There have been 2 further outbreaks of crayfish plague one of them in Tipperary.
It has led to the National Parks and Wildlife Service recommending that a ban on movement between catchments currently in place on the River Suir, will now be extended.
It’s now five months since a Crayfish plague was confirmed on the River Suir.
The disease decimates native crayfish populations on contact and during the first week of the outbreak, all crayfish from Clonmel and Carrick on Suir were wiped out, that number estimated to be in excess of four hundred thousand.
A Voluntary Ban on movement between catchments has been in place for a number of months but has now been extended for another 3 months as agencies deal with the latest outbreaks.
Two further outbreaks have been detected one on the River Lorrha in North Tipp while a major outbreak has been confirmed on the River Barrow.
Along with the River Suir, the plague has also hit the River Deel in Limerick, Bruskey and the Barrow in Carlow.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service are now asking rivers users to follow strict bio – security protocols and to not move equipment such as fishing gear, boats and kayaks from the River Suir to other catchment areas. They are also urging people not to move between the infected zone, which stretches from KnocKlofty bridge, downstream to Carrick on Suir and the lower part of the River Anner, and the remainder of the Suir which as of yet remains plague free.
People are also being asked to thoroughly clean, disinfect and dry any equipment used.
Investigations are continuing in to the cause of the outbreak but in the meantime, river users are being asked to adhere to the recommended protocol, follow signage along the river catchment and report any concerns to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
