Anglers condemn DAERA over Kells hatchery refusal amid fears for Lough Neagh fish stocks

The Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club has expressed “deep disappointment and frustration” after the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) once again refused to grant permits needed to reopen their river hatchery — a conservation project aimed at restoring dwindling salmon and Dollaghan trout populations in the Kellswater River system.

The group said the hatchery could have played a vital role in protecting native fish and educating local schoolchildren about river ecology and environmental stewardship.

Refused permits despite strong support

Despite cross-party political backing, support from angling groups, and what members described as a “very positive visit” to the hatchery by Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir earlier this year, DAERA Inland Fisheries has denied all three Section 14 permit applications submitted by the club.

The applications sought permission to:

• Collect 60 Dollaghan trout to restock parts of the river with low fry counts;

• Collect 20 salmon to bolster the river’s declining salmon population; and

• Collect 15 Dollaghan trout for the club’s Schools Project, an initiative enabling local pupils to hatch trout in classrooms, learn about aquatic ecosystems, and release native fry into the Connor Burn — a project previously delivered successfully.

Club chair Phil Mailey said the decision was “extremely disappointing and frustrating”, adding:

“We are extremely disappointed and frustrated at the refusal of DAERA and Inland Fisheries to reopen our river hatchery, supporting our aim to address the serious decline of native Dollaghan and salmon in the Kells river system.

“The scheme would have also provided a vital educational site for local schools to learn about the river’s ecosystem and how that impacts Lough Neagh.”

Mr Mailey said the club had submitted “key scientific data to highlight the need for this hatchery”, backed by support from “all political parties, angling associations, river trusts, fishery owners, and a very positive visit by the Agriculture Minister.”

He criticised DAERA Inland Fisheries for what he described as a “zero-tolerance approach” to hatcheries, claiming officials were “using NASCO guidance as a screen for inaction.”

“This is despite every other signatory to the NASCO agreement, such as Iceland, Norway, the EU and Canada, utilising hatcheries for vital restoration purposes,” he added.

A unique and threatened species

The Dollaghan, often called the “Lough Neagh trout,” is a migratory brown trout found only in Northern Ireland. It spends much of its life in the lough before returning to spawn in feeder rivers such as the Kellswater.

Conservationists have long warned that declining water quality, pollution, barriers to migration, and overfishing threaten its survival.

According to the club, only around 4,300 critically endangered salmon entered the Lough Neagh system this year — down from 14,000 last year — alongside a sharp fall in Dollaghan numbers.

Mr Mailey added:

“The future of our declining salmon and Dollaghan stocks are at tipping point. Our rivers have witnessed ever-decreasing numbers returning to spawn. The huge question now is — what are DAERA actually doing to protect our fish stocks?”

He accused the Department of failing to establish stock levels in Lough Neagh, regulate commercial fishing quotas, remove barriers to fish migration, or prosecute polluters after major fish kills.

“To say that those on the ground, who are trying to protect our rivers for future generations, are at their wit’s end would be an understatement,” he said.

“However, we are not for giving up. If those with a statutory duty to protect our rivers fail, we will most certainly not be found wanting in continuing to campaign for change.”

Political and community backing

Applications for the permits were submitted directly to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir following a meeting arranged by North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston, with support from three MPs and eight MLAs, as well as the Ulster Angling Federation.

On Thursday 16th October, club representatives — including Gareth Cooper, Michael Currie, Roy Fullerton and Phil Mailey — met with senior DAERA Inland Fisheries officials and representatives from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) to hear the outcome.

Mr Gaston, who attended the meeting, said:

“It quickly became clear that the issue was not with the content of the applications, but rather that Inland Fisheries appear determined to prevent this club from operating a functional fishery.”

He described the refusal of the classroom-based Schools Project as “particularly disappointing”, adding:

“This initiative would have given local schoolchildren the opportunity to hatch trout in their classrooms, learn about river ecology, and release native fry into the Connor Burn — a project the club has successfully delivered in the past.”

Mr Gaston also praised the volunteers’ commitment, saying:

“Members of this club dedicate hundreds of volunteer hours each year to improving the river environment and collecting valuable data for Inland Fisheries. Sadly, it seems this partnership now operates only for the benefit of the Department, with little regard for the efforts and goodwill of local volunteers.”

Ecological crisis on Lough Neagh

The controversy comes amid growing concern over the health of Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, which has suffered from widespread algal blooms, pollution, and over-extraction of water for commercial use.

Environmental groups have warned that the ecological balance of the lough — home to internationally significant fish and bird populations — is collapsing, with consequences for both biodiversity and local livelihoods.

The Kellswater, one of the lough’s main feeder rivers, plays a vital role in the survival of migratory fish species such as salmon and Dollaghan trout, but habitat loss, sedimentation and agricultural runoff have severely affected spawning grounds.

‘We will not give up’

In a statement following the latest setback, the Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club said it would:

• Regroup and collect more data to strengthen its case.

• Continue in-river habitat improvements and water quality monitoring.

• Explore further opportunities for collaboration, including potential international partnerships.

The group added:

“We are beyond frustrated. But we will not give up. Our rivers — and their future — are worth fighting for.”

The club contrasted its modest request to handle 120lb of live trout for breeding, which would have been safely returned to the river, with the 36,474lb of trout commercially caught and killed in 2024, calling the situation “unsustainable.”