Just 3 percent of fish kills recorded nationally in the last 50 years have taken place in the Shannonside Region. A new report from Inland Fisheries Ireland details the 2,107 fish kills occurring in Irish rivers and lakes from 1969 to 2022. Fish kills can be caused by intensive agriculture, algae blooms, industry and human activity. Brown trout and Atlantic salmon were the main fish species impacted by fish kill incidents, followed by roach and European eel.
Leitrim and Longford saw 22 and 20 fish kills respectively over the last 50 years, amounting to 2.5 percent of the national total. While Roscommon and Westmeath had the lowest rates nationally in the period from 1969 to 2022. Cork and Cavan had the highest level kills with 14 and 12 percent of the national total.
