Steps to avoid polluting rivers
INLAND Fisheries Ireland has issued an appeal to Wicklow farmers calling on them to take precautions to avoid polluting rivers, lakes or other watercourses when harvesting silage and spreading slurry.
Silage effluent has the potential to cause major pollution in rivers and lakes, starving fish and invertebrate life of oxygen, resulting in fish kills.
Inland Fisheries Ireland have produced a six-point plan to reduce the risk of pollution.
They urge farmers to: Use round bales as the most environmentally friendly way to store silage; If a silage pit is being used, ensure it is properly sealed to prevent leakage from under the slab; Carry out slurry spreading in dry weather and never when heavy rain is forecast; Never spread slurry close to a watercourse and be aware of the slope of land to the watercourse; Do not clean tanks beside any watercourse, stream or a river; and do not allow any effluent or washings to enter any rainwater gully.
The public should report any incidents of water pollution or fish kills to 1890 34 74 24. For more information visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.