00:00But toxic cyanobacteria blooms especially since the summers of 2023 and 2024 and this year have depleted oxygen levels in the loch.
00:07To such an extent it's blocking light, it's leading to fish kills and decline in aquatic biodiversity.
00:14But it's not just the ecosystem in Loch Nye, it appears to have collapsed.
00:18Without wanting to cross into territory of colleagues or repeating anything that has already been said,
00:23I will narrow my concerns to the river ban, the only river for spawning salmon and white trout into the Loch Nye system.
00:32Recreational angling and water sports businesses along the river ban have been severely impacted.
00:37Some operators forced to close entirely due to unsafe water conditions and customer cancellations.
00:42Not to mention the blue flag beaches of Benoan, Port Stewart and Port Rush along the tidal stretch of the ban at the Bar Mouth.
00:48Although inevitable, the return of blue-green algae is deeply concerning.
00:54And it's not just about the environment, it's about people's daily lives.
00:57In my constituency, recently businesses at Benoan and Castle Rock have spoken to customers staying away because of the warnings.
01:05Families are unsure whether it was safe to swim, to bring children to the beach or even let their dogs near the shore in case it would poison them.
01:11Local charities in my constituency see to it have found that the blooms make their clean-up work on the ban more difficult.
01:19And many people want reassurance that water coming out of their taps is safe to drink.
01:23We have been given that reassurance, but public confidence will only last if we see the source of the problem being addressed.
01:29It's been truly heartbreaking to witness scenes of a loch yet again this summer being suffocated by human-induced blue-green algae blooms.
01:39This decline in the ale industry, as was all been talked about today, shows the very real and tragic impacts of this ecological crisis.
01:51We've seen a rise in blue-green algae blooms affecting not only Loch Nair and its catchment, but also affecting beaches and bathing waters along the north coast.
02:00It concerns me greatly that there are 163 confirmed reports of blue-green algae from 78 unique locations across Northern Ireland as of the 4th of September,
02:12with the blooms being reported from two new locations since the 28th of August.
02:16So, let's see if we can see that there's a big one that's been published in the 80th of August.
02:30So, let's see that there's a big one that's been published in the 80th of August.
02:34We've seen more research can be found in a nearby area here in the 80th of August.
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