Tipperary County Council issues warning over blue-green algae in Lough Derg

Tipperary County Council has issued a public warning about the presence of blue-green algae in local waterways. The organism, which can produce harmful toxins, is most easily recognised when it gathers in bright, pea-green scum on or near the shoreline.

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Concerns have been raised by the Lough Derg Anglers Association, which fears the lake could suffer the same fate as Lough Neagh. The Northern Irish lake has drawn international attention in recent years following what has been described as an ecological disaster.

Speaking on local radio yesterday, Liam Minihan of the Fight the Pipe Campaign criticised the discharge of nutrients into the River Shannon.

“Letting nutrients into the Shannon is not good and it doesn’t really suit anyone other than people who are avoiding spending money,” he said. “You look at farming – no farmer wants to waste nutrients because they’re good for his business. And if you look at the rivers that are flowing in around here in Puckaun and you see what’s happening over in Ballycommon in the treatment plant and you see the amount of nutrients that are going in over there – that’s just avoiding spending money. That should have been dealt with years ago.”

Environmental groups have warned that excess nutrients, particularly from wastewater and agricultural runoff, can accelerate the growth of blue-green algae, posing risks to both aquatic life and human health.

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