Fish killer may never be caught

ENVIRONMENT officers investigating a chemical spill which poisoned thousands of fish in Rochdale Canal are warning they may never trace the culprits.

Extensive inquiries and information given by the public have failed to discover who was responsible for putting the chemicals into the canal.

Samples and results from fish post-mortem examinations have revealed that a herbicide entered the water and affected a 11/2 mile stretch of the canal from Broadgate Business Park, near the Boat and Horses, Chadderton, to Failsworth.

It killed more than 15,000 fish and wiped out rare aquatic plant life.

Steve Walters, environment team leader said: “We believe that the herbicide was deposited through a road drain, which enters the canal under The Causeway, off Oldham Broadway Business Park, Chadderton.

“We’ve followed a number of leads, but they have proved inconclusive.

“Now, we believe an individual could be responsible for this. We believe somebody may have come along and dumped the herbicide down the drain.

“Although fish are now beginning to return to the affected stretch, we would like to stress that the investigation is still very much ongoing, and we would urge the public to contact us with any information that can help us to solve this environmental crime.

“We rely on the public to help us with our investigations. Their information is invaluable to us for incidents like this”

The stretch of canal is an SSSI (site of special scientific interest), and the Environment Agency is still monitoring the quality of the water.

It plans to work with British Waterways and Natural England to restock it with fish and to restore aquatic plantlife.

Anyone with any information about this incident, which occurred on Saturday, July 19, or any other environmental incident, should contact the Environment Agency on 0800-80 70 60.