Laois farmer fined for damaging river

Inland Fisheries Ireland secured fines and costs totaling €3,750 against a Laois farmer for damaging stretches of a local river.

The farmer was convicted of carrying out works on 800 metres of river channel in the Mountrath area, thereby impacting the habitats of trout, lamprey and eels along the river.

Inland Fisheries Ireland said the farmer claimed his motivation for carrying out the work was to drain land to alleviate flooding.  

South-Eastern River Basin District Director at Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) Lynda Connor said the action of the farmer had “demonstrated a disregard” for the river, its fish species and habitats.  

“IFI will continue to prosecute such illegal activity in fulfilment of its remit to protect and conserve Ireland’s important inland fisheries resource,” she said. 

“The decimation and removal of a river’s habitat can be devastating in terms of its effects on fish. It can also impact instream biodiversity such as vegetation and insects,” said Ms Connor. 

The IFI said that 800 metres of river channel on the farmer’s property, and on an adjoining property, had been dug out, deepened, reprofiled and the river bank vegetation removed.

The IFI work was carried out in the closed season at his farm in Mountrath in December 2022.

The farmer received fines of €3,000 and was also ordered to contribute €750 towards the costs of the prosecution.

“Landowners need to seek all necessary and relevant information from their advisors, and from Inland Fisheries Ireland, before carrying out any works near, or on, a watercourse adjacent to their land,” said Ms Connor. 

“The appropriate window for any instream works is between July and September, but only with the guidance and permission of IFI. During the closed season, from October to June, no works should take place in a river.

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“IFI continues to encourage members of the public to report incidents such as this, and those of water pollution, fish kills, and illegal fishing to its 24/7 phone number, 0818 34 74 24,” she added. 

Landowners can refer to further guidance on minding Ireland’s watercourses here https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2014/Watercourse_Management.pdf