What lies beneath Lough Foyle?

Controversy surrounded the “reckless behaviour” of a marine vessel “caught retrieving” a huge piece of equipment from the seabed of Lough Foyle.

The incident, which occurred on Monday past (November 25), prompted legal action by inshore fishermen who had, until then, been completely unaware of the equipment's presence in their fishing grounds

Speaking to Donegal Live, Mr Liam O'Brien, spokesperson for a number of local oyster fishermen, confirmed a marine vessel had been “caught and photographed retrieving a large and heavy” piece of equipment from the Lough Foyle seabed at Carnagarve, midway between Moville and Greencastle.

A one tonne concrete box was seen being lifted aboard the vessel. This box is used as an anchor to hold equipment in place on the seabed.

A visibly angry Mr O'Brien said: “The fishermen, who depend on Lough Foyle for their livelihoods, regard Irish Water's behaviour, covertly placing such a huge piece of equipment in their fishing grounds, as reckless behaviour, which could so easily have led to the loss of life. Will this activity go unpunished or will there be an investigation, with a view to prosecutions?

“In an effort to facilitate Irish Water to secretly gather data, the Loughs' Agency was prepared to gamble with the lives of fishermen by failing to make them aware of the locations of this lethal equipment on the sea bed, where the fishermen were actively engaged in oyster dredging.

“This equipment was deposited on the bed of the designated oyster area some weeks previously. It lay there, hidden and unmarked, posing a potential life threatening situation to any unsuspecting oyster dredging fishing boat unlucky enough to have snagged into it.

“The fishermen are now aware this is not the only piece of equipment of its kind lurking unmarked and unmentioned on the sea-bed against all the formal safety marine rules and regulations that apply to this type of operation,” said Mr O'Brien.

Mr O'Brien confirmed number of native oyster fishermen had employed a legal team following the incident.

Mr O'Brien said: “The legal team has subsequently written to the Loughs' Agency demanding answers to why it did not make its licensed fishermen aware of the lethal dangers lurking on the sea-bed as they dredged unsuspecting on the designated area.

“An explanation will also be sought from the Loughs' Agency as to why details on the issued Section 69 Permits were not passed to the fishermen.

“It is becoming ever more clear an official public enquiry is urgently required into the activities of the Loughs Agency and Irish Water in respect of their lack of 'duty of care' to the fishermen.

“It seems facilitating Irish Water in its covert efforts to locate a sewage discharge pipe on the officially designated oyster beds of Lough Foyle, outweighs any importance of the fishermen's personal safety or that of their boats and equipment,” said Mr O'Brien.

Mr O'Brien added the fishermen have the “distinct feeling” the Loughs' Agency is “hell bent on the destruction of the native oyster fishery.”

He added: “What other explanation is there? We know the Loughs' Agency had prior knowledge of the deployment of these potentially lethal obstacles, illegally deposited on the sea-bed and it kept that knowledge to itself.

“The Loughs' Agency is supposedly in place to lookout for the well being and safety of the fishermen and the fishery but, in fact, its actions display the opposite effect. It stays silent and displays no regard whatsoever on potentially life threatening equipment, illegally and covertly deployed, to facilitate the locating of a sewage discharge pipe on the oyster beds.

“Added to this is the fact, it did not publish or make the fishermen aware of any details regarding the Section 69 Permits granted for surveys in relation to the sewage discharge pipe on the oyster beds.

“This and many other issues make the fishermen certain that neither the Loughs' Agency nor Irish Water are friends to the native oyster fishery. Neither organisation is fit for purpose. It is long beyond time that the politicians of Donegal took a detailed interest in the reckless and shameful behaviour being dished out to the fishermen. It would be no exaggeration to state that if this was happening to the farming community the response might well be different,” said Mr O'Brien.

Donegal Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn told Donegal Live Irish Water and the Loughs' Agency have repeatedly “failed to consult with local fishermen.”

He added: “On at least two previous occasions, Irish Water has failed to consult with local fishermen, who can be easily contacted at Greencastle Harbour, and that is wrong.

“Lough Foyle is a traditional fishing ground. There are oyster beds there and Irish Water should be consulting with the fishermen if its operations are going to impact the fishermen or their livelihoods. Irish Water has failed to consult the local fishermen or community.

“Irish water is not learning any lessons, instead it is building increased resentment in the community,” said Senator Mac Lochlainn

At the time of going to press, Inish Times had not received a comment from Irish Water on the placing or retrieval of equipment on the seabed of Lough Foyle.