Agriculture, in particular phosphates entering Lough Carra, are the cause of the rapid deterioration of the water quality in the Mayo lake.
This was highlighted earlier this week by environmental experts on the RTE One TV programme produced by Eco Eye that was entitled “The Last Lake” and focused entirely on the lake.
The extensive changes threatening one of Europe's last remaining maerl lakes has been highlighted often in recent years by the local Lough Carra Action Group.
The water in the lake has started to change colour and local fishermen have noticed an impact on fish stock, and the almost complete eradication of the mayfly
Concerns over the changes have been raised on many occasions over the last number of years by local elected councillors at monthly meetings of Mayo County Council.
The matter was raised again at the monthly meeting of Castlebar Municipal District, earlier this week by local councillor Al McDonnell who complimented the programme makers who made it clear the lake’s future is about twenty years if something is not immediately done to address the problem.
