that rely on the health of the river for their existence.

Meanwhile Government departments prove themselves incompetent to, or incapable of, enacting the legislation designed to protect the natural environment. The Fisheries Conservancy Board (FCBNI) have a duty under the Fisheries Act to protect fish stocks but appear to have abdicated their responsibility and are reliant on EHS who also have the power to fix the problem.

The EHS have taken at least 15 samples at the site over the past 2 months and have issued the offending company with a 30 day compliance notice under Section 12 of the Water Order 1999. EHS sources say that a further notice was issued after a mistake was found with the first one. These sources also report that the order ran out on 4th October. No action has been taken to stop the pollution since then.

The Antrim and District Angling Association bolstered with help from the Ulster Angling Federation and Friends of the Earth have lobbied Government departments asking for an immediate stoppage of effluent flowing into the river system but these Departments seem to have no idea of the urgency of the situation or the damage that is being done with every further day that passes.

Friends of the Earth echoed the call by Antrim Angling Association for immediate action by DOE to halt the pollution of the Ballymartin Water. Speaking on behalf of the green pressure group, Lisa Fagan commented:

"What this case illustrates is an unholy trinity comprising an industrial polluter, an ineffective regulator and a complacent judiciary. It's hardly surprising that there's been another pollution incident on this stretch of river, given the absolute discharge handed down by the magistrate on the last occasion. Long term, the solution to this sorry mess is the creation of an Environmental Protection Agency. Meantime, Northern Ireland's current environmental regulator, DOE Environment and Heritage Service, must stem this pollution and sanction those responsible before they wipe out the aquatic life of one of Northern Ireland's best angling rivers."

Notes

The additional information contained in the appendices below are available on request on 028 9089 7592.

Appendices
1. Map of affected area
2. Drainage channel at Mallusk
3. Pollution entering the Ballymartin Water
4. Pollution entering the Six Mile Water
5. Section of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 (FCBNI responsibilities)
6. Article 9 of The Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (EHS responsibilities)
7. Article 12 of The Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (EHS responsibilities)
8. Article 15 of The Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (EHS responsibilities)
9. EHS Press release of April 2005 after last prosecution
10. Some of the flora and fauna affected by this pollution

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust