‘Wake for the Lough’ protest planned for Ballyronan Marina beach

The peaceful protest follows a meeting between members of Love Our Lough and Friends of the Earth to discuss ways they can come together to protect and help the lough.

A spokesperson said: "We have decided to hold a peaceful protest on 17th September on the beach at Balllyronan Marina from 2- 4pm.

"We are holding a wake for the Lough and the event is hopefully going to be a wake up call for people.

"Please come and support us as the Lough is in a very serious condition. Our Lough needs us."

Meantime Mid Ulster District Council Development Committee are to hear from representatives of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), who will be reporting on water quality and the actions they are taking to protect the waterways that flow into Lough Neagh.

Sinn Féin Councillor Gavin Bell said the NIEA were invited back in June and he welcomed the fact that they answered the committee's call to come before the Council to address these concerns on September 11.

"It is vitally important that expert analysis is undertaken to establish the reasons for the Blue Green Algae Blooms within the Lough Neagh ecosystem and a collaborative strategy by the government agencies put in place to tackle the problems," he said.

SDLP Council Group Leader Councillor Malachy Quinn recently called for an urgent taskforce to be set up to tackle the critical situation at Lough Neagh.

It comes after multiple issues at the lough in recent weeks, including widespread blue-green algae, limited access for Lough Neagh Rescue, water quality and pollution.

Councillor Quinn said: “The current situation at Lough Neagh is critical. We have seen the worst ever case of blue-green algae, access for emergency services has been blocked because of sand and water levels and we have a report describing the water quality as bad, which could take over two decades to correct. We have run off from fields and septic tanks that are polluting the water and zebra mussels growing and destroying local fishing stocks.

“Fishermen are unable to make a living, businesses are closing their doors and lives are being put at risk. All of this is happening while every statutory agency responsible for the lough is passing the blame and refusing to take responsibility for these problems.

"I want to see all of the parties involved come together around one table and discuss the issues with the lough. The best way to do this is through a taskforce involving our local councils, NI Water, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Lough Neagh Partnership and the Shaftsbury Estate. The lack of an Executive will hamper our efforts to address these problems in the long-term, but we can’t simply stand by and do nothing while things get worse."

“Lough Neagh is one of the greatest natural resources on these Islands. I have grown up on its shores and everyone living in this area is heartbroken at its current state. It is a focal point of life here we need to ensure that it is safeguarded for future generations to enjoy.”