ENVIRONMENT Minister Andrew Muir was warned that suspected algae poisoning of two dogs on Lough Erne could result in "negative press, should reports emerge in the media". 

A document obtained via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request shows that Minister Muir was privately briefed following the death of two dogs earlier this year, which had both been in the water at Rossigh Bay.

According to the document, one dog died on April 15 and another on May 7, while two days later, on May 9, blue-green algae was officially detected at the location.

On May 20, a document entitled, 'Dogs' Death at Lower Lough Erne' was sent to Minister Muir by the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency (NIEA), which warned of "the potential for negative press".

In a section listed 'presentation issues', the NIEA official warned: "The dogs’ deaths have not been reported in any media channels, to date.

"There is the potential for negative attention around the deaths and the presence of blue-green algae should reports emerge in the media."

Minister Muir was then given background on the incidents and was again informed that the deaths had not been "picked up" by the media.

"The deaths were not picked up by the press and have not been reported in the news," the official said. "There is the potential for negative press coverage."

It was then recommended that Minister Muir note both the "background to the report of the death of two dogs", as well as "the potential for negative press coverage on this matter".

The document also provided in-depth background on the deaths, which were reported by The Impartial Reporter on August 29.

According to the document, on May 7 at 12.08pm, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council received a call from a member of the public, who reported that her two dogs had suddenly passed away after entering the water near Rossigh.

The document outlined that the owner of the dogs "wanted to know if the water had been tested recently, or if other complaints had been received".

An Environmental Health Officer then spoke to the owner, who reported that they walk/swim "most days down at Rossigh Bay jetty".

However, in this instance, the owner did not notice anything unusual in  the water.

The document then revealed that one of the dogs took ill on April 14 and passed away the following day, while the other dog took ill a few days before passing away on May 7.

"The dog had been at Rossigh on most days the week before," an NIEA official said in the document. 

"The complainant reported that the dogs were not in the habit of drinking or swimming in the water, but were frequently allowed off their leads.

"No post-mortems were carried out on either dog."

The incident was then reported to NIEA Area field staff on May 7, and a Water Quality Inspector (WQI) attended Rossigh and submitted a report. 

This was inconclusive, and a sample was then collected on the afternoon of May 7 and delivered to NIEA Lisburn for examination the next day, May 8.

According to NIEA, a phycologist - a research scientist specialising in algae and cyanobacteria, often known as blue-green algae - reported that there was “an obvious Dinoflagellate bloom but the sample did also contain a very small amount of potentially toxic blue-green algae (PTBGA) of various species".

"NIEA regional operations notified [the Council] of the confirmed presence of PTBGA at the location via email at 17.27 on May 8," the NIEA official added. 

"The complainant was updated via telephone by the Senior WQI on May 9.

"Fermanagh and Omagh District Council have erected signage and placed warnings on social media."

Other material obtained via FOI show rising anxiety surrounding reports of blue-green algae on Lough Erne. 

On Thursday, May 9, an email was sent to the NIEA Emergency Pollution email regarding algae at Old Castle Archdale, approximately 100 yards from Tom's Island.

"Dear Team, I think the Algae is back," said the individual who reported the algae, whose name had been redacted. 

This email received a detailed response by NIEA. 

"It is not possible to be certain from the photos whether this is blue-green algae or not," an official said. 

"Apparently blooms can sometimes be milky white in colour. On this occasion I think it best to go with plausible/inconclusive and request a sample be collected of the milky white substance if it is still there."

Another blue-green algae report on July 17, this time relating to Camagh Bay, revealed how an inspector encountered difficulty in assessing Ross Point.

"I took a check there yesterday afternoon; there is a slipway and jetty nearby at Camagh Bay, and this looked to be clear of B/G [blue-green algae]," said the inspector. 

"I checked another nearby area at a car park close to Innishmacsaint Island, and could see some PGB [potential blue-green algae] along this shoreline. 

"Some bright staining on the stones and algal clusters in the water column [were observed]. It was not a very thick bloom.

"I tried to access the area towards Ross Point, but this was not easily accessible on foot."