New Lough Neagh Rivers Trust launched to protect and restore catchment waterways

A new environmental body, the Lough Neagh Rivers Trust, has been officially launched to protect and enhance the rivers and streams that feed into Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland’s largest freshwater lake.

Formed through the merger of the Six Mile Water Trust in Antrim and several other local conservation associations, the new Trust aims to deliver a coordinated, catchment-wide approach to restoring water quality, biodiversity and recreational value across the Lough’s tributaries.

The Trust will focus on environmental protections, introduce conservation measures, support education and recreation initiatives, and collaborate with partner organisations to tackle the complex challenges facing the region’s waterways.

“Fix the rivers, fix the lough”

Following the Trust’s formation, David Kennedy, the newly elected Chairperson, emphasised the urgent need for collective action to reverse the environmental decline of Lough Neagh and its feeder rivers.

“The establishment of a new Rivers Trust to represent a significant amount of the rivers that feed into Lough Neagh is an exciting and timely response to the many issues facing our waterways and Lough Neagh,” he said.

“When many people think of the crises facing Lough Neagh they think solely of the lough itself. But it is each river entering the lough that carries the pollutants that has led to this crisis. Our outlook is as simple as this – fix the rivers, fix the Lough.”

His comments come in the wake of a damning report that revealed all of Northern Ireland’s 471 rivers and lakes had failed to meet EU water quality standards.

Tackling pollution and protecting biodiversity

The Trust’s future work will involve rehabilitating watercourses, addressing pollution, and protecting the diverse wildlife that inhabits the region’s rivers. This includes critically endangered and protected species such as salmon, eels, pollan, otters, and kingfishers.

“The work ahead of us is to help conserve, protect, rehabilitate our rivers, streams and watercourses, including the flora and fauna, within the Lough Neagh catchment,” Mr Kennedy explained.

“This will include looking at critically endangered species such as salmon, eels and pollan, protected wildlife such as otters and kingfishers and much more.

“It will take us into the realms of tackling and addressing the unacceptable levels of pollution, the failure to hold the vast majority of polluters to account, and how we build and future proof laws to protect our environment.”

The Trust intends to build on and complement the work of other regional conservation bodies, including the Ballinderry Rivers Trust and the River Blackwater Catchment Trust.

Support from local angling groups

The formation of the Lough Neagh Rivers Trust has also been welcomed by the angling community. Phil Mailey from the Kells Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club voiced support for the initiative:

“As a club we look forward to helping and supporting the new trust in any way we can to ensure the betterment of Lough Neagh and its feeder rivers. We all have a vested interest in ensuring the future health of the lough.”

A collaborative way forward

With a wide-ranging remit and strong backing from environmentalists and community groups, the Lough Neagh Rivers Trust represents a significant step forward in protecting one of Northern Ireland’s most vital natural resources.

As pressures mount from pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, the Trust’s formation comes at a critical time for safeguarding the long-term health of the Lough Neagh catchment.

For more information on Lough Neagh Rivers Trust, please visit the group’s Facebook page.