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Kesh River: Chemicals found in water after Fermanagh fish kill

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Kesh river
Image caption,

The kill happened on a 4km stretch of the Kesh River

Chemicals have been found in a County Fermanagh river which suffered a significant fish kill last week.

Almost 2,000 trout and more than 500 salmon died in the incident on a 4km stretch of the Kesh River.

It was a "strange kill" and investigations are ongoing to identify the source of the pollution, the Stormont Agriculture Committee heard.

Two chemicals of interest have been discovered and more water samples are being analysed.听

Kerry Anderson, head of Water Management at the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, said "this kill is really strange" as invertebrates on which fish feed have not been impacted.

Dissolved oxygen levels were within the normal range and there was a 1km section of the river where living fish were found, added Mr Anderson.

The investigation is focussed on a specific geographical area.听

Image caption,

There are no current plans to restock the river

Assembly members raised concerns that dead fish remain uncollected in the river.

They were also told there are no plans to restock the river.听

The official said nature will be allowed to take its course and the trout population should return to pre-kill levels in three to four years time.听

Specific mortality numbers are 1,899 trout of all ages聽and 576 salmon up to two-years-old.