I am advised by the North Western Regional Fisheries Board that Carrowmore Lake is undergoing a severe algae bloom for the second year in succession. The chief executive officer of the board informs me that as a result of last year's bloom, the board convened a meeting of all relevant agencies to discuss what action could be taken. It was agreed at this meeting that a number of core samples would be taken from the lake bed and that a regular water sampling programme would be put in place. I understand that analysis of core samples confirmed that discharges of phosphorous to the lake had increased significantly over recent years.
The North Western Regional Fisheries Board advises me that the water sampling programme is ongoing with at least two samples per month being taken from the lake and at least four samples being taken weekly from inflowing rivers. The samples are taken by fisheries board personnel and are analysed in the capital EPA laboratory in Castlebar. I understand from the fisheries board that the EPA intends to produce a report at the end of one year of sampling which will be August 2004. The chief executive of the board informs me, however, that at this point no single cause of the nutrient enrichment has been identified and more than one cause may be involved. Meanwhile, representatives of the fisheries board continue to meet representatives of Bangor angling club to discuss the matter.
