Church leaders warn of ecological damage to Lough Neagh

The largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland is being suffocated by environmental degradation, the leader of the Irish Church, Archbishop Eamon Martin has warned.

Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland, is being suffocated by environmental degradation, the leader of the Irish Church, Archbishop Eamon Martin has warned.

The lake, which he described as “a vital ecological, economic, and cultural resource”, is bordered by five of Northern Ireland’s six counties.

“Lough Neagh is more than just a lake, it is a place that represents a shared heritage that transcends political, religious, and social boundaries,” Archbishop Martin said.  

He, along with other members of the Church Leaders Group (Ireland), Archbishop John McDowell of the Church of Ireland, Revd Dr Trevor Gribben of the Presbyterian Church and Revd Alan Wardlow of the Methodists visited the lake and Coney Island to highlight the Churches’ desire to walk together and “act with courage in response to the unfolding crisis”.

They met local communities, conservationists, and those whose livelihoods are connected to the lake to hear about the growing threats they are facing.

These include damage from nutrient pollution, invasive species such as zebra mussels, which originate in Russia and Ukraine, and increasingly severe blue-green algal blooms. Local fisheries and unique native species like the Pollan whitefish and Dollaghan brown trout have been severely impacted by the ecological damage.

In 2025, for the first time in generations, eel fishing was suspended because export markets rejected the lake’s eels due to poor fat content, which Archbishop Martin said was likely the result of Lough Neagh’s ecological deterioration. 

In a statement he expressed concern that a centuries-old way of life for many families “has come to an abrupt and painful end”. He stressed that environmental degradation “is not only a scientific and political issue, but also a deeply spiritual and moral one”. 

The Church leaders said their visit offered an opportunity to model collaboration, care, and prophetic witness in the face of ecological collapse.

Challenging people of faith to consider how the churches can collaborate across denominations, sectors, and borders to renew our responsibility as stewards of creation, Archbishop Martin asked: “What prophetic voice might the churches raise in solidarity with vulnerable ecosystems and communities?”

He invited people of goodwill to walk together in faith, hope, and care, “for the sake of creation, our communities, and generations to come” and to consider how each might respond with prayer, advocacy, and action.

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