Angling Notes: Kronospan Limited, with registered offices at Maesgwyn Farm, Chirk, Wrexham, in Wales, was fined a total of £60,000 last week after pleading guilty to four charges relating to the discharge of fuel oil into the Afon Bradley river last year.
The company also pleaded guilty to another four charges relating to the discharge of effluent into the river, which is a tributary of the River Dee.
The company was fined £20,000 in total for four offences relating to the first incident and £10,000 on each of the four offences relating to the discharge consent. They were also ordered to pay £7,315 in costs to Environment Agency Wales, who brought the prosecution.
Traces of fuel oil were discovered following routine monitoring of the Dee and agency personnel traced the source to the Kronospan site.
Here, it was discovered that heat transfer oil had entered the water management system, and the surface water lagoons, designed to store water during heavy rainfall, overtopped and allowed polluted water to be discharged into the Afon Bradley.
David Powell, an environment management team leader for the agency, said: "This case and the level of fine imposed clearly demonstrates how seriously the agency and the courts view companies who fail to ensure their activities do not cause harm to the environment."
From an Irish perspective, the ruling is timely, following the major fish kill last weekend at the Grand Canal Basin, Ringsend, in Dublin city.
Dublin City Council has confirmed the fish kill was caused as a result of work being undertaken on the main sewage system. The sewer was diverted to another which became blocked, backed up and overflowed into a storm drain which then emptied into the canal basin.
Waterways Ireland, with responsibility for inland navigable waterways, immediately implemented a rescue operation in conjunction with the Central Fisheries Board (CFB).
While many fish perished as oxygen levels dropped to dangerously low levels, many more were saved, including pike, carp, bream and perch, and thousands of eels were released into the nearby River Liffey.
Leading the rescue effort, Joe Caffrey of the CFB said he transferred pike and carp - some to 6lb - to a safer stretch of the canal.
"It was heartbreaking to see so many fish gasping for air and hundreds of gulls feeding frantically on dead fish," he said.
The fish kill is a massive setback to the efforts of Caffrey and his dedicated team. Over the past 10 years, Waterways Ireland and the CFB have restocked the two canals with more than a ton of coarse fish to provide a worthwhile amenity - particularly for young people - in the capital.
A report into the exact nature and scale of the pollution is available from Waterways Ireland. Tel: 071-9650787.
Around the fisheries:
Annamoe Trout Fisheries, Co Wicklow: Details were announced last Tuesday of the second media fly fishing competition scheduled for Friday, March 4th, 2005. The inaugural event attracted 26 media personnel from throughout the country and proved extremely popular.
A group of 15 novice anglers from Hewlett-Packard enjoyed a corporate outing at the fishery last Friday week. Following a crash course in fly-casting, the group managed 16 good-sized rainbows. At dusk, all retired to the log cabin for hot drinks and prize presentation. (Tel: 0404-45470.)
Corkagh Park, Dublin: Teenagers from St Michael's Estate Youth Reach and Cabra Youth Services took part in a two-hour tutored session followed by hands-on fishing on both lakes. At close of play, the groups were delighted with their mixed bag of 20 fish.
Andrew Coyne, on his first attempt at fly-fishing, landed two 3lb rainbows. On the coarse lake, Dan Brien and Alan Stokes, both from Clonsilla, enjoyed an evening of carp fishing on Tuesday, landing five fish, mostly on maggots. (Tel: 01-4592622.)
Maynooth Fisheries, Co Kildare: As trout remain attracted to boobies on sinking line and short leaders, senior member John McConnell caught a fully-finned rainbow of just over 12lb using this tactic. However, as water temperatures have risen slightly, buzzers and even small dries should be worth a go.
Congratulations to Derek Brookes on catching his personal best carp recently: a whopping 30lb mirror. After more than 20 years' carp fishing, that's some achievement. Congratulations, Derek. (E-mail: info@maynoothfisheries.com)
angling@irish-times.ie