Irish Fish Probe Continues
IRELAND'S Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is continuing its probe into heavy mortalities at fish farms in Inver Bay.
The Department was informed of the situation on July 11 and immediately sent a multi-disciplinary team to the area to establish possible causes of the mortalities.
Divers are currently engaged in removal of dead fish and the pumping of mortalities into bins for removal.Department officials are overseeing the correct disposal of the fish.
Investigations by the Marine Institute have found that benthic conditions were good and nothing has so far been identified to which mortalities could be attributed.
Grab samples have also been taken and engineering advice indicates that there is no evidence to suggest that dredging has caused the problem.
In addition examination of sediments under cages following dives undertaken by the Marine Institute has ruled out the possibility of dredging activity by fishing boats being responsible for mortalities.
Scientists are continuing to inspect fish on site and carry out examination/testing. Initial findings point to the mortalities possibly being caused by a water borne irritant which may be biological or chemical in nature. It would appear that the irritant has since disappeared from the water.The Northern Regional Fisheries Board has received no report of a fish kill in any of the rivers entering the bay.
A team of officials and scientists from the Department and the Marine Institute are continuing to investigate the problem.
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