30 healthy carp in The Lough

City Hall has refuted the fact that it is not looking after The Lough following the recent spate of dead carp at the public amenity.

Management of Cork City Council defended its position as caretaker of the lake after more than 800 carp were removed dead as a result of a virus known as CEV.

A report given to councillors at a meeting of Cork City Council on Monday said that the most likely reason for the virus spreading “could be the use of contaminated fishing equipment at the lake”.

The council document also confirmed that up to 30 healthy carp were observed on a recent inspection in one location at The Lough with the likelihood that there are more healthy carp there too.

The report said: “Dependent on the ecological assessment, it is most likely that the current carp population will be allowed to repopulate overtime, with no new restocking.”

Some councillors at Monday’s meeting were critical of this like Sinn Féin’s Henry Cremin and Solidarity Cllr Marion O’Sullivan.

Cllr Cremin said that it will take decades to repopulate The Lough and replenish the lake to what it was before the 800 plus carp died.

Cllr O’Sullivan was of the opinion that The Lough wasn’t “ecologically sound” and the PH balance at the lake wasn’t correct.

She said that Cork City Council need to be looking at all of The Lough’s ecosystem, not just restocking carp. “We need to look at it holistically,” she said.

Head of the environment directorate at Cork City Council Valerie O’Sullivan was adamant, however, that council does look after the lake holistically as well as caring for at it as an ecosystem.

“That’s exactly what we do,” said Ms O’Sullivan.

She confirmed that the PH levels are tested twice a week during warm weather and once a week during the winter time.