Mystery pollution kills fish in Par River, Cornwall.

Over 1,000 fish, including sea trout, salmon and flounders, have been killed by pollution in the Par River.

A spokesman from the Environment Agency said: "While the pollutant is highly toxic to fish, it doesn't appear to have affected the invertebrates and micro-organisms in the river." The Environment Agency has said they are focusing their investigation on a tributary and hopes test samples would identify the source of the pollution. With the pollution, which has affected a four-mile stretch of river, first found on Friday, the public have been warned not to enter the water, including at nearby Par Beach.

I would'nt fancy a wee summer swim in that water!

I wonder what mystery pollutant is responsible.

Link

Any exploritory drilling for fracking purpose going on anyware near?

There was a lot of digging for lead/copper wears ago and it possible someone's emptied a mine out full of toxins on the quiet?

reply to post by haven123


Good question. I did a quick search but could'nt find anything. I know Cornwall is one of the places listed for fracking in the near future tho.

Originally posted by Maxatoria
There was a lot of digging for lead/copper wears ago and it possible someone's emptied a mine out full of toxins on the quiet?

I don't know much about mining, but usually the chemicals used with mining destroy everything in the river. In this case only the fish were affected but the micro-organisms are supposedly fine. Not to say the river wasn't polluted before, but this seems like something specific that took a toll on the larger organisms like fish.

hmm live about 15 minutes from Par and haven't heard of any of this yet. Will enquire...

The Fact that the invertebrates and micro-organisms are not effected is a good sign, fish stocks can be replaced, the stuff the fish and foul need to survive not so much.
1000 fish is not really a high kill count, though 1 is 1 too many, but my guess is either someone has polluted the river by accident or the worst case scenario would be low oxygen levels caused by the recent dry spell and or a increase in algae blooms caused by fertiliser run off over a period of time.

Then again, i could be talking Fertiliser here..

Some fish species are sensitive to changes in water temperature.
I was fishing several years ago in Biscotasing Lake in Northern Ontario.
There were hundreds of dead White Fish floating in the lake though we caught our limit in Pickerel and Pike.
I met a game warden at the landing when we returned to shore and he told me about the White Fish dying from the water Temperature.
How have the temperatures been in Cornwall?

(((UPDATE)))

The beach warning has been lifted ;-)

A bathing warning has been lifted at Par Beach following a pollution problem that killed over 1,000 fish. Bathers have been given the all-clear to swim again after Cornwall Council said that there have been no further reports of incidents, coupled with the amount of rainfall over the past few days. This would have "diluted and washed out any pollutant from the river and bathing areas", says the authority. The results of the Environment Agency investigation has not yet been received

They still have yet to determine the cause of the pollutant but at least there has been no more fishy deaths.

Link

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha

Good question. I did a quick search but could'nt find anything. I know Cornwall is one of the places listed for fracking in the near future tho.

Can you give a link to your source because Cornwall is mainly granite batholiths. All inflammable gas would have exploded millions of years ago.

Due to the magma intrusions, metamorphosis occurred in the local sedimentary rock creating elements tin, copper, gold and silver.

The only workable mine close by is South Crofty tin mine which costs a lot of money to keep afloat when working on 400 and 420 fathom levels.

Been there, done that, an awesome experience when long-holing on level 400. Big explosions, Richter scale 3 earthquakes and air blasts

When you mention 'fracking', do you mean the geo-thermal project which involved pumping cold water down at Wheal Jane mine (i think) and running turbines off the hot water/gas as it rose ?

reply to post by Rapha


This is the first I have heard about it my friend. Don't recall seeing anything in the Cornish Guardian etc.

Bodmin, here by the way

reply to post by Rapha


I tried to find what i was reading the other day,, but I think i got the wrong end of the stick as I read an article about Cornwall in America lol

I also found this from last year -

A Government document has identified large areas of eastern and southern England as having the best potential for "shale gas" – with large deposits found in Dorset and Somerset. The Department for Energy and Climate Change report last year included maps indicating types of shale in Devon and even Cornwall, but said that the peninsula is considered "unattractive" as a primary shale gas target"

MEPS at odds over plans for fracking in Westcountry

Doesnt look like they will be fracking there any time soon