A Co Antrim farmer pleaded guilty and was fined £5,000 plus £25 court costs at Ballymena Magistrates' Court today.

Mr Martin Atcheson of Rushy Island Road, Newtown-Crommelin, Co Antrim was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 11 July 2011, Water Quality Inspectors, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, responded to reports of dead fish and water pollution in the Skerry Water, an important habitat for young brown trout and Atlantic salmon.

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NIEA's investigation revealed that a high severity water pollution incident had occurred and that there had been a major fishkill. Over 2,000 young trout and salmon mortalities had occurred and the waterway was affected for at least 3.5km. The source of the polluting discharge was found to be pig slurry discharging from the farm premises of Mr Atcheson.

(CD/GK)