Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sandra Laville

Eel fisher takes on authorities at Belfast court over pollution in UK’s largest lake

A heron walks along decking above the blue-green algae infested waters of Battery Harbour on the shores of Lough Neagh, in Northern Ireland
Lake’s waters are green from recurrent algal blooms, which deprive it of oxygen and choke aquatic life. Eel fishing was suspended in 2025. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images

An eel fisher is to argue at the high court in Belfast that the authorities have allowed the ecological collapse of Lough Neagh by failing to take action over pollution.

Declan Conlon, whose family have for generations fished the inland lake in Northern Ireland that once hosted the largest wild eel fishery in Europe, is seeking to take a judicial review against the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera). He will argue the department has failed to act against polluters despite clear evidence of the ecological collapse of the lake.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.