Thousands of fish killed by Dodder pollution

AN investigation is under way into a major fish kill caused by industrial pollution in the Dodder river in south Dublin at the weekend.

Mr Paddy Connell, of the Eastern Fisheries Board, which will investigate the incident with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, estimated that thousands of eels, trout and minnow were killed in a 1 1/2 mile stretch of the river from Rathfarnham to Milltown and Clonskeagh.

"It appears to have started in the Churchtown stream which is linked to the Dodder at the rear of Mount Carmel hospital. It is the worst I have seen in years."

He said the board and the Dodder Anglers' Association would restock the river, "but it will take years before it is back to normal".

Mr Conneff said the most recent discharge of industrial waste into the river was over the June bank holiday weekend, but it was not severe enough to kill fish.

"There seems to be a pattern of this kind of incident happening at weekends. Perhaps it is a case of somebody being left in charge of, industries who are either careless or incompetent," he said.

Mr Conneff said he was not confident that there would be a prosecution following the kill. "I would like to see the policy of culverting streams done away with, so that the source of the pollution can be easily identified and the culprit, brought to justice."