The Crisis
Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland, covering nearly 400 km² and supplying drinking water to over 40 per cent of Northern Ireland's population. The Lough supports a historic fishing industry, including Europe's largest wild eel fishery, whose eels were awarded protected geographical indication (PGI) status in 2011 to protect their identity and heritage.
What are Algae Blooms?
The harmful algal blooms are driven by excessive nutrient levels, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen. These nutrients, combined with rising temperatures and changing weather patterns linked to climate change, have created ideal conditions for toxic cyanobacteria to flourish.
Why is this a Concern?
The Lough Neagh Fishermen's Co-Operative Society has described the eel fishery as a "casualty of significant environmental change within the lough".
Commercial eel fishing has been halted, and distressing footage has emerged showing juvenile eels, starved of oxygen, dying in thick algae. Only one-third of surface water bodies in Northern Ireland currently meet the standards of the Water Framework Directive, and Northern Ireland has faced chronic historic underinvestment in its water and wastewater infrastructure.
Despite repeated warnings from scientists and environmental groups over many years, the crisis reflects a wider pattern of systemic governance challenges, with implementation of river basin management plans and cross-border cooperation being inconsistent.
Legal Remedies
We are representing affected individuals in judicial review proceedings against the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Our clients contend that the Department has failed in its statutory duties to protect water quality and the environment, and that its response to the crisis has been inadequate and unlawful.
The proceedings raise important questions about environmental governance in Northern Ireland, including the enforcement of water quality standards, the application of the polluter pays principle, the rights of individuals to a healthy environment, and the failure to address what experts have called compounding pressures including nutrient enrichment, rising temperatures, invasive species, and underinvestment in infrastructure.
Who We Represent
Our clients include fishermen whose livelihoods have been directly harmed by the ecological collapse of Lough Neagh. The fishing community at Lough Neagh has operated for generations, and the eel fishery alone has significant cultural and economic importance.
What Recovery Requires
Experts agree that reversing this trend requires coordinated action across sectors. This includes investment to modernise wastewater infrastructure and reduce dependence on combined sewer overflows, improved nutrient management in agriculture through funding of water-friendly farming intervention schemes, and the mainstreaming of nature-based solutions such as wetland restoration and riparian buffers into rural and urban land use planning. Catchment-scale delivery must be reformed to prioritise climate resilience, transparent performance tracking, and meaningful community engagement.
