Reports of increase in rare fish in Tipperary river a positive sign for water quality
LAWRPO scientist says presence of Twaite Shad in the River Suir is a good sign and something they want to ‘protect and celebrate’
Anecdotal reports of an increase in a rare fish in the Suir in the Carrick-on-Suir area are a positive sign of an improvement in the river's water quality, according to a leading scientist with the Local Authorities Water Programme.
Dr Fran Igoe, LAWPRO's South East Regional Coordinator, said there has been some decline in phosphorus levels in some of the River Suir's tributaries, which may go some way to explain anecdotal reports of the presence of rare Twaite Shad in bigger numbers in the river around Carrick-on-Suir.
The river around Carrick is an important spawning ground for the fish. Dr Igoe told a recent Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District meeting the fact the fish is still to be found in the Suir is a very good sign and something they want to “protect and celebrate”.
To protect the river's Twaite Shad population, Dr Igoe urged any anglers who catch the fish to immediately return them to the river with great care as they are very sensitive to handling.
Carrick-on-Suir MD Cathaoirleach Cllr David Dunne, who is an angler, said it was great to hear Dr Igoe's comments about the Twaite Shad and to see them back in the river.
The SF councillor echoed Dr Igoe's appeal to anglers to handle the fish, known locally as Skads, with care if they catch them and return them to the river.
One of the Twaite Shad’s spawning grounds is in the river at the Bogfield in Carrickbeg, the location of award-winning nature-based solutions that prevent the run-off of pollution from the road into the river.
Senior officials from county councils, LAWPRO and the EPA were taken on a field trip to the Bogfield when they gathered in Carrick-on-Suir on Tuesday, June 2 for a South East Regional Water Meeting.