Pollution probed as 2,000 fish die in River Pont

Nov 26 2009 by David Black, The Journal

INVESTIGATIONS are being carried out after almost 2,000 fish were killed in a pollution incident on a stretch of river in Northumberland.

The incident – described as serious by pollution watchdog the Environment Agency – resulted in almost all the fish dying along about 11km of the River Pont between Ponteland and Matfen.

It was reported a month ago by a passer-by who spotted dead fish floating in the water, although it is believed the poisoning happened a few days earlier.

Checks by the agency at its routine sampling point on the Pont near Stamfordham revealed very high levels of ammonia in the river.

Ammonia is commonly used in fertilisers and an investigation is now being carried out by the agency in a bid to discover who was responsible.

The incident, which the agency believes was accidental, killed almost 2,000 fish ranging from brown trout to stickleback, although invertebrates in the river were unaffected.

Yesterday an agency spokesman said the river would be re-stocked with fish next summer, after efforts are made to raise awareness of the pollution risks posed by careless discharges.