Co Antrim farmer fined after slurry pollution kills more than 1,100 fish

Dead fish in Four Mile Burn, a tributary of the Six Mile Water river in May 2024

A County Antrim farmer has been convicted at Antrim Magistrates’ Court following a slurry pollution incident that killed more than 1,100 fish across two local waterways, prompting renewed political calls for tougher penalties for environmental offences.

Seamus Kane (52), of Ballymena Road, Doagh, was convicted at Antrim Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ballymena under Article 7(1)(a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999, as amended. He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay a £15 Offenders Levy.

The court heard that Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) Water Quality Inspectors responded to reports of slurry pollution in the Four Mile Burn at Doagh. The fish kill was reported in May 2024.

Inspectors observed dead fish and invertebrates in the Four Mile Burn and further upstream in the Ballyclover Burn, both tributaries of the Six Mile Water.

By following a trail of dead fish upstream, inspectors traced the source of the pollution to a pipe actively discharging green liquid into the waterway. The liquid had a strong agricultural odour.

Dead fish were found downstream of the discharge point, while live fish were observed upstream, confirming the source of the pollution. DAERA Inland Fisheries later recorded a total of 1,109 dead brown trout, measuring between five centimetres and 25 centimetres in length.

On the farm, NIEA inspectors examined an inspection chamber through which slurry was seen flowing. A dye test confirmed that the chamber was directly connected to the waterway.

As part of the statutory investigation, a sample of the discharge was collected and analysed. Results showed that it contained “poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to aquatic life in a receiving waterway.”

The environmental impact was extensive, with both the Ballyclover Burn and the Four Mile Burn significantly affected. Dead fish were recorded along an estimated six kilometre stretch of the river system, representing a serious loss to local biodiversity.

Calls for Tougher Fines Following May 2024 Incident

Alliance Party’s South Antrim MLA John Blair

Following the pollution incident in May 2024, Alliance’s South Antrim MLA John Blair said the scale of the damage highlighted the need for increased penalties for environmental offenders.

“It is a deeply concerning incident and could have a major impact on local fish populations,” he said.

“It comes just days after I reported an incident of suspected pollution in the Three Mile Water River, also in South Antrim. It’s immensely disappointing such occurrences are still happening, particularly when they take place in the catchment area of Lough Neagh. It destroys wildlife, damages natural habitats and threatens our environment as a whole.

“This incident has impacted salmon, which were already endangered locally.

“In Alliance’s five-point plan for Lough Neagh, we called for increased fines and penalties for polluters. It is the only way polluters will learn and stop acts which risk our environment and its rich biodiversity.”

The comments add to growing concern about the cumulative impact of pollution on waterways feeding into Lough Neagh, already under pressure from nutrient loading, algal blooms and declining fish stocks.

Reporting Pollution

Anyone wishing to report a water pollution incident can contact the 24-hour NIEA Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.