River Blackwater: Silt blockage 'damaging fishermen and tourism'

A build up of silt has caused problems in the River Blackwater

A campaign group is calling for multi-agency talks to clear one of Northern Ireland's best known waterways.

With its source near Fivemiletown, the River Blackwater runs along the Armagh-Tyrone border to Lough Neagh.

For nearly 15 years the section where the river meets the lough has been virtually impassable due to a build up of silt.

The campaign group has been unable to find out who is responsible for tackling the problem.

It wants Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon Borough Council and Mid-Ulster District Council to host a multi-agency meeting to discuss how a channel could be cleared.

Eel fisherman Gerard McCourt said the silt led to dangerous situations

Eel fisherman Gerard McCourt said the last time he could get through the waterway safely was in 2006.

"You're not allowed to fish anywhere within a mile of a river mouth," he said.

"So we have to get out on to the lake but I waited out here on several occasions and it's down to 15/16in (38-30cm) of water.

"We can take out a smaller boat but it's more dangerous and if you bring a smaller boat out there and it starts to blow you're in trouble.

"You're bringing the rescue services into things they shouldn't need to be doing."

Brian MacAuley, of Blackwater Community Barge, said fishermen have suffered

It is not just eel fishermen who are calling for action.

Others say the blockage is hindering tourism development in the area.

Brian MacAuley, of Blackwater Community Barge, said finding out who was responsible for dealing with the blockage was proving difficult.

"We're calling on those two councils to come and have some sort of joint-agency meeting to find out who is responsible for the clearing of that river, because we can't find out," he said.

"Everybody seems to be saying it's everybody else's problem.

"In the meantime the fishermen suffer and the tourism potential is neglected."

The first of many planned protests took place last weekend

Campaigners are planning a number of protest events to raise the issue in the coming months.

The first protest took place last weekend.