Boat owners from Armagh, Tryone and Antrim join flotilla protest calling for action to dredge Lough Lough and River Blackwater

A flotilla of boats led a protest on Sunday at the lack of dredging by the authorities of the mouth of the Blackwater River at Lough Neagh.
By Carmel Robinson
Published 18th Aug 2022, 14:35 BST

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Scores of pleasure boats, fishing boats and even Lough Neagh Rescue took to the Blackwater River to showcase how badly clogged the area is at Maghery.

They met near the Ferry Bridge at Maghery where the weeds and the overgrown shallow canal make it difficult or nearly impossible to navigate.

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Organiser Gerard McCourt, who is a fisherman on Lough Neagh, said it has been more than a year since he spoke to representatives of both Mid Ulster and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Councils failed to help clean up the river and lough.

Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.
Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.

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Gerard said: “I went to everyone involved in dealing with Lough Neagh and they were all blaming each other and noone was taking responsibility.”

Boats struggle to exit the Blackwater River at Lough Neagh because of blockages. Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.Boats struggle to exit the Blackwater River at Lough Neagh because of blockages. Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.
Boats struggle to exit the Blackwater River at Lough Neagh because of blockages. Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.

He said he went to the Department for Infrastructure, DAERA, Lough Neagh Partnership, the Shaftesbury Estate and the National Trust.

Gerard, who is part of Inland Waterways Ireland River Blackwater Branch, said: “It was October last year when we had a five-hour meeting with these officials and both councils. It was what we wanted, everyone that mattered around a table to discuss how to deal with the problem. Then there was an agreement between officials that the bar mouth would be sorted within the year and a major investment in this end of the lough this will include Maghery bay .

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“They told us then that the bar mouth and the river itself works will include mostly dredging and navigation markers . But a year on, nothing has happened. It was all just talk.

“We have such a great beauty spot on our doorstep which would attract fishermen and tourists from across the world and it is being left to grow wild.”

Boats struggle to exit the Blackwater River at Lough Neagh because of blockages. Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.Boats struggle to exit the Blackwater River at Lough Neagh because of blockages. Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.
Boats struggle to exit the Blackwater River at Lough Neagh because of blockages. Boat owners and fishermen from Counties Armagh, Tryone and Antrim were protesting on Sunday that the authorities had failed to dredge the Blackwater River as it enters Lough Neagh.

Gerard added: “Local people who live and work around the lough and river are very proud of the area and can’t understand why these authorities are letting these precious resources go to waste. Something needs to be done sooner rather than later.

“The lack of action is also affecting our livelihoods because we can’t get out.”

Related topics:AntrimArmagh

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