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Update on Cunsey Beck fish kill.

The Environment Agency is NOT reopening the Cunsey Beck fish kill investigation. We think the Agency is not fit for purpose. 

“The organisation stands by its officer’s professional judgment that an algal bloom in Esthwaite Water was the most likely cause”

The following is a summary of the @scottishepa review of the @EnvAgency “professional judgement” 

- Based on the evidence in the investigation documentation, SEPA is unable to determine the cause or causes of the pollution incident.

- SEPA cannot rule out that the cause or combination of causes could have been identified, had the investigation obtained further suitable evidence.

- SEPA does not consider there is sufficient evidence in the investigation documentation to conclude that cyanobacteria from the Lake or bloom-related supersaturated dissolved oxygen levels directly resulted in mass fish mortalities. This is because of the absence of evidence of dead, moribund or stressed fish in Esthwaite Water; and because evidence from cyanobacteria toxicity analysis and fish post-mortems was not obtained.

- SEPA does not consider there is sufficient evidence to rule out discharges into the Cunsey Beck, including a discharge from the WWTW, as contributing to the incident. The investigation report found that invertebrates from Eel Bridge, some distance downstream of Esthwaite Water (and downstream of the sewage works), showed the heaviest impact; and the initial report of pollution referred to discoloured’ and smelly water.

Does that seem like a professionally managed investigation to you? 

The full SEPA report and Save Windermere analysis of the investigation can be found here.

To us this is more reason to have Public Inquiry into the Agency