This article is from page 3 of the 2006-09-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
POLLUTION, water extraction for housing development and the introduction of new species have wiped out the population of a fish, the Arctic Char, in Clare waters over the last nine years.
An extensive survey conducted in north Clare’s Lickeen Lake last week failed to find any trace of the ancient trout-like species.
The survey, which was conducted by Scottish expert Ron Green with the support of the Irish Char Conservation Group, Shannon Fisheries Board, the Heritage Council and the Lickeen Development Co-op, failed to uncover a single Arctic Char, but found that the Rudd population has exploded in the lake.
“It is difficult to prove an extinction, but from the evidence of the study, that is the situation in Lickeen,” said Fran Igoe of the Shannon Region Fisheries Board.
“In Lickeen, in appears that pollution is the most likely source of the problem. We found large quantities of Rudd, which was introduced into the lake in the 1960s.
“Rudd thrives in dirty water and this pollution has essentially changed the ecology of the lake.”
Fears have also been raised about the future viability of trout in Clare’s lakes.
The survey uncovered 69 Rudd, 10 trout and no Char in Lickeen.
The target for a non-polluted lake the size of Lickeen would be 40 Char and 100 trout.
“From a biodiversity point of view, this is a real warning for Clare, and other species unique to the county could also become extinct if this continues,” said Mr Igoe.
The Arctic Char came to Ireland after the last Ice Age and has fascinated scientists because of the unique way that different strands have developed in different lakes.
“The pollution has been the knockout blow for the Char in Lickeen,” said Ron Green.
“We are finding similar problems in Scotland and in Scandinavia but Ireland seems to have a bigger problem with pollution and also the extraction of water due to a lot of developments in rural areas.”
Records of Arctic Char exist for five freshwater lakes in Clare – Lough Gortglas, Cloonsneachta, Inchiquin and Finloe, as well as Lickeen.