Lough Neagh temperature on the rise, algal blooms a result of warmer climate

Researchers on behalf of the Lough Neagh Partnership found that the temperature in the largest freshwater body of water in the UK and Ireland is a degree higher than in 1995.

Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) NI said that the temperature has been “increasing even more in the last two years due to climate change” adding that “some fish and other lake animals will struggle to survive due to higher temperatures”.

It comes at a time when algal blooms in Lough Neagh have appeared on Lough Neagh at a level not seen since the 1970s, with rising temperatures and pollution cited as the main causes of the dangerous growths.

The commissioned report also said more than twice as much carbon was stored in ground around the lough as previously thought.

Lough Neagh Partnership’s Jim McAdam said: "Previously our best estimate of carbon stored in the Lough Neagh catchment area was about 6.6 million tonnes.

"We got that from the surface soil maps that were done in the 1990s. In this study, we looked at the actual depth of the carbon itself, and we've come out with our calculation of carbon.

"It's more than 14 million tonnes of carbon, over twice what our original estimate was.

"That's really important, because nowadays the whole talk is how do we keep that carbon in the ground? That carbon and that habitat has the potential to sequester more carbon.

"So the more we have the better and, therefore, the more we know about it, the more we've measured, the better we can manage the whole site."

With regard to the toxic algal blooms, a spokesperson for the NI Environment Agency (NIEA) said: “Blue-green algal blooms have been confirmed at multiple locations within Lough Neagh over recent weeks. As algae in a bloom decay and rot they can release a pungent smell like rotten eggs or rotting plants.

"Farmers and pet owners should ensure that animals do not have access to water that appears to be subject to a bloom, as the algae can potentially produce toxins that may be fatal to livestock and pets.”