Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Sep 1995

Vol. 455 No. 8

Written Answers. - Fish Kills.

Noel Dempsey

Question:

149 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the numbers of fish kills reported in the months of April, May, June, July and August in each of the last three years; and the comparative figures for the same months in 1995. [12884/95]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

Statistics in respect of fish kills are complied by the Department of the Marine's Fisheries Research Centre from reports furnished by the regional fisheries boards and by the local authorities.

According to these records the number of fish kills in the months in question is as follows:

	1992	1993	1994	1995
April	0	1	1	3
May	5	2	3	4
June	18	3	11	18
July	22	18	7	21
August	1	1	5	21*

*Provisional

Low river flows due to the proposed spell of dry weather, together with high temperatures, have contributed to an increased incidence of fish kills recorded this year despite intensive efforts at prevention which were undertaken by local authorities at my request. A fuller analysis of the factors responsible will be set out in the Department of the Marine's report on fish kills in 1995 which will be published early next year.