Early colonisation of the zebra mussel (dreissena polymorpha) in Lough Neagh: ecological and socio-economic impacts for the rural eel fishing industry.

The species quickly spread through the navigable Shannon system and was first observed in the Lough Erne system around 1998 . Surveys of Lough Neagh in 2004 found no zebra mussels and the Lough was identified in the " Zebra Mussel Management Strategy Northern Ireland " as the waterbody in the province most at risk of becoming infected with zebra mussels.

In November 2005 five adult zebra mussels were identified on the hull of a boat in Kinnego Marina, Lough Neagh . As a result of this discovery a preliminary investigation was initiated to assess whether zebra mussels were present throughout the Lough . The preliminary study found that in 2006 a small breeding population of zebra mussels existed in Lough Neagh .