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County Antrim: Fish kill 'wipes out' life in Three Mile River

Three Mile Water Conservation Association A photo taken at the Three Mile River on Friday 27 August, showing the water in the river with a soapy substance near to the surface, which appears to have contaminated the waterThree Mile Water Conservation Association
The cause of the fish kill is not yet known

A fish kill has seriously damaged the stock of a County Antrim river and could take five years to reverse, a conservation group has said.

The incident happened at the Three Mile River in Monkstown on Friday.

Three Mile Water Conservation and Angling Association said trout, eels, flounder, and sticklebacks were among the species killed.

Three Mile Water Conservation Association A close up of a dead fish in the river, possibly a troutThree Mile Water Conservation Association
It is the second similar incident in the river in recent months

It said invertebrates such as shrimps had also been killed and dog-walkers were warned to avoid the river.

At seven miles (11km) long, the river runs from Ballyrobert near Newtownabbey to Belfast Lough at Whiteabbey.

The cause of the fish kill is unknown and it is the second incident in the river in recent months.

"The majority of the river has been wiped out," said a spokesperson for Three Mile Water Conservation and Angling Association.

Three Mile Water Conservation Association A dead flounder in the Three Mile RiverThree Mile Water Conservation Association
Trout, eels, flounder, and sticklebacks were among the fish killed

"It is a really valuable community resource, not only for human recollection but for the wildlife value as well - that has been completely ruined.

"It is a purge of all aquatic life to be honest."

It said it was particularly damaging as it had not been given a chance to recover after the previous kill.

The association said it was alerted at about 13:30 BST on Friday by a member of the public.