MAJOR FISH KILL LEADS TO PROBE

ARCHIVES 1989

HUNDREDS OF trout and several hundred salmon fingerlings were killed in a major fish kill on the Brown Flesk, a tributary of the River Maine, at Currow on Friday.

And local anglers have come out in anger blaming the Dicksgrove Creamery owned by Kerry Group for causing the kill which destroyed all life forms on the river for over half a mile. The charge has been denied by Kerry Group who say they have found nothing to suggest that they are to blame.

The kill is being investigated by officials from Kerry County Council's environment section as well as by the South West Regional Fisheries' Boards who inspected the river accompanied by Gardaí.

Water samples were taken for analysis and tests will be completed this week.

Head of Kerry County Council's environment section Brian Sweeney told The Kerryman he was “reasonably happy” that the source of the pollution had been tracked down.

He said he didn't think the fish kill would do much longterm damage.

“We will have to complete our analysis and make a report and recommendation to County Manger, Tom Collins,” said Mr. Sweeney.

“I would say it is extremely likely that a prosecution will be brought.”

Local angler Conor O'Mahony accused the Dickgrove Co-op of starting the kill: “I have no doubt whatsoever that it started at the outflow from Dicksgrove Creamery,” said Mr. O'Mahony.

“The river was fully alive a yard above the outflow to the river but immediately below it for two and a half miles it was affected.”

Mr. O'Mahony said he counted 80 dead salmon fingerlings in one pool.

Kerry Group head of engineering Pat O'Neill said an investigation at the Dicksgrove Creamery by the group “hasn't been able to pinpoint any particular thing out of the ordinary which might have caused it.”

“We don't know whether it was us or whether it was upstream,” said Mr. O'Neill.

“We are checking it out but we don't know what happened.”