There have been 168 confirmed reports of blue-green algae across 65 NI locations
Algal blooms like the one that decimated Lough Neagh this summer were predicted over 20 years ago, according to the director of marine science at AFBI.
Images from space, included in the presentation, showed how blue-green algae has polluted most of the UK and Ireland’s biggest freshwater lake, killing animals, costing jobs and even making people sick. “Those changes have come through over a very long time... [and] the weather conditions have made almost a perfect storm this year.Gareth Greer from DAERA’s water management unit led the presentation.
Mr Greer says Lough Neagh has had high nutrient levels for decades and in the last 3-4 years nitrogen levels increased while it has been “consistently rated as ‘bad’ status” since 2015.“This high nutrient levels are primarily the source for blooms to occur,” he explained, adding that high water clarity and higher temperatures also played a part.
He told us: “The number of farms using a derogation are in a minority. The derogation is always subject to periodic review.”
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