Rubbish is blocking fish passes that are vital for salmon spawning according to a Kilkenny Councillor

Floating plastic is among the harmful items that a Kilkenny councillor wants to be removed from the Ormonde Weir.

Local Green Cllr Maria Dollard met with the Office of Public Works (OPW) this week to discuss the issue.

She says it’s especially concerning as the rubbish is blocking fish passes that are vital for salmon spawning.

Cllr Dollard told KCLR News “This floating plastic has gathered in amongst the twigs and leaves and things like that so it’s important that we look after our rivers and streams and look after them from an ecological as well as a pollution perspective and, you know, we know at the moment that at least 60% of our rivers are not in a good place at all in Kilkenny”.

The local Green representative adds “Luckily there are two fish passes but the one that’s nearest when they come up the Lacken weir fish pass, the nearest one is the one that is blocked so it’s really important that we keep those passes clear so that the fish can get back upstream, so the fish passes are absolutely critical to allow them to return for spawning”.

And Cllr Dollard says the OPW are taking a hands-on approach, noting “A lot of debris has built up in the last few years and I suppose I became aware that the fish pass was blocked and when I went down to have a look I observed there had been a lot of collection of debris that has happened over recent times so I contacted the OPW and they responded immediately and came up to Kilkenny on Monday review the situation”.