MLA warns against “mad environmentalists” scapegoating farmers on Lough Neagh crisis

Lough Neagh: Lough Shore Park, Antrim

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has warned against “scapegoating” farmers for the worsening blue-green algae crisis in Lough Neagh, urging the Northern Ireland Assembly to acknowledge the wider range of factors contributing to the environmental challenge.

Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, September 9, Mr Gaston emphasised that the lough is of “huge value” to people across Northern Ireland.

“We all can agree that, as the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, it is vital for wildlife, fisheries and the wider community, in general,” he said.

“Equally, no one in the Chamber can dispute the fact that the blue-green algae issue that was first sighted in the lough in 1923 is a very serious problem, and one that we, as legislators, must address.”

However, the TUV representative said he rejected claims that agriculture alone is to blame for the blooms, describing the problem as “complex and multifaceted.”

“There are all too many in the House and outside it who are looking for a scapegoat for what is, in reality, a complex and multifaceted problem,” he said. “The issue is real, but the narrative to always blame the farmer is not.”

Mr Gaston argued that while farmers are often singled out, other factors are being ignored. He highlighted the impact of invasive zebra mussels, untreated sewage discharges, and industrial effluent.

“An overlooked factor is the issue of Russian zebra mussels, an invasive species that, since around 2005, has been reshaping the character of Lough Neagh.

“Those filter-feeding invaders have exploded in population over the past two decades. They strip out plankton from the water, disrupting the food chain and, by concentrating phosphorus in the sediments, they fuel the algae blooms,” he said.

The MLA also drew attention to sewage and wastewater discharges overseen by Northern Ireland Water.

“The discharge of untreated sewage directly into rivers and into Lough Neagh, carrying phosphorus, organic matter and bacteria, all of which exacerbate algae growth, needs to stop. Industrial trade effluent adds yet more nutrients to the system,” he told MLAs.

Mr Gaston questioned whether lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased use of household cleaning products, may also have contributed to the problem.

He accused some political parties and environmental groups of using the issue to advance what he described as “mad net-zero policies,” and criticised the exclusion of AgriSearch from the NAP stakeholder forum.

“All those parties were happy to support Going for Growth when it suited them and now they want to turn their backs on the farmer,” he said.

Lough Neagh, which supplies 40% of Northern Ireland’s drinking water, has faced widespread concern after repeated algae blooms in recent years, with environmental groups warning of major risks to wildlife, fisheries and public health.

Mr Gaston insisted, however, that while the problem must be addressed, farmers should not be made “the sole target of blame.”