Truro Magistrates’ Court heard that Norman Osborne, 57, of Jacobstow, was responsible for a digestate spill at his farm near Warbstow in 2022.
At least 471 fish found dead and the total number lost estimated to be more than 1,600 (Image: Environment Agency)
The court was told that about 2,300 gallons of digestate – a waste product used as fertiliser – entered the River Ottery after a hose broke while it was being transferred between tanks.
It flowed into a nearby watercourse, with the impact worsened when the material was washed into the river. Osborne also failed to report the incident to the Environment Agency.
A stretch of around 3.5km of the river was affected, with at least 471 fish found dead and the total number lost estimated to be more than 1,600. Species hit included Atlantic salmon, brown trout and bullheads.
The hearing was told that fish populations had still not recovered to historic levels two years after the incident.
At least 471 fish found dead and the total number lost estimated to be more than 1,600 (Image: Environment Agency)
Osborne pleaded guilty to causing a water discharge activity and was fined £215. He was also ordered to pay costs of £3,550 to the Environment Agency, bringing the total to £3,765.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said the spill caused “significant impact” to the watercourse and highlighted the importance of reporting pollution incidents immediately so action can be taken to limit environmental harm.
Digestate, a by-product of anaerobic digestion, can contain high levels of ammonia and nitrogen and is considered highly polluting if it enters waterways.