No quick fixes for algae blooms in Lough Neagh

There are no quick fixes to solving the problem issue of blue-green algae in Lough Neagh, a senior DAERA official has said.

“This is a long process. It could take 20, 30, 40 years – we don’t really know,” Rory O’Boyle from the natural environment policy division told the Stormont Agriculture committee last Thursday.

During his opening remarks, O’Boyle described the 37 actions set out in a Lough Neagh report, published in July 2024, as “science-led, proportionate and ambitious”, covering four main planks of education, investment, regulation and enforcement.

Among the actions is to explore potential solutions to treat algae blooms. In August 2024, DAERA launched the first phase of a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), with £450,000 available to support up to five applicants to come forward with concepts on how to deal with blooms. The first phase assesses whether the concepts might be technically feasible and commercially viable. The application window closed on 13 September.

Caution

Also briefing MLAs on the committee, DAERA chief scientific adviser, Dr Alistair Carson urged some caution on how successful some of these potential solutions might prove to be.

“Most in-lake management options have been developed for lakes of 40 hectares or lower. We are dealing with a lough of 38,000 hectares, so many of the barriers to this are just the sheer volume of water,” said Carson.

He added that any potential solutions to algae blooms should not detract from the core issue, which is to reduce nutrient pollution coming into Lough Neagh from the surrounding catchment.

More water quality rules needed, says Long

Justice Minister Naomi Long has said more measures need to be included in the Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) to address water quality issues in NI.

The current NAP, which includes rules about slurry spreading and storage, is being reviewed by DAERA at present.

“It is envisaged that all measures in the current action programme will be retained for the next programme. It is also clear from water quality data and scientific evidence that additional measures will be needed,” Minister Long said.

Speaking at Stormont on Tuesday, the Alliance Party leader said the NI Environment Agency “will not hesitate to take enforcement action” when pollution incidents occur.

“It is important that a robust, fair, proportionate and targeted enforcement regime is there to act as a deterrent and to champion the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

“I know that Minister Muir is committed to delivering that,” she maintained.

“We need to ensure that there is full implementation at farm level and improved compliance,” Minister Long added.