The EU has approved allowing processed manure (RENURE) to exceed nitrogen limits without conducting a proper impact assessment and before completing the ongoing evaluation (fitness check) of the Nitrates Directive, putting water quality at risk. We urge Irish MEPs to block this rollback.

Extremely disappointing news on the Blackwater fish kill. "It just goes to show the state bodies that are supposed to protect our fish don’t appear to be able to do so because if they can’t find the cause, how can they guarantee there won’t be a repeat?" www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Under the surface — how nitrates affect freshwater ecosystems and how we're failing to protect them An Taisce's Head of Advocacy is giving a special talk for Lough Carra Catchment Association 8pm 23 September, Carnacon Centre, F12NY38 Mayo Details: www.loughcarralife.ie @elainemcgoff.bsky.social

Simplification or sabotage? EU’s nature agenda under pressure #HandsOFFNature www.birdlife.org/news/2025/09...

An EPA report has indicated that nitrogen levels have increased 16% in the first 6 months of 2025 and these are 'reasonable predictors' for the year. However, older reports showed there was a decrease of 10% in 2024, so what can we take from this? 🧵

An Taisce on new EPA report 👇 "this report is more bad news for the people and the wildlife in those areas [South & South East], indicating that many rivers in these areas will remain significantly polluted unless stronger measures are implemented." www.antaisce.org/News/continu...

Recent EPA report highlights river nitrogen pollution rising again River wildlife is vulnerable to pollutants, as evidenced by devastating River Blackwater fish kill. We can’t build resilient river ecosystems with ongoing high levels of nitrate pollution www.antaisce.org/news/continu...

Congratulations to SWAN member, the Environmental Forum, who are celebrating their 30th Anniversary today. 🥳 In that time they have done outstanding work to protect and restore our rivers, lakes, and seas in Ireland. 👏🌊 Here's to many more years! 💪

World leaders have pledged to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. Emma Armshaw, SWAN’s Marine & Coastal Policy Officer and UCC Alumni Spotlight, shares why this is crucial for Ireland’s seas. Together, we must act to safeguard our ocean’s future. 🌊 www.ucc.ie/en/advanceme...

Just because a beach has excellent water quality status "doesn't mean that the beach is always safe to swim in, it's not always pollution-free." Proper alerts would help, but primarily, we need to deal with the sources of pollution to create safe beaches all year round. www.rte.ie/news/2025/09...

Since 2020, 125 noncompliance notices have been given to North Cork Creameries. "what on earth is the point of the EPA licensing regime if companies—in broad daylight, visible to us all—repeatedly breach the rules meant to protect our fragile rivers?" www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

🌍✍️ Nearly 200,000 messages sent to the EU in just 10 days: hands off our environmental laws. Citizens won’t let profit come before people + planet.  #HandsOffNature See what we are fighting for: https://handsoffnature.eu/the-campaign/

Come help to spell out SAVE OUR SPRAT in giant letters for a drone shot in Beicin in Bantry this Sunday at 1pm and enjoy a great David Attenborough film too. Organised by the @saveoursprat.bsky.social  campaign.

“Every delay means potentially greater ecological damage & higher financial costs ... The costs for properly managing our existing & also future sites will continue to climb the longer the Government waits to act.” Protect our seas now 🌊 www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Marine protection delays makes ocean restoration more costly & uncertain. Fair Seas has warned. We must protect 30% of our seas by 2030 but legislation to provide a statutory basis for marine protected areas has been repeatedly delayed so we're far short. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

An Ecological Catastrophe on the Blackwater — and a System That Let It Happen Fish kills are "a year-round occurrence in Ireland, with Inland Fisheries Ireland recording 30 fish kills between Jan 2023 and July 2024". 👇 swanireland.ie/2025/09/an-e...

Blue-green algae linked toxins found in flesh of fish from Lough Neagh for the first time 👇 #pollution #health open.substack.com/pub/theearth...

Today is the last day for you to send a message to ask the European Commission to keep their #HandsOffNature. Please, don't let them destroy EU nature protection laws👉 birdwatchireland.ie/our-work/adv...

Chronic exposure to chemical agent may have caused major fish kill in Co Cork “This indicated that an event had happened in the days before the first report was made to IFI.” jrnl.ie/6812164

Damning new report from @eeb.org on the dangerous levels of PFAS in Europe's wild fish. Most samples exceed safety limits, some as much by 10,000x! We need EU policymakers & national govts to take this issue seriously, not kick the can down the road till 2051 👎@europarl.europa.eu

The EU are trying to weaken environmental laws under the guise of 'simplification' These laws are there to protect biodiversity, improve water & air quality and fight against climate change Follow this link to stand up for nature before the 10th of September #HandsOffNature iwt.ie/what-we-do/c...

EU nature laws are some of the best protections we have for Ireland’s rivers, lakes, seas and wildlife. But the European Commission is trying to dismantle these laws right now.  Have your say before 10 Sept and tell them #HandsOffNature! https://swanireland.ie/take-action/hands-off-nature/

"Shocking indifference to catastrophic Blackwater pollution is a sign of the times." "Our tacit acceptance that industry and business can carry on as normal despite these ravages needs to change quickly." Good article here👇 www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Call to Action! EU laws are there to protect nature & by doing so, they protect us, our health and the economy The European Commission wants to weaken these very laws & they're asking you what you think: Tell them to keep their #HandsOffNature by filling in this quick form iwt.ie/what-we-do/c...

🧪362,000 l of wastewater 🧪ammonia levels 30 times above the legal limit 🧪orthophosphate levels 2.5 times above limit All on the night of the fish kill. Whether or not there was responsibility for the fish kill, this is shockingly irresponsible. www.rte.ie/news/ireland...

Given the compliance record of North Cork Creameries, these clearly read as empty words. Irrespective of who is responsible for the fish kill, it's almost unsurprising it occurred given this level of non-compliance with EPA discharge licences. This must change. www.rte.ie/news/ireland...

Atlantic salmon stocks in Ireland are now at an exceptionally poor & deeply alarming level. In response, @salmonwatchireland.bsky.social is hosting a national conference to bring together leading voices from science, policy, conservation, & community action. More 👉 www.eventbrite.ie/e/saving-the...

'EPA tests on wastewater at the North Cork Co-Op Creamery Plant adjacent to site of a large Blackwater River fish kill two weeks ago found Co-Op not compliant with its discharge licences ... ammonia levels in discharge were 52 times over permitted limit' www.rte.ie/news/regiona...

Whether or not they caused the horrific fish kill, serious questions need to be asked why North Cork Creameries has been repeatedly in breach of their EPA discharge licence. Do we need 46,000 fish to be directly attributable to their pollution to stop it? 🧵 www.thejournal.ie/fish-kill-ri...

The European Commission is quietly trying to dismantle the laws that safeguard what we cherish most: our nature. Tell them loud and clear to keep their #HandsOffNature 🙅 Send your message here: https://swanireland.ie/take-action/hands-off-nature/

Don’t let the EU weaken nature protection ❌ Across Europe, our rivers are dying, wildlife is vanishing & forests are thinning. Now the European Commission wants to weaken the laws that protect them. Tell them to keep their #HandsOffNature 👇 swanireland.ie/take-action/...

Don’t let the EU weaken nature protection ❌ Across Europe, our rivers are dying, wildlife is vanishing & forests are thinning. Now the European Commission wants to weaken the laws that protect them. Tell them to keep their #HandsOffNature 👇 swanireland.ie/take-action/...

Expert says Cork fish kill caused ‘agonising deaths’ as toxic spill suspected on River Blackwater The fish "died in agony by having their flesh eaten away by severe necrosis." 😢 www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster...

"We cannot just let this fish kill slip by like all the others, with shrugged shoulders, inadequate explanation, or ‘hands-up’ admissions with no meaningful actions." Great @thejournal_ie piece on the Blackwater fish kill & wider failures on our rivers. www.thejournal.ie/readme/river...

Great to be part of the unveiling of this life-sized sculpture of a basking shark at the Spanish Arch in Galway. It was specially commissioned for the International Basking Shark Conference (Aug 29-31). More details on this exciting conference is here: www.baskingshark.ie/conference2025 Be there!

Disease, fungal infection not behind large Cork fish kill www.rte.ie/news/environ...

Blackwater fish kill - It “highlights the ongoing pressures on the catchment, which continues to suffer from excessive nutrient inputs linked to agricultural intensification & inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure." - @salmonwatchireland.bsky.social www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlig...

New research - "Without the filtering performed by Europe’s wetlands, the nitrogen pollution that rivers carry into the seas would be 25% higher. Restoring some of the historical wetlands would further cut nitrogen pollution with low impact on agriculture." www.eureporter.co/environment/...

Fish stocks could take 10 years to recover on Blackwater as anglers estimate more than 40,000 killed. "it’s going to be seriously damaging for one of the primary salmon and trout fisheries in Europe." www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

Today is the last day to do our survey. 📄 If you work (paid or voluntary) protecting or restoring freshwaters on the island of Ireland then please  fill it in. ✅ You can help develop deeper understanding in this important work area. 🔍

The 4th Water Action Plan Work Prog. lacks in detail, public participation, implementation & governance, policy coherence & integration of learnings from assessing previous RBMPs https://swanireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SWAN-response-to-4th-Water-Action-Plan-Work-Programme-consultation.pdf

Fishermen say Lough Neagh pollution cannot be allowed to end eel fishing www.bbc.com/news/article...

Listen back to @elainemcgoff.bsky.social from SWAN member @antaisce.bsky.social on the nitrates derogation. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Good news! 🥳 From Oct '26, trawling activity by fishing vessels over 18m will be banned within 6 miles of shore. A huge win for conservation & small-scale fishers in Ireland. People power works - over 94% of submissions supported this outcome. www.gov.ie/ga/an-roinn-...

Kilkenny event postponed as Public Health Officials deem River Nore unsafe Another event cancelled because of water pollution 💩🤮 "It's time to step up if you care what you're swimming in" "What's in your river today may end up in your tap water tomorrow" www.ireland-live.ie/news/kilkenn...

"IFI suspects the event was caused by high water temperatures in combination with low dissolved oxygen levels, exacerbated by the presence of aquatic plant growth" Eg of why climate change & pollution (causing excess algae) must be tackled for healthy waters. www.fisheriesireland.ie/news/media-r...

Great to see this bill by Deputy Whitmore. Sprat is a key food source for much of our marine wildlife🐳🐬🦭 Yet it has been fished intensively without a quota or plan. A moratorium is needed to collect & process the data to support a sustainable quota. www.socialdemocrats.ie/whitmore-int...

Over 1,000 fish killed in Ballinagh River “It’s heartbreaking to see all those fish dead after making a comeback because it was polluted a few years ago." "It’s a losing battle that we’re fighting” “It has to be put to a stop once and for all,” www.anglocelt.ie/2025/07/16/o...

Existing EU water laws help hundreds of millions get clean, healthy water 25 years on, the Water Framework Directive remains a modern, powerful tool - and must keep protecting our waters for years to come See common misconceptions and why they’re wrong 👇 eeb.org/wp-content/u...

⚖️ Historic legal win in Spain! A court has ruled that factory farm pollution violates human rights - a first in Europe. Victory for As Conchas residents & a game-changing precedent for justice across the EU 💪 Environmental harm is a human rights issue! 🌍 Story below ⬇️ @clientearth.bsky.social